Who Adjusted This Plate Number?

Just got this stamp from Hipstamp. I bought it for the VF centering. But on looking at the actual item, the plate number stands out as unusual. Looks like the plate number printed in ink did not get all of the normal red ink it should have. Who added the black ink for the "nine" and why bother? Was it a collector who used a pen?
Checked the Durland catalog, and 19041 is one of the several plates listed for this issue.

Opinion:
Yep! pen and ink, vandalism, possibly created by ignorance.
You did not notice when you purchased the item?

I can not find the article, but in the Unites States Specialist of a while back someone wrote about these. Seems that folks at the BEP sometimes did this to make filing away the plates easier.
The above example could be done by a BEP emloyee that was storing the used plates


Peter

Hi Peter,
Why would they mark a sheet of stamps (out of tens of thousands of sheets) to make filing away a plate easier?
Don

Don, I wished I could find the article.
Somewhere it mentioned that they filed some of the printed sheets as well.
I am still looking through all my older copies of the US Specialist


Peter

I can't imagine that mark being made before the stamp was sold over the counter and entered out into the wild? Any person dealing with it in an official capacity would be able to discern the number, if they cared in the first place?

After it was released from captivity, who can say where and when the mark would have been added (assuming that the mark shows on the auction image - if it doesn't, then the pool of potential defacers shrinks considerably)?

You're assuming that it's definitely the tail of a "9", rather than an unrelated pen mark made behind a post office counter - I've seen a few of those on stamp-edging over the years.

Thanks for the thoughts. Variety of possibilities means it's an unknown cause, occasionally seen, but of limited interest.

Could easily be peddled on Ebay as a RARE and UNIQUE and AMAZING one-of-a-kind proof essay error. $999.99 or Best Offer.

Occam's razor, I vote for the simple solution that this was done by a collector after the point of sale. It makes no sense for anyone during the production, distribution, or sale to have done it. Incomplete inking of marginal markings is fairly common.

Also, Sandman, please post a scan of the entire stamp. This post was made in a "general" topic and yet is read by collectors all over the world who have no idea what country or stamp you are showing.

Guilty as charged.

Top sheet of printed stack for better ID.

No employee would take the time to Wright on a sheet of stamps or a press sheet. All the information needed would be found on the production sheet that tells the pressman or operator the amount of product to produce.

On a production sheet or report. You will find amount of product needed.
The amount produced.
The weight of paper used
The weight of ink used
The weight of gum used

You would find,
The paper needed
The ink color or colors needed.
(Anytime spent on mixing a color specifically need for the job)
The gum needed
The startup or set up time for the job.
The time it took to produce
Any waist produced.
The plates need for the job or engraved calendar needed. ( if offset printed you may find the film's need to burn the plates yourself and kept with job packet)

It is standard for samples to be kept in the production process of any job. This would be kept in the production folder or packet. This would ensure the product produced would match any product produced earlier. This would also show that the product produced my the employee was done correctly and to production standers. They are dated and numbered with the order number of each job. As after sometime has past and the samples and job jacket is no longer required. They are sent for disposal. They are ran threw a paper shredder today. Then paper sent for recycling. In the past they were sent to be burnt. At all steps the product weight