Washington Head
Denomination 
in Numerals
"2 CENTS" Imperforate
Offset Printing

example shown: Type Va Imperforate

Type Check - The offset method, found only on the perf 11 and imperforate stamps, can be one of five types, Type IV, V, Va, VI,  or VII.  It may be helpful to remember that only offset stamps can be of Types IV-VII and that offset stamps can only be Type IV-VII. At the risk of belaboring the point, flat plate and rotary stamps can only be Types I-III and never Types IV-VII. It may also be helpful to remember that the imperforate offset stamps follow the same Type designations and numbering sequence as the perf 11 offset stamps, with a one-to-one correspondence between Scott's 526-528B and 532-534B. Many of these stamps were privately perforated by the Mailometer Company using the Schermack Type III perforations.

Identification guide for the Types of the offset stamps

Caution:

Scott 533 may be faked by trimming the perforations off its perforated counterpart, Sc527, or by adding a dot to the nose to make a Type V out of a Type Va, Sc534.

Scott 534B is a rare stamp and is often faked. As with Scott 533, Scott 534B can be faked by trimming the perforated 11 counterpart Sc528B. 

There are other fakes of this stamp, but some of the toughest fakes of 534B can be made from 534B!!! The Scott 534B imperforate sheets were sold to a private coil vending company, the Mailometer Company (which had taken over the Schermack Co.), which, in turn, added its own perforations known to collectors as Schermack Type III private coils. The used Schermack III stamps are much more common than the used fully imperforate stamp and can often be trimmed to look like the imperforate stamp.

Scott 534B should not be bought or sold without certification. 

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