A basic exhibit of this series

I have designed what I think constitutes a basic grouping of this series. These 48 pages would fit completely in a 24-page double-side presentation book. The collection consists of 320 items. For this exercise I will consider all incoming material game for this collection. I have just received the first item.

Here is the scheme for the first half of the presentation book



Here is the scheme for the second half of the presentation book



Here is the cover. 1 down, 319 items to go.



The letter was postmarked April 25, 1936.



Here is a detail of one of the 1 peso stamps.

last groups and two corrections

Here are the last groups. The images are mostly placeholders.





Two omissions corrected: I forgot the 5c typographed on 1E4 paper and the 1943 20p clay

grouping the various issues

I finally have some time to compile additional groups. These are for all the issues from 1E2 to 2C, and all that remains are the late printings beginning in 1951.

The 1E2, including 'Servicio Oficial':



The 1E3 including 'Servicio Oficial':



The 1E4 including 'Servicio Oficial':



Clays and Straight Rays from before 1945:



The NGR unwatermarked regulars and officials:



The unwatermarked opaque (NOP) and Straight Rays clear (2C):



There are a few errors and omissions, but this is the starting point I need for now.

3c San Martin Gray value

I am surprised by how complex this stamp is. In addition to unwatermarked grid (NGR) I find it on three other papers:

the 1E3 of 1939:



the 1E4 of 1940, thin and bright white:



and the diffused straight rays of 1943 (2D)

3c Moreno value

I find both unwatermarked papers, grid (NGR) and white opaque (NOP). The top pair in this image is a comparison NGR pair, and the five specimens below it are NOP, very rare.

With more time, I would like to study the Straight Rays printings. I wonder if this stamp was printed on the diffused paper of 1943. I find it used in the 50s, when the clear printing (2C) took place. This image is in true colors.




And this one shows the watermark more clearly thanks to the Photoshop 'equalize' filter. I only find one stamp on 1E4 paper.

'cents' that saw little postal use

These stamps saw very little postal use. I show a few specimens for future reference.

2 1/2c 1E3 and 1E4 (it is curious that such a seldom-used stamp was printed on two papers)



3c San Martin Green



4c Gray (a rare stamp, and scarcer still on the 1E4 paper)



4c Green



6c Wavy Rays



8c



12c Brown



12c Red wavy and straight rays

papers for the 2 c

This is a relatively easy stamp to type. I find 1E1 and 1E3, and straight rays clear (2C), latter commonly found mint.



I show a few wavy rays specimens for reference.

papers on the 1 c value

This is one of the most difficult values to type on account of how little the colors varied through the years. The least common printing is the typographed stamp on 1E1 paper.



Here I show a sample of these stamps showing the watermark. Notice las middle stamp is short, maybe from a perforation error sheet.



Here I show a few blocks of four on several papers. The colors are filtered by the Photoshop 'equalize' function. The 1E1's after this filter look golden, and the 1E3's look darkened, even though the latter paper is white.



The 1c 1E4 is bright white and thin, and is usually perfed comb. This perforation format is found on the other 1E4 values.



I show here a mint selection. First image is front, second is back filtered for watermarks, and third is back showing the gum, all stamps matching their relative positions.







The cream paper of 1936 has darkened gum, although it is unclear to me how much of the color is the gum, and how much the paper. The later gums are shiny and white.

papers on the 1/2 c value

Here I show several blocks. The watermarks are clear for the 1E3 of 1939, the 1E1 of 1935, and the rare Straight Rays diffused (2D) of 1943. These colors are the result of applying the 'equalize' function in Photoshop.

quick study of the small format 'cents' values

I have taken a day to look at the papers/watermarks of the'cents' values-all small format excluding the most common ones (5c, 10c, 15c, and 20c). This table shows the ones I find.



Abbreviations:

05c: 1/2c
1ct: 1 c typographed
2p5c: 2 1/2c
Gr: Green
Gy: Gray
12cBR: 12c Brown
12cR: 12c Red

Y: Yes, I find it
O: Only found overprinted 'Servicio Oficial'

SD: side-to-side, that is, horizontal
UD: up-down, that is, vertical

The 1L5 is the 'Zarate' paper which can sometimes seem not to have a watermark and is very thin.

Watermarks/Papers 25c 'Servicio Oficial'

I have taken a quick look at a sample of these stamps. Here are the images. All are with the 12 mm, or wider overprint, with the exception of the 1L, which has the 11 mm, or narrower overprint.

1E2, thin, very porous, white.



1E3, white to cream, medium thickness.



1E4, white, thin, porous.



1L1, looks a lot like 1E3, used for the 11 mm overprints of the 1950s



Here is a comparison on the 1E3 with the 1L1



I also find a few with the A in the watermark partially missing the legs. Stamp is 1E3.



The unwatermarked grid, NGR, is the top two rows of the scan below, and the unwatermarked opaque NOP, is the bottom two rows.



Here is a comparison scan. The NGR is grayish, and the NOP is white, but this deifference is not obvious in the scan.



With higher contrast ('equalize' in Photoshop')



I hope you find use for these reference scans.