Plate 5 Black Printing State 1
Plate 5 was registered twice on 01 and 11 June. Stamps
were printed in black from this plate from 8 June to 30 Dec 1840. Thereafter,
accept for a brief interval between 22 January and 05 February,
when a provisional black printing was made, all printing was in red.
The most useful characteristic of this plate for identification
is weak side frame lines and the "O" Bulge, both which are illustrated
below. The provisional printing in black was due to
an urgent demand for the black stamps because the new red stamps were not
yet
available. Plate 5 black and red stamps can be found
in 3 States. Stamp PB, is the single stamp from the plate in
black which may be
found in the 3rd State with non-coincidental
re-entry, and naturally is quite rare.
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Characteristics of Plate 5 Black Printing State 1
Earliest Known Date of Use | 16 June 1840 |
Flaw | The "O" Bulge and weakness of side frame lines (especially left) |
No Flaw | The "O" Bulge appears on the majority of stamps |
Re-entries | LL and ND |
Shifted Transfer/Basel Shift | None |
Double Letters | DB, EB, HB, HE, HI, KE, PH, PJ, TH |
Burr Rubs | None |
Recut side Lines | None |
Recut Corners | None |
Constant Varieties | BG, QC, QF |
Printing in Red | State 1, 2, and 3 (PB only) |
Color of Maltese Cross | Red or Black |
Bleute Paper | Exists |
Inverted Watermark | Exists (uncommon) |
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Example of Normal and worn frame Lines
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Plate 5 Red Printing State 1 (Unrepaired)
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Red Printing |
Characteristics of Plate 5 Red Printing State 1 (Unrepaired)
Earliest Known Date of Use | 30 December 1840 |
Flaw | O Bulge appears on many stamps and weakness of sidelines (especially left) |
No Flaw | The "O" Bulge appears on the majority of stamps |
Shifted Transfer/Basel Shift | None |
Double Letters | DB, EB, HB, HE, HI, KE, PH, PJ, TH |
Burr Rubs | None |
Recut Side Lines | None |
Recut Corners | None |
Constant Varieties | BG, QC, QF |
Color of Maltese Cross | Black |
Characteristics of Plate 5 Black Printing First Repair 1840 (State 2)
Repair by Re-entry | AA, AB, BB, CA, CB, CC, CD,
CE, DA, DB, DC, DD, DE, EA, EB, EC, ED, FA, JA, OA, OB, PA, TA.
An interesting feature of this repair is that both the top corner stars and the bottom check letters show signs of weakness or thinning which would suggest that a transfer roller was used with blank spaces instead of stars as well as the usual blank spaces for the check letter squares |
Recut Frames or Corners | AC, CE, RJ, SE (Showing extended lines at the bottom corners) |
Marks and Scratches | These appear on a wide range of stamps throughout the plate. Litchfield is a useful reference for more details. |
Characteristics of Plate 5 Black Printing Second Repair 1840
Repaired for the first time | BA, BC, NA, PB.
The impact on these stamps is the same as described above. |
Repaired for the second time | BB, CB, CC, CD, CE, DA, DB, DC, DD.
As a result of this repair the portrait and the engine turned background both received strengthening. The star corners and check letters were further effected by the second repair and made even weaker. |
Characteristics of Plate 5 Red Printing First Pre-Provisional Printing
Repair by Re-entry | State 1: AC, AK, FB, FC, FD,
GA, HA, HB, JB, KA, MA, OA, QA, QB, QC, RA, RC, RD, SA, SB, SC, SD, TB,
TD, TK.
State 2: EA, EB, EC, PB, TA. This printing took place just before the switch back to black with the provisional printing in black. The stamps that underwent this repair appeared in red ink during a short three weak period and are as a result quite scarce. |
Characteristics of Plate 5 Black Printing Provisional Printing Third Repair
Coincidental Re-entry | State 2: AC, AK, FB,
FC, FD, GA, HA, HB, JB, KA, MA, OA, QA, QB, QC, RA, RC, RD, SA, SB, SC,
SD, TB, TD, TK,
State 3: EA, EB, EC, TA State 4: CC |
Non-coincidental Re-entry | State 3: PB
The period of this provisional printing was 22 January to 05 February. In the case of Plate 5 and the other Plates which underwent provisional printing in black, Plates 8, 9 and 10, a "provisional repair was made." Stamp PB is the only known example of State 3 with a non-coincidental re-entry. The stamps which received coincidental re-entry are of the same rarity as stamp PB but less sought after by collectors. |
Characteristics of Plate 5 Red Printing Third Repair
Coincidental Re-entry | State 2: AC, AK, FB,
FC, FD, GA, HA, HB, JB, KA, MA, OA, QA, QB, QC, RA, RC, RD, SA, SB, SC,
SD, TB, TD, TK,
State 3: EA, EB, EC, TA State 4: CC |
Non-coincidental re-entry | State 3: PB
The printing in red was resumed with the Plate in the same State as repaired for the provisional printing in black |
Characteristics of Plate 5 Red Printing Fourth Repair Late 1841
Repair by Coincidental Re-entry | State 2: AD, AH, BD, EE, FE, GB, GC,
GE, GH, HC, IA, IB
State 3: AB, AC, BA, BC State 4: BB, CD, DA, DB, DC, EA, EB, EC, ED |