1851 - 1857 3-Cent Stamp Plating

1851 - 1857 3-Cent Stamp Plating

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Dr. Chase mastered the art of plating--attributing stamp impressions to a specific position of a specific printing plate--as early as 1909 with this issue. He studied the "human" touches that went into engraving the master dies and touching up the plate weaknesses after the stamp designs were transferred to the plates. From his observations, he was able to identify the specific "fingerprint" of all 2,600 impressions from the 13 "imperforate" plates (first nine plates in their various states), with only a very few exceptions that he called probable.

The most obvious of these "fingerprints" are readily apparent to even novices, once they are pointed out, while others require the discriminating eye of an experienced student with the aid of plated stamps or Dr. Chase's plating prints. Some of the recutting characteristics that aid in plating the 1851 - 1857 3-cent stamp are illustrated below.

Parts of the Design Recut

The following chart summarizes the varieties of recutting seen on the issue, and identifies the positions thus recut. Some variety names are hyperlinked to images illustrating the recut. The variety names are consistent with Dr. Chase's classification system. This chart shows corrections to Chase's study that hadn't been corrected as of the last printing in 1975.

PLATING GUIDE
PLATE	LEFT PANE	RIGHT PANE
Variety #1 - Two Inner Lines (1,556 Positions)
1 Early	7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 18, 20 through 34, 36 through 99L	50, 56, 66, 67, 91, 99R
1 Intermediate	7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 18, 20 through 34, 36 through 99L	50, 56, 66, 67, 91, 99R
1 Late	All positions	All positions
2 Early	All positions	All positions
2 Late	All positions	All positions
3	All positions except 9, 19, 29, 39, 49, 59, 69, 70, 79, 80, 89, 90, 99, 100L	All positions
5 Early	All positions except 3, 4, 12L	All positions
5 Late	All positions except 3, 4, 12, 13, 22, 32L	All positions except 77, 86, 87R
0	All positions	All positions
Variety #2 - No Inner Lines (929 Positions)
1 Early	2, 3, 4, 14, 15, 16L	2 through 13, 15 through 35, 38 through 45, 51 through 55, 62, 64, 72, 73, 74, 77 through 80, 82, 83, 90R
1 Intermediate	2, 3, 4, 14, 15, 16L	2 through 13, 15 through 35, 38 through 45, 51 through 55, 62, 64, 72, 73, 74, 77 through 80, 82, 83, 90, 98R
4	All positions	All positions
6	All positions	All positions
7	All positions	All positions
8	All positions	All positions
Variety #3 - Inner Line At Right Only (77 Positions)
1 Early	1, 17, 19, 35, 100L	1, 46 through 49, 58, 59, 65, 68 through 71, 75, 76, 84 through 89, 92 through 98, 100R
1 Intermediate	1, 17, 19, 35, 100L	1, 46 through 49, 58, 59, 65, 68 through 71, 75, 76, 84 through 89, 92 through 97, 100R
5 Early	3, 4, 12L	None
5 Late	3, 4, 12, 13, 22, 32L	77, 86, 87R
Variety #4 - Inner Line At Left Only (24 Positions)
1 Early	5, 6, 9, 12L	14, 36, 37, 57, 60, 61, 63, 81R
1 Intermediate	5, 6, 9, 12L	14, 36, 37, 57, 60, 61, 63, 81R
Variety #5 - Frame Line Takes Place of Right Inner Line (2 Positions)
3	9, 19L	None
