U.S. #444 VF Used on Piece w/ 6-18-15 Toledo Machine Cancel

Item Specifics

Country

United States

Catalog Number

444

Stamp Type

General Issue

Condition

Used

Centering

VF

Stamp Format

Single

Year of Issue

1914

Item Description

Condition: Used VF genuine in all respects.

Grade: VF (Very Fine)
U.S. #444 used VF on piece with contemporaneous JUN 18, 1915 TOLEDO, OHIO machine cancel. WARNING: This is one of the most frequently faked of all the Washington-Franklin issues. Fakes are made by cutting the top and bottom perforations off of #425, see photos 2 & 3 for two of many, many examples from PSE's archives. There would be far more documented examples except very few collectors bother to certify $40 stamps. Fakes are also made by adding fraudulent perforations to #409, see photo 4 for one of many examples again from PSE's archives. And to further complicate matters, there are numerous misidentifications (see photos 5 & 6 for two of many examples from the Philatelic Foundation's archives).So with all the fakes and misidentifications floating around, how can you be sure you're buying a genuine #444? First, #444 must be a flat plate printing. Using my proprietary measuring technique, the printed image of this stamp measures exactly 18.7452 mm x 22.1996 mm, definitely in the correct range for flat plate issues. Second, #444 should be perforated 10 (9.97 actually), which it is. Third, #444 should have a single line watermark. I'm not inclined to lift the stamp to verify the watermark because the fact that it is clearly tied to the piece confirms it is a genuine flat plate coil.About shipping: I combine shipping. Any other item purchased with this will ship at no additional charge. I’m pretty sure you’ve figured out by now that there’s no such thing as free shipping. Every seller who offers “free shipping” has already baked the shipping fees into the listing price. Which means you get to pay sales tax on everything including the “free shipping.” I price my items very competitively and charge a nominal shipping fee on the first item you purchase. Every additional item really does ship free as my price doesn’t include any kind of shipping or handling charges. In most cases, the catalog value of the stamps I use to ship your item(s) will exceed whatever you have paid for shipping, so in that respect, the shipping is just about a wash. A Little About Me and My Commitment to YouI’ve been a regular member of the APS for over 40 years (member ID# 130461) and I’m still a collector more than anything. If you check my feedback history, you will find that not only is it pristine, but that I buy far more than I sell. One thing that really troubles me are sellers who just throw a stamp up for sale and don’t even take the time to offer a good description or a compelling reason why I should want to buy their item. As an experienced collector and seller, my commitment to you is that I will always provide a thoughtful and truthful commentary on all the relevant aspects of every stamp that I offer for sale/auction. And I will give you the bad as well as the good, though I try not to sell stamps that have problems. Where applicable, I will also do my best to impart any useful information on the stamp and any pitfalls buyers should be aware of. In the unlikely event that I have misidentified a stamp, I will gladly cover your costs of expertization* provided both the stamp and certificate are returned to me. As far as I know, I am the only seller that makes this guarantee. So bid/buy with confidence that what you will receive is exactly what I have described and if you feel it is not, that I will make the return process as pleasant as possible. You can also expect an interesting assortment of stamps adorning your shipment--no run-of-the-mill forever stamps or postage meter strips! See photo #7 for a sample of what you can expect. *I recognize the expert opinions of APEX, William Crowe, the PF, PSAG and PSE.

Seller Information

Seller

stephenwgill (261)

Registered Since

03/06/2005

Feedback

100%

Store

Ye Olde Post Office

• Offers
• Sales

Item Location

California, United States

Ships To

United States

Shipping Instructions

About Shipping: I’m pretty sure you’ve figured out by now that there’s no such thing as free shipping. Every seller who offers “free shipping” has already baked the shipping fees into the listing price. Which means you get to pay sales tax on everything including the “free shipping.” I price my items very competitively and charge a nominal shipping fee on the first item you purchase. Every additional item really does ship free as my price doesn’t include any kind of shipping or handling charges. In most cases, the catalog value of the stamps I use to ship your item(s) will exceed whatever you have paid for shipping, so in that respect, the shipping is just about a wash.

Returns Accepted

Yes

Returns Policy

Returns accepted within 14 days on items not as described. Buyer to pay return shipping.