2c Deep Rose, Ty. Ia, Imperforate, Schermack Ty. III Private Perforation (482A). Schermack perforations complete at right with portion of adjoining stamp, mostly trimmed at left but upper perf is still clearly visible, large bottom margin, wavy-line machine cancel, slightly toned

FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 2-CENT TYPE Ia IMPERFORATE ISSUE. THIS IS ONE OF THE RAREST ISSUES OF THE 20TH CENTURY.

Scott 482A, like its slightly more famous predecessor, Scott 314A, was issued imperforate by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and sold to the Schermack Company for use in its patented stamp-affixing machines. The Schermack "Sealer and Stamper" machine typically applied stamps one at a time, and, in most cases, the hyphen-hole perfs on one side would be cut off. Unlike Scott 314A, the release of imperforate sheets printed from the experimental Type Ia plates escaped the notice of contemporary collectors, and, therefore, has a very small survival rate.

Our census of Scott 482A, available at https://siegelauctions.com/census/US/Scott/482A , records one used pair (ex Zoellner), three covers, one unused single (perfs trimmed on both sides) and 41 used singles for a total of 47 stamps.

Schermack Type III stamps are often cut into the design by the oblong perforations or miscut with one side of the perforated margin missing. This problem for collectors, which meant very little to contemporary users of the stamps, resulted from two consecutive events. First, the sheets were perforated with the Schermack holes, creating an opportunity for misalignment between the stamps. Second, when the strip of stamps was fed through the Schermack affixing machine, the cutting blade did not always align with the space between stamps.

Census no. 482A-CAN-42. With 2008 P.F. certificate

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