Variety #6 - Two Extra Lines at Left, and Frame Line Takes Place of Right Inner Line (2 Positions)
3	80, 99L	None
Variety #7 - Frame Line Takes Place of Left Inner Line (4 Positions)
3	70, 80, 90, 100L	None
Variety #8 - One Extra Line at Right (Two Inner Lines) (5 Positions)
3	58, 68, 78, 88, 98L	None
Variety #9 - One Extra Line at Left, and Frame Line Takes Place of Right Inner Line (6 Positions)
3	29, 39, 49, 59, 69, 79L	None
Variety #10 - One Extra Line at Right (No Inner Lines) (11 Positions)
4	None	99R
6	None	8, 18, 28, 38, 48, 58, 68, 78, 88, 98R
Variety #11 - One Vertical Line Recut in Upper Left Triangle (374 Positions)
1 Early	22, 23, 29, 30, 43, 44, 50, 61, 64, 66, 67, 69, 70, 71, 74, 81, 84, 87, 92, 94L	21, 27, 42, 46, 47, 56, 61, 63, 65, 66, 67, 69, 81, 91R
1 Intermediate	27, 43, 44, 61, 64, 66, 67, 71, 81, 87, 94L	21, 46, 47, 61, 63, 65, 66, 67, 81, 91R 46, 47, 65, 69 very faint)
1 Late	8, 10, 14, 29, 30, 42, 46, 49, 55, 62, 64, 66, 67, 69, 76, 78, 83, 85, 86, 94, 96, 98L (a trace may remain on very early printings of 61, 68L)	4, 5, 6, 15, 24, 28, 30, 35, 40, 42 through 46, 50, 53, 56, 66, 67, 73, 82, 83, 85, 87, 93 through 98R (a trace may remain on very early printings of 21, 61, 81, 91R)
2 Early	12, 13, 15, 19, 23, 25, 34, 37, 43, 46, 48, 52, 59, 63, 65, 69, 74, 80, 81, 82, 83, 87, 91, 95, 96, 99L	24, 26 through 30, 39, 41, 45, 47, 50, 58, 59, 60, 62, 64, 65, 69, 83, 84, 85, 87, 94, 95, 97, 98R
2 Late	12, 13, 15, 19, 23, 25, 34, 37, 43, 46, 48, 52, 59, 63, 65, 69, 74, 80, 81, 83, 87, 91, 95, 96, 99L	24, 26 through 30, 39, 41, 45, 47, 50, 58, 59, 60, 62, 64, 65, 69, 83, 84, 85, 87, 94, 95, 97, 98R
3	22, 23, 24, 27, 30, 42, 46, 48, 65, 74, 83, 84, 85, 87, 88, 95L	7, 9, 10, 13, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 29, 37, 41 through 49, 52, 61, 62, 63, 64, 66, 67, 68, 71, 75, 76, 81, 82, 83, 84, 87, 89 through 96, 98R
5 Early	21, 22, 23, 27, 29, 36, 38, 39, 43, 46, 47, 48, 60, 61, 64, 68, 69, 82, 83, 92, 98L	20, 46, 48, 50, 61, 67R
5 Late	21, 23, 39, 43, 47, 60, 64L	46, 47R
0	14, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30, 33, 36, 41, 46, 48, 50, 52, 58, 64, 68, 70, 73, 74, 78, 80, 82, 85, 86, 89, 90, 91, 94, 96, 98, 99, 100L	12, 15, 21, 23, 27, 28, 34, 35, 41, 45, 46, 47, 49, 51, 55, 61, 63, 64, 66, 70, 72, 74, 76, 81, 82, 95, 98, 99R
Variety #12 - Two Vertical Lines Recut in Upper Left Triangle (80 Positions)
1 Early	23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 42, 86L	49, 87R
1 Intermediate	25, 28, 86L	49, 87R
1 Late	7, 9L	65, 75R
2 Early	29, 38, 44, 47, 50, 61, 68, 72, 82, 84, 88, 89, 90, 94, 97L	20, 25, 67, 82, 88, 90, 100R
2 Late	38, 44, 47, 50, 61, 68, 84, 89, 90, 94, 97L	20, 90, 100R
3	28, 50, 62, 81L	25, 65, 99R
5 Early	63L	86R
5 Late	63L	None
0	43, 45, 62, 63, 67, 69, 87, 88, 92, 93L	24, 29, 30, 43, 48, 69, 86R
Variety #13 - Three Vertical Lines Recut in Upper Left Triangle (25 Positions)
1 Early	None	50R
1 Intermediate	None	50R
1 Late	None	27, 49, 86R
2 Early	21, 24, 27, 28, 41, 64, 85, 98L	66R
2 Late	21, 27, 28, 41, 98L	66R
3	82L	30R
0	29, 49L	50R
Variety #14 - Five Vertical Lines Recut in Upper Left Triangle (2 Positions)
1 Late	95L	None
