Riverside Stamps
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A study of the differences between the 1922-25 perf 11 flat plate issues and the 1923 & 1931 perf 11X10 1/2 rotary press issues.
A lot of you may be wondering why I'm doing a study like this - in a nut shell it comes down to differences in opinion. I was going through my collection double checking for correctness when I came across a 1922-25 flat plate issue perf 11 5c Roosevelt (Scott #557) in the 1923 perf 11X10 1/2 rotary press issue 5c Roosevelt (Scott #637). Since it was an extra I decided to sell it on eBay. The stamp sold, it was sent to the buyer and a few weeks later I received the stamp back with a note stating that it was a #637 not a #557 please refund my money. Of course I refunded the money all the while thinking 'how the heck could I have mis-identified the stamp?' so I rechecked the stamp and I can't make either the right or left side line up with a 10 1/2 perf gauge but it sure lined up really well with the 11 perf gauge. Undaunted the next time I was at auction I gave the stamp to a total stranger and asked if they would double check my identification for me. Much to my surprise the gentleman stated that it was #637. When I got home that afternoon I rechecked the stamp even more carefully then the last time and again I could not make either the right or left side line up with a 10 1/2 perf gauge but the 11 perf gauge was a perfect fit.
Below is a picture of the stamp in question:
There are three characteristics that I looked at that could be used to distinguish between flat plat printed stamps and rotary press printed stamps and they are:
- Image height (1/2c to 15c) and width (20c to $5).
- Gauge of the perforation of the long side as gauged by the Specialty Gauge for Bureau Issues found on the Precision US Specialty Multi Gauge (copyright Sonic Imagery Labs)
- Appearance of the gum on unused stamps.
I gathered up all of the stamps from these two issue dates that I could get my hands on and measured the longest part of the stamp image down to the 1/4mm, measured the perforation gauge on the above mentioned gauge and noted the appearance of the gum on all of the unused examples. Below are the results of all that measuring.
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For flat plate printed stamps:
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For rotary press printed stamps:
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From the above analysis it can be safely said that there are indeed major differences between flat plate printed stamps and rotary press printed stamps. The longest side of a rotary press stamp will be longer by up to 3/4mm, a perf 11 gauge stamp can't be made to fit a 10 1/2 gauge or a perf 10 1/2 gauge stamp can't be made to fit a perf 11 gauge and a rotary press stamp will always show gum breakers were a flat plate stamp will have a smooth over all appearance.
Now back to the stamp in question, how does it stack up to the above criteria?
- It measures 22 1/4mm on the long side of the image.
- The perforations on both long edges measure 11-72.
- The gum over all has a smooth appearance with no gum ridges or gum breakers.
Base on the measurements the stamp in question can not be anything other than a Scott #557 perf 11 flat plat press stamp.
To Contact Riverside Stamps:
Email:
Mike Girard - Owner / Operator / Web Master:
g1rardmn1099@comcast.net
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I am a member of the American Philatelic Society
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I am a member of the United States Stamp Society  USSS #: 16733 Visit the United States Stamp Society Website at www.usstamps.org |
I am a member of the Perfins Club
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