Pos 55L4

1¢ Franklin Issue of 1851-1857, PLATE 4
Pos 55L4, (Scott #21)

Scott # 21, Blue,
Type III, Relief F
Issued both imperforate and perforate.
Had this been an imperforate copy then it would be Scott Number 8.

Plate 4 changed it's appearance as many plating marks faded away due to plate wear, and new plating marks developed over the life of the plate. One of the most annoying aspects of trying to identify Plate 4 positions is the appearance and disappearance of these plating marks.

The red arrow below the U of US indicates the small colorless "F" Relief flaw. The Ashbrook/Neinken diagrams exaggerate the size of this flaw.

Courtesy of Stanley M. Piller and Associates

Part of a horizontal strip of 3, 54-55-56L4

Figure 1. (BELOW) The large blurry blob of color in between Ornaments M and N as illustrated in the plating diagrams.

Figure 2. (BELOW) A U shaped blur of color in the small unnamed ornament at the upper left ornaments and the plate flaw below the U of US typical of plate 4 "F" reliefs.

Figure 3. (BELOW) The small dot in the shoulder and a blurry line of color in the C of CENT. The violet arrows are marks not shown in the plating diagrams and are not known if consistent.

Figure 4. (BELOW) The weak right plume and the guide dot can be seen at the far lower right, as illustrated in the Neinken plating diagrams.

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