Franklin Head
10 CENTS
Perf 10 
Rotary Coil

Watermark Check - There is no need to check the watermark on this stamp other than for authentication purposes. This stamp must be printed by the rotary press method. Note that this is the only Franklin Head with the denomination in numerals that was printed using the Rotary Press Method. Therefore, if it is rotary, that is wider than the normal stamp, it must be genuine. 

It is unlikely that unused copies of this stamp would be faked by trimming a perf 10 stamp, since the coil is less expensive than the fully perforated stamp in the unused state. However, the used coil stamp may be faked by trimming the perf 10 stamp, since the coil is valued about 10 times more expensive. Fortunately, this is an easy stamp to check, if it is rotary it is genuine, if it is flat plate it is fake. Therefore it is advised that the 10¢ perf 10 coil be checked for printing method.

The most common fakes of this stamp are the line pairs, since creating one from a normal coil pair simply involves drawing in a line. The line will not be engraved, however, and will not create an impression on thin foil (see the "thin foil" method.)

Washington Franklin Identifier - Home Page