0	47L	None
Variety #15 - One Vertical Line Recut in Upper Right Triangle (15 Positions)
2 Early	82L	42, 82, 99R
2 Late	82L	None
3	45L	86R
0	21, 38, 47, 68, 70L	8, 100R
5 Late	98L	None
Variety #16 - One Vertical Line Recut in Lower Left Triangle (41 Positions)
1 Early	None	53R
1 Late	9, 33, 47, 49, 52, 66, 85L	5, 33, 76R
2 Early	18, 94L	None
2 Late	18L	None
3	82L	6, 13, 14, 26, 32, 41, 42, 43, 51, 84, 95R
5 Early	24L	None
0	37, 52, 58, 59, 82, 90, 91, 92, 98L	1, 28, 53, 96, 98R
Variety #17 - One Vertical Line Recut in Lower Right Triangle (62 Positions)
1 Late	6, 18, 39, 49, 65, 88, 97L	94R
2 Early	None	5, 15, 20, 50, 63, 70, 86, 87R
2 Late	None	5, 15, 20, 50, 63, 70, 86, 87R
3	56L	17, 32, 36, 38, 61, 62, 65, 82, 91, 95R
5 Early	47, 48, 50, 68, 70, 87, 96, 100L	47, 81R
5 Late	48, 80L	None
0	20, 29, 30, 35, 37, 45, 47, 55, 62, 67, 72, 89L	19, 29, 41, 81R
Variety #18 - Two Vertical Lines Recut in Lower Right Triangle (1 Position)
0	57L	None
Variety #19 - Recut Bust and Medallion Circle (1 Position)
6	None	47R
Variety #20 - Recut Button (1 Position)
2 Late	None	10R
Variety #21 - Two Horizontal Lines Recut at Top of Upper Right Diamond Block (5 Positions)
1 Early	None	21, 23, 29, 30R
1 Intermediate	None	49, 87R
Variety #22 - One Horizontal Line Recut at Bottom of Lower Left Diamond Block (1 Position)
2 Early	None	34R
Variety #23 - Left Inner Line Runs Up Too Far (111 Positions)
1 Early	52, 71, 72, 79, 93, 95L	None
1 Intermediate	52, 71, 72, 79, 93, 95L	None
1 Late	5, 11, 17, 18, 28, 41, 48, 51, 52, 54, 57, 59, 66, 67, 68, 71, 78, 92, 98L	2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 14, 16, 18, 25, 29, 31, 32, 39, 50, 52, 53, 55, 56, 75, 76, 77, 78, 81, 94, 95R
2 Early	35, 51, 58, 59, 73, 80, 92, 98L	9R
2 Late	51, 58, 73, 80, 92, 98L	9, 37, 79R
3	6, 12, 33, 38, 52, 64, 71, 77, 97	3, 4, 22, 24, 28, 37, 50, 52, 56, 68, 70, 72, 73, 83, 85, 89R
0	7, 21, 24, 35, 42, 47, 75, 79, 93L	33, 93, 97R
Variety #24 - Left Inner Line Runs Down Too Far (21 Positions)
1 Early	28, 84L	None
1 Intermediate	28, 84L	None
1 Late	85L	22R
2 Early	58, 98, 100L	None
2 Late	58, 92, 98, 100L	None
3	10, 32, 40, 77L	None
0	5, 45, 87, 93L	None
Variety #25 - Right Inner Line Runs Down Too Far (26 Positions)
1 Late	18, 24, 47, 50, 67, 68, 79, 90, 94, 100L	22, 27, 69R
2 Early	84, 87L	25, 62, 65, 100R
2 Late	None	62, 65R
0	45, 65, 71, 87, 98L	None
Variety #26 - Vertical Line Ties Upper Left Corner of Upper Left Diamond Block to Top Frame Line (2 Positions)
2 Early	None	45R
2 Late	None	45R
Variety #27 - Top Label & Upper Right Diamond Block Joined at Top (23 Positions)
1 Late	31, 32, 96L	60R
2 Early	26, 44, 48, 52, 84L	66R
2 Late	3, 26, 48, 52, 71, 84L	66R
4	76L	87R
5 Late	31L	None
0	7, 15, 37L	None
Variety #28 - Top Label & Upper Left Diamond Block Joined at Top (10 Positions)
1 Late	79L	14R
2 Early	None	6, 100R
2 Late	None	6, 100R
4	None	1, 10R
8	None	77, 78R
Variety #29 - Bottom Label & Lower Right Diamond Block Joined at Bottom (14 Positions)
1 Early	None	84R
1 Intermediate	None	84R
1 Late	None	14R
2 Early	17L	None
2 Late	17L	None
3	52L	None
4	24, 52, 65, 78L	51, 71, 77R
0	62L	None
Variety #30 - Line Ties Top of Upper Label to Upper Right Diamond Block & Extends to Frame Line (10 Positions)
