J92 (4 Cent) Dull Gum Discovered

I received these plate blocks in an eBay lot of postage due plate blocks from a seller in Canada. The reason I bought the lot was that it had other dull gums and a few good plate numbers. I usually ignore J92s since they haven't any difficult numbers (or dull gums).

When I looked through the plate blocks the J92s looked different from the usual J92 (no gum breaker marks, a wide salvage showing the entire lines, and a lighter color than the usual J92). Well, I was shocked when I flipped one over and it was a dull gum! I looked through my other J92 35306 and 36307 plate blocks and and found no others. Maybe you should look through yours too. Its odd how things like this can turn up after 30+ years.





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postagedueguy: Have you considered sending one of your dull gum J92s to Scott? Or having one expertized and sending a copy of the cert to Scott? Currently, as you indicated, there is no listing for a dull gum J92.
Added: Noticed in my Durland that 35306 & 35307 were the last two plate numbers for J92. And, if there were to be any dull gums, they would likely be the last plates.

I have reported this to Durland's and will report to Scott's too. Here
are scans of the reverses. Dull gums exist only on 34283, 35282, 35306, 35307, 37876, and 37877.





J92 35306 LL Dull Gum reverse



J92 35307 LL Dull Gum reverse

Congratulations on a truly remarkable find! Am now wondering if J92 will surpass J95 as the rare one amongst the dull gum dues. My guess is yes.

Thanks. And after 30+ year to find these I'm amazed. Well, I have eight J95 dull gums (which I paid 28 cent each) and there are only 4 of these. Maybe everyone should look at their J96s too(I have). J102 and j103 were issued in 1978 before the BE&P started using dull gummed paper.

These stamps need to be reported to the folks at Scott so they can be included in the Catalogue.

Done. Maybe I should tell you about the 9 cent postage due stamp.

So perhaps this was a late April Fool's joke?

I wouldn't be that mean. The 4 cent dull gums are real, but there is a story about the 9 cent postage due stamp. Long, Long Ago ... the late
70s (long before dull gummed paper). I used to drive around to small post offices and buy postage due plate blocks and I'd explain why I
was collecting them. Well, I went to this on small town and post master was having a slow day and got to talking about stamps. She swore to
me that she had gotten 1 sheet of 9 cent postage due stamps instead of a 6 cent one and sold it to a local collector. I couldn't get the name
of the collector out of her. Makes you think.....

Indeed it does. Reminds me of confirmed stories I've read of stamps that have gone missing over the years ... or been destroyed shortly before someone tried to purchase them, thereby averting a surefire rarity. Sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction. Hopefully we'll be reading about your dull gum J92 in a future issue of Linn's.

This is a rarity. The lower left position has never been found.

Congratulations on your new find. You should ask the dealer who sold you them if he has anymore or if he can get more. Sometimes such material is concentrated in one place or source.

Yes, contacted the dealer and that was all of them. Maybe I can find the 8 cent dull gums next.....

Postagedueguy, congrats. I take it the article in the United States Specialist Sept. 2016 was yours?

Peter

Read your article in the "Specialist" last night. Nice find. Are you a member of the Murfreesboro Stamp Club? I'm in the Brentwood Club.

Yes, that was my article in the United States Specialist. I'm in the Brentwood club too.