Riverside Stamps
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Suspect Scott #349, Unused HH Single (2/27/16).
This is a reasonably priced issue cataloguing for $90 as an unused single. This coil is often faked and can be manufactured from the following stock: adding fake perforations to a trimmed imperforate #344, adding fake perforations to the imperforate vertical coil #344V, trimming the perforations off the left and/or right of a perforated #332 and trimming the perforations from the left or right of the #332a booklet stamps.
The watermark is an inverted reversed double line “U” and “S” that reads horizontal. The horizontal watermark eliminates the possibility of the suspect being a #332a booklet single.
The width of the suspect is 20.875 at the bottom and 20.75mm at the top which is a far ways off from the ideal 21.5mm. According to The Experts Book “most genuine coils will fall within 0.3mm of these ‘ideal’ figures.”. The suspect’s with is over twice the 0.3mm tolerance at an average of 0.688mm narrower than the ideal 21.5mm.
The top perforations gauge out to 11.940, the bottom perfs gauge at 11.953, are parallel to the frame and are a good match to the genuine perforations. The suspect’s perforations show evidence of being genuine.
The two cut edges are fairly straight, parallel to each other as well as to the frame. The two edges compare well with genuine #331a booklet pane edges.
The left edge (right) compared to a genuine #332a booklet pane edge (left).
The right edge (right) compared to a genuine #332a booklet pane edge (left).
The color of the suspect (bottom two thirds) matches well with a known genuine #349 I have in my collection (top third).
The narrowness of the suspect gives me pause but the edges don’t look like they have been trimmed. The perforations are no doubt genuine.
Conclusion: In my opinion the suspect is a Scott #332 with the perforations trimmed off the left and the right sides.
Reference material used:
- The Expert's Book. A practical guide to the authentication of United States stamps. By Paul W. Schmid.
As always comments and suggestions are always welcome.
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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