2 Early	19L	6, 99R
2 Late	19L	6, 7, 99R
4	None	28, 68R
0	None	68R
Variety #31 - Top Label & Upper Right Diamond Block Joined at Top & Bottom (1 Position)
4	None	68R
Variety #32 - Horizontal Line Joins Upper Right Diamond Block to Right Frame Line (5 Positions)
3	83L	None
4	31L	None
0	14, 97L	62R
Variety #33 - Horizontal Line Ties Upper Right Diamond Block to Upper Left Diamond Block of Next Stamp (4 Positions)
2 Early	None	99, 100R (early impressions only)
0	None	95, 96R
Variety #34 - Diagonal Line Runs From Upper Right Corner of Top Label Across Diamond Block Nearly to Frame Line (1 Position)
5 Late	96L	None
Variety #35 - Lower Label and Lower Right Diamond Block Joined at Top (1 Position)
5 Late	26L	None
Variety #36 - Lower Label and Lower Right Diamond Block Joined at Top and Bottom (1 Position)
6	13L	None
Variety #37 - One Horizontal Line Recut at Top of Upper Left Diamond Block (8 Positions)
1 Late	2, 3, 14, 38L	None
2 Early	None	58, 60R
0	47L	16R
Variety #38 - Vertical Line Recut Along Upper Left Side of Upper Left Diamond Block (2 Positions)
1 Early	None	69R
2 Early	24L	None
Variety #39 - Line Joins Lower Right Corner to Upper Right Corner of Stamp Below (7 Positions)
1 Intermediate	1L	None
2 Early	90L	None
2 Late	90L	None
4	41L	None
8	29, 31, 44L	None
Recut Combinations on Stamps with Two Inner Lines and One Vertical Line Recut in Upper Left Triangle
With One Line Recut in Upper Right Triangle (1+11+15)
0	68, 70	None
With One Line Recut in Lower Left Triangle (1+11+16)
1 Late	49, 66, 85L	5R
3	None	13, 26, 41, 42, 84, 95R
With One Line Recut in Lower Left Triangle and One Line Recut in Lower Right Triangle (1+11+16+17)
1 Late	49L	None
3	None	95R
With One Line Recut in Lower Left Triangle and Left Inner Line Down Too Far (1+11+16+24)
1 Late	85L	None
With One Line Recut in Lower Right Triangle (1+11+17)
2 Early	None	50, 87R
2 Late	None	50, 87R
3	None	61, 62, 82, 91, 95R
5 Early	47, 48, 68L	None
0	30, 89L	41, 81R
With Left Inner Line Running Down Too Far (1+11+24)
1 Early	84L	None
With Right Inner Line Running Down Too Far (1+11+25)
2 Early	None	62, 65R
2 Late	None	62, 65R
With Upper Left Corner of Upper Left Diamond Block Joined to Left End of Top Frame Line (1+11+26)
2 Early	None	45R
2 Late	None	45R
With Top Label & Upper Right Diamond Block Joined at Top (1+11+27)
1 Early	96L	None
2 Early	48, 52L	None
2 Late	52L	None
With Line Tying Top Label to Upper Right Diamond Block & Extending Out to Frame Line (1+11+30)
2 Early	19L	None
2 Late	19L	None
With Line Connecting Upper Right Diamond Block to Right Frame Line (1+11+32)
3	None	83R
With Line Tying Top of Upper Right Diamond Block to Upper Left Diamond Block of Adjacent Stamp (1+11+33)
2 Early	None	99, 100R (only shows on very early impressions)
0	None	95, 96R
Recut Combinations on Stamps with Two Inner Lines and Two Vertical Lines Recut in Upper Left Triangle
With One Line Recut in Upper Right Triangle (1+12+15)
2 Early	82L	None
With One Line Recut in Lower Left Triangle (1+12+16)
1 Late	9L	None
2 Early	94L	None
0	92L	None
With One Line Recut in Lower Right Triangle (1+12+17)
2 Early	None	20R
2 Late	None	20R
