keesindy

02 Apr 2019
12:47:05pm

This is a Scott 231 Columbian 2c stamp with the “broken hat.” However, this example is different than the others I have found. I had a few thousand of these 2c Columbians and there were multiple copies of the “broken hat” variety. However, this is the only copy that has this odd appearance where the break in the hat occurs. The break appears to be filled. This is the only copy like this that I found among the 2c Columbians in my possession.

The first image below is the entire stamp. The close-up on the left is from that stamp. The close-up on the right is from another copy of a Columbian 2c with the "broken hat." I have placed these two close-ups on top of one another in Photoshop and lined them up. I can then turn the top copy on and off to compare the two. The breaks in the hats match perfectly.

The color in the hat break doesn’t quite match the printing ink color. That color in the hat break area almost looks like a paper inclusion that just happens to fill the hat’s break, but it isn’t elevated above the paper and isn’t visible from the back of the stamp. The dark lines on either side of the break could be interpreted as shadows when viewing the scan (see the close-up), but I cannot detect any difference in thickness or elevation in the hat break that would create shadows.

The obliterator ink has soaked into the paper. The oils from that ink have spread out beyond the ink that appears on the stamp surface. This effect is very clear when viewing the stamp in front of a very bright light. The oils from the ink make the paper appear tranlucent or thinned in the areas immediately adjacent to the ink. However, the hat is midway between the inked lines and the spreading oils in the paper do not reach the hat. The paper at the hat break is not affected by the ink oils.

Keep in mind that this stamp was one of thousands collected in Union City, Indiana, mostly from 1891 to 1893. There were also 11-12,000 cut squares collected at the same time. One or more individuals must have been very busy cutting those squares from the covers and soaking all of those stamps. These 2c Columbians were placed in circa 1900 Clark O.N.T. sewing thread boxes. They were packed tightly in four rows (if memory serves) across the narrow width of the boxes. They fit perfectly and there were hundreds per box. Even if the collector(s) of this hoard knew of the “broken hat” variety, there was no indication of that. The “broken hat” (and “frame break”) varieties were scattered haphazardly among the ordinary 2c Columbians. So, other than soaking the stamps from the paper, I don’t think any of these stamps were altered or even viewed closely prior to my receiving them 19 years ago. That is when I began unbundling and unboxing them.

This isn’t a very clean copy and it has some gum remaining on the back along with small adhesions from the face of another 2c Columbian. Neither the gum nor the adhesions are in the vicinity of the hat.

I’ve never soaked any of these. I am almost tempted to soak this stamp to see if it cleans up at all, but I am also concerned that soaking might adversely affect whatever is in the “hat break” or exacerbate the problems where the ink oils have soaked into the paper around the inked lines.

I am looking forward to hearing everyone’s thoughts on this unusual “broken hat” example as well as any thoughts regarding soaking the stamp. For example, what are the risks?






Edit:

Since I posted this, I found a series of images at Stamp Community showing the progression of the "broken hat" variety. One of those shows the break half filled. My example shows it fully filled. Since this stage of the progression (if that is what it is) seems to be uncommon, I re-scanned the stamp at 2400 dpi to show more detail. The original scan was at 600 dpi and wasn't showing some of the details that might be important. Here is the close-up from the new scan.



Separately, take a look at the flag above that "broken hat." In the right-hand scan showing the normal "broken hat," there is a nearly square box with a dark dot in the center. Of the 37 2c Columbians I have scanned in the past couple of weeks, this portion of the flag is visible in 21 copies and this is the only copy with that dot. The remaining 20 copies, where that portion of the flag is not hidden by cancellation ink, appear to have the same design as the stamp with the shaded hat break. I have read that many varieties of this stamp exist. Maybe this is an example of one of those. I wonder what this would look like at 2400 dpi?

 
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keesindy

02 Apr 2019
11:21:42pm

re: Unusual US Scott 231 Columbian 2c "broken hat" example

Yes, I know. I commented on that one.

Tom

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Ziggy

05 Oct 2020
04:49:42pm

re: Unusual US Scott 231 Columbian 2c "broken hat" example

Im interested in buying your stamp if it is for sale?

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re: Unusual US Scott 231 Columbian 2c "broken hat" example

Hi Keesindy, reference your original posting at 02 Apr 2019 12:47:05PM, the broken hat variety is a relief break and is from early state to late stage orientations.

I think your example is early state, would you agree?

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re: Unusual US Scott 231 Columbian 2c "broken hat" example

Harvey, just to be clear, the broken hat is not an error.

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Harvey

re: Unusual US Scott 231 Columbian 2c "broken hat" example

I just have to correct something I said earlier in this posting.
The "missing bird on the totem pole" has 5 stages. Mine is stage 3 of 5 with only half the bird missing. I don't think the five stages differ in price, but Unitrade doesn't make that clear. It does however show pictures of the 5 stages.

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