Monday, February 8, 2010

Additional 5p1L1 plate varieties

These two stamps have Upper Left corner scratches.





This stamp also has outer scratches Lower Left corner.





5p1L1 small UL scratch plate variety

These two stamps share the diagonal Upper Left corner scratch and outer scratches Lower Left corner. There are small variations in additional flaws between these two stamps.



















Another 5p1L1 and 5p1L2 match plate variety

The main characteristic of this plate variety is a break in the outer frame line under the second to last A of CATARATAS. I show here only two of the 5p1L1 specimens. By how commonly I find this plate variety, I am postulating that it is a master plate variety. In addition, other flaws vary from stamp to stamp.





















Here is a 5p1L2 specimen with the same lower line break but with different additional flaws.







Notice that the break appears in the same place for one of the 5p1L1 stamps and a 5p1L2 stamp. The 5p1L2 is the remarkable 'long scratch in background' plate variety.

A second 5p1L1 and 5p1L2 match plate variety

Here is the 5p1L1 stamp.



This stamp has a blue dot to the left of the R of REPUBLICA.



Here is a 5p1L2 stamp that is likely the same plate variety. It is possible that the scratch below ARGENTINA either came out after a light acid wash or was introduced during handling of the plate.







A 5p1L1 and 5p1L2 match plate variety

Here is the 5p1L1 stamp.



This stamp has a lower line break to the frame below and between the EN of ARGENTINA.



Here are two 5p1L2 stamps that are likely the same plate variety. It is possible that the scratch over the palm either came out after a light acid wash or was introduced during handling of the plate.











The 5p1L1

In one of the many remarkable flukes of this series, the printer managed to match exactly the colors of the early printings for this 1951 issue. Almost all other stamps in this series that were printed in 1951 and thereafter have colors that can easily be distinguished from previous printings.

Here are two specimens with their corresponding watermark scans. Notice that the plates are dirty and/or worn out.









Here is a 5p1L1 with dark colors.

A 50c1E2t candidate

If this is indeed a transverse 1E2, it will match the handful of 25c1E2t's I recently came across. This is a difficult-to-explain stamp. Help Rein!