3	None	65R
0	45, 62, 67L	29R
With Left Inner Line Running Both Up and Down Too Far (1+12+23+24)
0	93L	None
With Left Inner Line Running Down Too Far (1+12+24)
1 Early	28L	None
1 Intermediate	28L	None
0	45, 93L	None
With One Line Recut in Lower Right Triangle and Both Inner Lines Running Down Too Far (1+12+17+24+25)
0	45L	None
With Right Inner Line Running Down Too Far and Top Label & Upper Left Diamond Block Joined at Top (1+12+25+28)
2 Early	None	100R
With Top Label & Upper Right Diamond Block Joined at Top (1+12+27)
2 Early	44, 84L	None
With Top Label & Upper Left Diamond Block Joined at Top (1+12+28)
2 Late	None	100R
Recut Combinations on Stamps with Two Inner Lines and Three Vertical Lines Recut in Upper Left Triangle
With One Line Recut in Lower Left Triangle (1+13+16)
3	82L	None
With One Line Recut in Lower Right Triangle (1+13+17)
0	29L	None
With Left Inner Line Running Down Too Far (1+13+24)
2 Early	98L	None
2 Late	98L	None
With Top Label & Upper Right Diamond Block Joined at Top (1+13+27)
2 Early	None	66R
Miscellaneous Recut Combinations on Stamps with Two Inner Lines
With Five Lines Recut in Upper Left Triangle, One Line Recut in Upper Right Triangle, One Line Recut in Lower Right Triangle, and Left Inner Line Running Up Too Far (1+14+15+17+23)
0	47L	None
With One Line Recut in Lower Left Triangle, and One Line Recut in Lower Right Triangle (1+16+17)
3	None	32, 95R
With One Line Recut in Lower Left Triangle, One Line Recut in Lower Right Triangle, and Top Label & Upper Right Diamond Block Joined at Top (1+16+17+27)
0	37L	None
With Left Inner Line Running Both Up and Down Too Far (1+23+24)
2 Late	92L	None
3	77L	None
0	93L	None
With Left Inner Line Running Up Too Far, and Right Inner Line Running Down Too Far (1+23+25)
1 Late	68L	None
With Top Label & Upper Left Diamond Block Joined at Top, and Bottom Label & Lower Right Diamond Block Joined at Bottom (1+28+29)
1 Late	None	14R
With Top Label Joined to Both Diamond Blocks at Top, and Line Extending from Top of Upper Right Diamond Block to Right Frame Line (1+28+30)
2 Early	None	6R
2 Late	None	6R
With One Extra Line at Right (Two Inner Lines), and One Line Recut in Upper Left Triangle (8+11)
3	88L	None
Miscellaneous Recut Combinations on Stamps with No Inner Lines
With One Line Recut in Upper Left Triangle, and Two Horizontal Lines Recut at Top of Upper Right Diamond Block (2+11+21)
1 Early	None	21R
With Two Horizontal Lines Recut at Top of Upper Right Diamond Block (2+21)
1 Early	None	21, 23, 29, 30R
1 Intermediate	None	30R
Miscellaneous Recut Combinations on Stamps with Inner Line at Right Only
With One Line Recut in Upper Left Triangle (3+11)
1 Early	None	46, 47, 65, 69R
1 Intermediate	None	46, 47, 65, 69R (all may be extremely faint)
With Two Lines Recut in Upper Left Triangle (3+12)
1 Early	None	49, 87R
1 Intermediate	None	49, 87R
Miscellaneous Recut Combinations on Stamps with Inner Line at Left Only
With One Line Recut in Upper Left Triangle (4+11)
1 Early	None	61, 63, 81R
1 Intermediate	None	61, 63, 81R

A special thanks to Dr. Charles J. Di Como for supplying some of the images hyperlinked in the above plating guide.

3cent1851@comcast.net