The PR1-4 Used Newspaper Stamp Census
PR 1-4
The PR 1-4s were attached directly to bundles of newspapers and normally canceled with brush strokes using a thick black or blue ink. Genuine used PR1-4 newspaper stamps are very rare. Jim Kotanchik in his article: Use of the Newspaper and Periodical Issue of 1865 estimated there are around 20 genuine used PR1-4s in existence. This comment has led me to undertake a PR1-4 Used Newspaper Stamp Census! Below are the real stamps censused to date. If you think you have one, please scan it front and back and I will add it to the census. Owners will remain anonymous. Be aware this is a "conservative" census. I have see other "used" PR1-4 newspapers, but I remain to be convinced they are genuine. In a moment of great irony, an auction of Jim Kotanchik's material provided me with UsedPR3-7- the 20th stamp of the census!
This PR2 with a railroad postmark is a real bad guy. I've verified the railroad line existed in about the right time period so this postmark/usage sure could have been real, but APS says not! This will always mystify me. The postmark was applied before the catalog listed prices for a used example. Who would want to ruin a real $200 stamp with a postmark that does not even look like the genuine brushstroke? This is not the only example of fake postmarks being put on real stamps. The PR4 is another example.
