History of the Postage Stamps of the United States of America

by John K. Tiffany

On the LEFT at the Top Bottom		Specimens Showing	On the RIGHT at the Top Bottom
A1		broad margin over 6 mm. and no line	A2
B1		broad margin ver. line 6 mm. from stamp	B2
C1		broad margin ver. line 2½ to 3½ "	C2
D1		broad margin ver. line printer's imprint	D2
...	...	dot on or near the corner	E2	E4
...	...	dot on the end line, away from corner	F2	F4
...	...	dot above end line	G2	G4
...	...	dot below end line	H2	H4
...	...	dot outside the corner	I2	I4
a1	a3	end line projecting beyond the corner	a2	a4
b1	b3	end line not touching the corner	b2	b4
	c3	end line split or double		c4
d1	d3	side line projecting beyond the corner	d2	d4
e1	e3	side line not touching the corner	e2	e4
f1	f3	side line ordinary distance from block	f2	f4
g1	g3	side line too far from block	g2	g4
h1	h3	side line too close to block	h2	h4
i1	i3	side line touching the block	i2	i4
j1	j3	side line connecting with the next stamp	j2	j4
...	...	side line and another with the next stamp	J2	...
K1		heavy line from rosette to rosette	K2
L1		heavy line from low. roset. to up'r triangle	L2
M1		heavy line from lo. r. to mid. of up'r triangle	M2
N1		heavy line from lo. r. to top of up'r triangle	N2
O1		heavy line from lo. r. to up'r block	O2
P1		light line from lo. r. to up'r block	P2
Q1		heavy line from mid. low. block to triangle	Q2
R1		heavy line from mid. low. tri. to up. roset.	R2
S1	S3	fine line from triangle to adjoining block	S2	S4
T1	T3	triangle with heavy side line	T2	T4
U1	U3	triangle with extra side line	U2	U4
V1	V3	triangle with 2 extra side line	V2	V4
W1	W3	triangle with white or nearly so	W2	W4
k1		extra line, outside frame line near it	k2
l1		extra line, outside frame line far off	l2
m1		heavy line, outside thin frame line	m2
n1		frame line, split into 2 parts half way	n2
o1		frame line, split into 2 parts ¾ way	...
p1		two extra lines, continuous	...
q1		extra line frame, lev. of chin to up'r roset.	...
r1		extra line frame, lev. of lips to up'r roset.	...
s1		extra line frame, lev. of lips center roset.	...
t1		extra line frame, lev. of nose, top of trian.	...
u1		extra line frame, lev. of breast, top of trian.	...
v1		extra line opposite the bottom rosette	...

All the variations mentioned in this table have been found. It is scarcely possible that each of them exists separately, i. e.; on specimens that are in other respects normal. Many of them have been found so, but most of them only in combination. The following may be mentioned:

A, B, C, D. Specimens showing broad margins with no outer line, with outer line 6 mm. from stamp, with outer line about 3 mm. from the stamp, or with printer's imprint, have been found, both from the left and right sides of the sheet, with all the other parts normal. These would be,

A1 f1 2 3 4,	A2 f1 2 3 4,	B1 f1 2 3 4,	B2 f1 2 3 4,
C1 f1 2 3 4,	C2 f1 2 3 4,	D1 f1 2 3 4,	D2 f1 2 3 4.

With the vertical line about 3 mm. from the stamp, three corners only normal, the side line too near the lower right block, a dot on the upper right corner, the right line connected with the stamp below, and a fine line from each of the upper triangles to the block above, which would be C² f^{1 2 3} h⁴ E² j⁴ S^{2 4}.

And also with the vertical line about 3 mm. from the stamp, all the corners normal, a heavy line terminating the ground between the rosettes on the right, both the triangles on the right connected with the blocks next them, and an extra vertical line in the upper right triangle, which would be C² f^{1 2 3 4} K² S^{2 4} U², which will serve to show the character of the combinations in which these varieties may be found.

Varieties showing the dot, E to I, generally present other varieties also. The following combinations may be noted:

With the bottom line double, or rather split, three of the triangles have fine connecting lines, c³ c⁴ S^{2 3 4}.

With the right side prolonged, and continuous with the side line of the stamp above or below, j² or j⁴.

With the right side line prolonged upwards, and continuous with the lower, but not with the upper stamp and a second line 1 mm. to left from stamp to stamp, J².