2c Washington Denomination in Numerals

Type Check - The flat plate, imperforate stamp can be either of two types, I or Ia
See also: Identification guide for types I, IA, II, and III

Watermark Check - This stamp also needs to be checked for single-line watermark.

Watermark	Type	Scott Number	Privately Perforated by the Following Companies/Types
single-line	I	409	Brinkerhoff I, II, IIa, IIb; Farwell 4A, 4B, 4A5, 5A4; Mailometer I, IV; Schermack III; USAV I, II, III
none	I	482	Farwell 4B; Schermack III
none	Ia	482A	Schermack III only - This stamp *must* have Schermack III perforations

see also: Private Perforations - Vending and Affixing Machine Perforations

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. The Type I stamp, Scott 482, can be altered to look like a Type Ia, Scott 482A, by strengthening the Toga rope and button. This stamp is exceptionally rare and is found as a privately perforated Schermack coil only, never as the fully imperforate stamp. At this time, any Scott 482A offered fully imperforate without the Schermack perforations is therefore an obvious fake. According to the Robert A. Siegel census, only 38 copies of this stamp are known. Needless to say this stamp should NEVER be bought or sold without certification. If you should run across a Type Ia stamp while sifting through a bunch of Schermack coils, you should consider the stamp HIGHLY suspect. You MUST have this stamp certified before offering it for sale. If the certification comes back positive, you will have made one of the great finds in philately.

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