Wisconsin Federation of Stamp Clubs (WFSC)
Across the Fence Post Newsletter
1995 U.S. Varieties Clearinghouse Column

          This page includes U.S. Varieties Clearinghouse Columns from the 1995 issues of Across the Fence Post.

January issue

By Gregg Greenwald, Mr.. Central Wisconsin Stamp Club

This month, I'm presenting some stamp varieties available through the Philatelic Fulfillment Service Center in Kansas City. When ordering, remember there is a minimum order of $10 and a 50¢ service charge for each order.

In 1988, the U.S. Postal Service issued the 15¢ Buffalo Bill Cody (Scott #2178). Currently, there are three varieties of this stamp, two of which are available through the PFSC. The three varieties are: (1) surface-phosphored paper, (2) block tagged, and (3) overall tagged.

The surface-phosphored paper variety is unique in that an experimental paper was used for this stamp only, and its appearance under shortwave ultraviolet light does not look like any other surface-phosphored stamps.

As for the plate numbers, the surface-phosphored paper variety exists only on plate 1, the block-tagged variety exists on plates 1 and 3, and the overall-tagged variety exists on plates 2 and 3. The PFSC has the surface-phosphored plate 1 and the overall-tagged plate 3 in stock. The order number is 0062. A full pane of 100 must be ordered to receive a plate block, and be sure to mention in the special instructions which plate numbers you want.

The new version of the photogravure-printed 5¢ Circus Wagon (Scott #2452B) is now available from the PFSC. The new variety is from plate A3 and has red ink that glows under shortwave ultraviolet light. The previous version from plates A1 and A2 had ink that did not react to the shortwave ultraviolet light. Please note that stamps from all three plates were printed on untagged paper, and the only variety is in the ink itself. The order number is 7732 and a minimum of 27 must be ordered to get a plate number strip of five.

The new variety of the photogravure-printed 5¢ Canoe (Scott #2454) has a smooth, matte-finish gum. The previous version had a very shiny, high-gloss gum. The order number for the new variety is 57907 and a minimum of 36 must be ordered to get a plate number strip of five.

Please direct comments/questions to me at the address shown above. If a response is requested, please include a SASE. •

February issue No column this issue

March issue

By Gregg Greenwald, Mr.. Central Wisconsin Stamp Club

Two new gum varieties have appeared in the waning months of the 29¢ rate.

The 1994 Virgin and Child Christmas stamp has been issued with both shiny and matte-finish gum types. The U.S. Postal Service's Philatelic Fulfillment Service Center catalog lists both of the varieties. The order number for the matte-finish gum type (listed as "PVA adhesive") is 5515. The order number for the shiny gum type (listed as "dextrin adhesive") is 55151. A full pane, of 50 must be ordered to receive a plate block. In addition, there is a $10 minimum order and a 50¢ handling charge per order.

The other variety appears on the 29¢ Pledge of Allegiance booklet issue produced by the Bureau of Engraving (Scott #2594). The new variety has matte-finish gum, while the previous version had a very shiny, high-gloss gum. The variety I found has plate number 4444, although some other plate numbers have also been reported with the new matte-finish gum type. I purchased mine at the Minneapolis philatelic center. For those of you who wish to place an order (a booklet of 20 for $5.80 is the minimum purchase), the address is: Stamp Shoppe, Main Past Office Lobby, 1st St. & Marquette, Minneapolis, MN 55401.

Please direct comments/questions to me at the address shown above. If a response is requested, please include a SASE. •

April issue

By Gregg Greenwald, Mr.. Central Wisconsin Stamp Club

With the new postage rates, the U.S. Postal Service has issued a number of varieties of G-rate stamps. With the help of the Scott Stamp Monthly Magazine, here's a checklist of currently what's out there, together with the known preliminary Scott catalog numbers.

Scott

No. Description

2877   3¢ makeup rate, ABNC, bright blue dove

2878   3¢ makeup rate, Stamp Venturers, dark blue dove

2879 20¢ postcard rate, black G, yellow background

2880 20¢ postcard rate, red G, yellow background

2881 32¢ first-class rate, black G, pert 11.2 x 11.1

2882 32¢ first-class rate, red G

2881a 32¢ black G, book of 10, glossy cover stock, perf 11.2 x 11.1

2883a 32¢ black G, book of 10, dull cover stock, pert 10 x 9.9

2883a 32¢ black G, book of 20, dull cover stock

2884a 32¢ blue G, book of 20,

2885a 32¢ red G, book of 20

2886a 32¢ G self-adhesive book of 18 with plate number

2886  32¢ G self-adhesive (oil

2887a 32¢ G self-adhesive ATM book of 18 without plate number

-----    5¢ non-profit G coil

2888 25¢ first-class presort G coil

2889 32¢ black G coil

2890 32¢ blue G coil

2891 32¢ red G coil, perforated, coils of 3,000 and 10,000 have counting numbers on reverse every 10 stamps

2892 32¢ red G coil, rouletted

O152 32¢ G Eagle coil

------ 20¢ Red Barn postal card

------ 20¢ G Flag postal card

------ 32¢ Liberty Bell embossed envelop, size 6 ¾ and 10, without windows

------ 32¢ Liberty Bell embossed envelop, size 6 ¾ and 10, with windows

------ 32¢ G Flag embossed envelope, size 6 ¾ and 10 without windows

------ 32¢ G Flag embossed envelope, size 6 ¾ and 10 with windows

Please direct comments/questions to me at the address shown above. If a response is requested, please include a SASE. •

May/June issue

By Gregg Greenwald, Mr.. Central Wisconsin Stamp Club

New information has come to light regarding the Bureau of Engraving and Printing produced 29¢ Pledge of Allegiance booklet,

Scott #2594. Two versions of the newest printing have appeared.

