1c 1851 Plate 1-Early Stamps

Ok. Here are the stamps, finally.




Upper left of 32L1E showing the guide dot between orn A and orn B.



The bottom between showing plate dot on 33L1E.



The top of 32L1E.



The top of 33L1E.



Comments appreciated.

You would have a hard time marketing the 33L as a Type IIIa because you can't see enough of the break but it sure looks like a break is there. The top of 32L looks to be at least as interesting.

Did I plate the pair correctly?

Maybe send it for a Franklin Archive cert and see what it comes back with or should I get a PF cert?

Did I get a good deal or did I get taken for a bit?

Well, first we need to find out if you bought it from the right dealer. You should have first submitted your Intent To Purchase to the Nannies Against Dealers That We Don't Like group here on SCF. You see it is OK to pay twice what something is worth as long as the money went to the right person. It doesn't matter that you will have less money left over to buy other stamps because we are all in this together, at least until you to sell anyway.

It looks to be plated correctly but I haven't looked real hard. I wouldn't sink any more money into it with certificates. Of course I could continue on my truth telling rant if you do want to get a cert.

I am more interested in the cert to get a professional opinion on the type 7 or 8a on 33L1E.

You probably wouldn't get it. You need a pretty good sized, visible break. I have an answer for your measurement needs but I am just on my phone right now.

Agree with sinclair. It looks like you plated the pair correctly as 32-33L1E, but if 33L1E is a Type II-IIIA changeling then you can't tell which one it is from this copy. Note that the Neinken diagram shows the break only over the S, a part of the top frame line that is completely cut away on this pair.

ETA: The Siegel pair seems to show the break on 33L1E as more over the OS than just the S.

The Siegel 33L1E from the pair starts fading at the right of the "T".



The Franklin Archive 33L1E copy that he called a type II has heavy line above the "T". You can see an impression difference.



My 33L1E seems to start in the same place the Siegel stamp does.



I think the pair was a fair deal. I may have paid a little more but it is a nice controversial piece. And pairs from plate 1 early are not often found. (I do go over my usual 25% for things I like, always exceptions). Studying pays off sometimes. Keeps me busy anyway.

As they say, what matters most is that you are happy.

Isn't that what it is all about anyway?
We collect stamps because it makes us happy, the hunt, the search, the studying,....

I learn best by creating visual aids, like the guide dot charts.
Working on an interesting project.... will post it sometime if it goes somewhere....

I picked up another pair that appears to be plate 1 early 5-6L1E.
Can someone confirm this position?
Here are the photos:

That looks to be the case, jaxom. Nice pair.

Thanks Dudley.

The top corners appeared to be relief T, not B when I saw it. I wish the top showed the guide dots, but then others would have seen it and it would have cost more. These two would have been hard to plate if they were not a pair.

Here is an "A" relief that I have been trying to plate tonight.
The best that I can come up with is 74R1E.
Not much in the way of plate marks except the line in the middle of the right side which is common on a lot of plate 2 stamps, not so on plate 1 early. There is also the small lines at the bottom right. Along with the stamp, I have an image of a known 74R1E from a strip of 3 on the left, my stamp on the right showing the middle to bottom of the right side. Looking for a plating opinion.

Njs, it looks like our messages have been deleted. I do think you are right about the above stamp being 13R2. The marks on the bottom left of 13R2 were hard to see up close at 2400 dpi.