Only the flat plate and rotary press
printings of the 2c Washington may have the following types. Be aware that
many of these stamps have similar traits compared to the offset stamps. In
particular, many of these stamps have 4 rows of 3 dots above the lip, a
characteristic of the Type VII offset stamp. Looking for a particular
Type of offset stamp on a flat plate or rotary stamp can be frustrating
and time-consuming. First determine if the stamp is engraved
i.e. flat plate or rotary press, or not engraved, i.e. offset. If your stamp
is offset, you are on the wrong page and should go here: Types of the 2c
Offset Washington: Types IV-VII . Further, while Type
I is found on both flat plate and rotary stamps, Type Ia is found ONLY on
flat plate stamps, and Type II and Type III ONLY on rotary press stamps.
Before determining the Type of the 2c stamp, it is highly recommended that
you determine the method of printing. In particular, the scarce 2c Type Ia
stamp is NEVER found on a rotary press stamp and the 2c Type II stamp is
NEVER found on the flat plate stamp. Another way to put it is that if the
stamp has a strong toga rope line and button, it is either Type Ia if it
is flat plate and Type II if it is rotary and has only one line of shading
in the ribbons (see below).
According to an article published in the
February 1998 issue of the U.S. Specialist there is another determining
factor for Type Ia. The author of this article suggests that all Type Ia
stamps have at least a partial second line of shading in at least one of
the ribbons. Although we are not entirely convinced, it seems certain that
if the stamp DOES have an extra partial line of shading in the ribbons and
if the stamp is flat plate there is an excellent chance the stamp is Type
Ia. The reader is advised to visit the United
States Specialist web site. According to our records back issues
of the Specialist may be obtained in photocopy format for a fee of
$2.
See also: Methods
of Printing for the Washington Franklin Stamps
To use this identification guide, you will need to link to the
appropriate page by clicking on the appropriate number on either the
picture or in the chart below. The following chart provides links to a
comparison of each of the Types for all ten areas. Most of these stamps can be identified
using areas 1 through 5. In fact, the vast majority of these stamps can be
sorted by type by examining only areas 1 and 3, the left ribbon and the
toga rope. The areas 6 through 10
have more subtle differences, but with practice they will become great tools
in your identification arsenal. In the case of a cancellation covering
these areas, or if the ink is light, or you simply have a faded copy, you
will need to examine many of the areas. In particular, if you think the
stamp is a scarcer variety, you should examine all of the areas for
positive identification. A powerful magnifying glass, microscope, or a
high resolution scan (600 to 1200 dpi) will greatly aid in identifying the
type.
Caution:
Since the value of a particular stamp is often
determined by the design type, it is little wonder that there are many
forgeries in which the more common design is altered to look like the more
expensive design. A common alteration is to make a Type II stamp out of a
Type III stamp by simply scratching out one of the red lines in the ribbon
ends. Since there are many other features that distinguish the Type II
stamps from the Type III stamps, this doesn't fool many seasoned collectors.
The Type I can be altered to look like a Type Ia by strengthening the Toga
rope and button. This alteration can be detected by placing a piece of foil
over the suspect area, rubbing lightly and examining the impression made. If
the design was altered the impression will be that of the weaker type I
stamp, since only the engraved portion will show up in the impression,
anything drawn in will not. Since Type Ia stamps are rare, Scott 482a and
Scott 500, this test should be done in every case to eliminate obvious
fakes. We highly recommend having ALL type Ia stamps certified before
buying or selling.