The original version was perforated 10 x 9.8 and had a high-gloss gum. The new varieties are perforated 10.9 x 9.8 and come with two types of gum, high-gloss and low-gloss. The Minneapolis philatelic center has all three types in stock. They have the originals in books of 10 for $2.90, the perforate 10.9 x 9.8 with high-gloss gum in books of 20 with plate number 3333 for $5.80, and the low-gloss gum variety in books of 20 with plate number 4444 for $5.80. The address for orders is: Stamp Shoppe, Main Post Office Lobby, lst St. & Marquette, Minneapolis, MN 55401.

The second variety that I'll cover this month is a reprinting of the 3 ¢ Paul Dudley White MD stamp (Scott #2170). The new stamp is from plate 4 and is untagged. The previous version of the stamp was block tagged. This stamp is available from the Green Bay philatelic center, and a plate strip of 20 must be purchased for a plate block. Their address is: Stamp Shoppe, 300 Packerland Dr., Green Bay, WI 54303-9998

Finally, a quick note about gum: The editors at Linn's Stamp News have changed their terminology regarding what they call different types of gum.

I agree with them, and I will use these terms in the future. Currently, I know of three different types of gum being used.

• The first is a very shiny gum, and is called high-gloss.

• The second is a matte-finish gum, and is called low-gloss.

• The last type of gum does not have any shine to it at all and is called dull-finish or dull gum.

Time will tell whether these terms stick, but I'll try very hard to be consistent when I refer to a stamp's gum type.

Please direct comments/questions to me at the address shown above. If a response is requested, please include a SASE. •

July/August issue No column this issue

September issue

Two gum versions of the recently issued 32 ¢ Flag Over Porch coil printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing have been found. The new stamps exist with both high-gloss and low-gloss gum types. According to Linn's Stamp News, the low-gloss gum variety exists only from the coils of 100 and only with plate number 1111. I bought both gum varieties from Salt Lake City. The address is: Philatelic Window, Main Post Office, 1760 West 2100 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84199-9811.

When ordering, be sure to specify whether you want the "dull" or "shiny" gum variety (the "dull" is their term, not mine). If you would like to call to confirm availability, the number is (801) 974-2216.

Now, I need some help from you. The 3 ¢ Paul Dudley White MD Stamp (Scott #2170) has again been reprinted, this time with shiny gum. This is the third variety, with the other two being block tagged and untagged, both with dull gum. Unfortunately, I have only been able to find the stamp available through the Philatelic Fulfillment Service Center in Kansas City (order number 10531). If anyone finds this stamp at a local post office or philatelic center, let me know. I can then let others know through this column that it is available without the hefty service charge that the PFSC now requires.

Direct comments/questions to me at the address shown above. If a response is requested, please include a SASE.

October issue

Multiple formats, and multiple varieties within these formats, have been released for the 32¢ "Flag over..." designs. Scott has released catalog numbers for the stamps, so let's see what is currently available. (Note: all are Flag over Porch design except Scott #2919.)

Scott

No. Description

           2897     Perf. 10.4

Please direct comments/questions to me at the address shown above. If a response is requested, please include a SASE.

November issue

By Gregg Greenwald, Mr.. Central Wisconsin Stamp Club

Multiple printers and multiple press runs have produced many varieties of the non-denominated Eagle and Shield bulk-rate coil design. Scott has recently renumbered these stamps, so let's break them down by printer and then by any varieties that you might want to look for.

Scott #2602 - (10¢) American Bank Note Co., with text "Bulk Rate USA "

Two distinct paper types:

(1) Dead under long wave ultraviolet light and the red ink in the shield reacts to shortwave ultraviolet light. Plate numbers are below A77777.

(2) Reacts to long wave ultraviolet light but is dead under short wave ultraviolet light.

Imperforate

Scott #2603 - (10¢) Bureau of En-graving and Printing, with text "USA Bulk Rate, " wing color is orange-yellow

Two gum types:

High-gloss

(a) Untagged variety

(b) Lightly phosphored paper

Low-gloss

(a) Imperforate

Scott #2604 - (10¢) Stamp Venturers, with text "USA Bulk Rate, " wing color is dull olive-gold

Two distinct printings:

Differentiated by comparing the color in the eagle's wings. The latter printing, from plate S22222, has counting numbers printed on the back at ten-stamp intervals.

Please direct comments/questions to me at the address shown above. If a response is requested, please include a SASE.

December issue No column this issue

Latest update: June 14, 2005  

URL:   http://www.WFSCstamps.org/wfsc_atfp_varieties_1995.shtml