U311 UPSS Die 88 Portland, Indiana, creamy paper, yellowish-green indicium, EFOs

Item Specifics

Country

United States

Catalog Number

U311

Stamp Type

Postal Stationery

Condition

Used

Stamp Format

Error

Topic

People - Politicians

Year of Issue

1890

Item Description

38x46mm. This cut square was among thousands of stamps and cut squares collected from businesses at Union City, Indiana in the early 1890s. Most readable postmarks in this hoard are from 1891 to 1893. Most of the 11-12,000 cut squares have the two-cent green Washington indicium that the United Postal Stationery Society (UPSS) identifies as Die 88.This Die 88 example has a portion of UPSS watermark 8 and is one of at least a few dozen in the hoard with this creamy white paper color. The Scott catalog does not distinguish between this color and the normal white paper. The Scott catalog number is U311. The United Postal Stationery Society (UPSS) catalog mentions this creamy white paper, but does not list it separately. The indicium is a yellowish-green color. The Union City hoard contains a few of the yellow-green Die 88s that UPSS mentions and lists in their catalog. This example is not as yellow as those, but the color is distinctively different when viewed beside the typical Die 88 cut squares. None of these sale items from the hoard has ever been in a collection.

This cut square is one of three with this obliteration design, but is the only copy with any portion of a circular date stamp (CDS). It is Indiana, but the community name is incomplete.

1. If that partial CDS letter before the “TLAND” represents an “A,” then the community name is WHEATLAND, a small Indiana community with an 1882 population of about 400 people and located 170 miles southwest of Union City. Wheatland had a flourmill back then.

2. If that partial CDS letter is an “R,” then the name is PORTLAND, a city located on the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad about 18 miles north-northwest of Union City. Portland’s 1882 population was 1,500 and they had multiple mills and factories.

3. The Union City hoard contains no identifiable Wheatland cancels, but does contain three Die 88 cut squares with identifiable Portland CDS cancels. All three are dated 1892 and their CDS design is identical to this CDS with one exception. The letter “M” in AM is narrower on each Portland cut square.

4. None of the three Portland cancels with a CDS used the same obliteration design as this “TLAND” cut square.

The jury is still out, but Portland seems the most likely post office of origin for this cut square.

The Die 88 stamped envelopes were printed in huge quantities. They display a wide variety of inking problems and die varieties, many of which fall under the EFO (errors, freaks and oddities) umbrella. Except for a few newly identified items that are not yet confirmed, these variations are found on multiple copies and have been documented by others. Some of these variations display progressive characteristics. The most prominent EFO characteristic of this cut square is the serif on the bottom bar of each letter “E” in UNITED STATES POSTAGE. Serifs are usually absent, but over 150 Die 88 cut squares with the serifs have been identified in the hoard. When the serifs do exist, they vary in size from one cut square to the next. The serifs on this indicium are larger than most, but not the largest. The serifs are often accompanied by the top bar of the letter “E” of CENTS being wider at its end, and that is the case here.

The other characteristic on this copy is a small nub, or spur, on the left side of the “P” of POSTAGE and another on the bottom of the “O.” I have identified 30 Die 88 cut squares in the hoard with these two spurs. A few other copies have the spur only on the “O.”

You may combine this item with other stamp sale items to save on shipping. Thank you for looking.

All stamps are carefully packaged for safe delivery.

APS Member

Seller Information

Seller

keesindy (4693)

Registered Since

04/11/2016

Feedback

100%

Store

Stamps from Keesindy

Item Location

Indiana, United States

Ships To

United States

Shipping Instructions

About 3½ years ago, I stopped selling and shipping outside the US due to new postal rules and rapidly rising costs. The USPS is raising postal rates again in January 2019. Today, December 25, 2018, due to the continuing rise in the cost of postage and associated fees, I am reluctantly raising my general shipping fee for the first time in many years. My sales here at HipStamp involve no additional charge for the purchase of multiple stamps. Shipping is via USPS unless otherwise specified. Be sure to contact me before making your purchases if you have questions.

Returns Accepted

Yes

Returns Policy

All items may be returned unless otherwise stated in the listing. Of course, I cannot be responsible if uninsured items are damaged during shipping. If you are dissatisfied with a purchase, contact me within 7 days of your receipt of the item to make arrangements for returning it. If I have made an error in my listing or the item is not as described, you will receive a full reimbursement plus the pre-agreed-upon cost to return the item.