U.S. #541
1919-21 3¢ Washington
Coil Waste
Type II

Issue Date: June 1919
Printed by: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Method: Rotary press
Watermark: None
Perforation: 11 x 10
Color: Violet

Type II

Some of the features of the Series of 1919-21 3¢ Washington Type II Rotary Press stamps are: the left ribbon has only one line on the top fold (Type III has two); and the strand of hair between the ear and cheek has a pronounced, curved outline on the bottom. Also, the shaded area above Washington’s eye pushes upwards and a line on the right-hand ribbon appears as three dashes. The shading lines in his hair and in the laurel leaves are often more pronounced than in Type I stamps, but less pronounced than Type III.

1919-21 Coil Waste Stamps

Due to poor centering and other minor defects, a number of coil stamp sheets had been set aside as “waste” to be destroyed. Some of them had been perforated vertically or horizontally, while others had not been perforated at all. Although these stamps were unsuitable for coils, they could be issued satisfactorily as sheet stamps.

In an effort to save money, which was still in short supply after the war, the Bureau decided to release these stamps in sheets. Numerous sheets of the 1¢ Green, 2¢ Carmine Rose, and 3¢ Violet had already been perforated 10 vertically. They were then perforated 11 horizontally and issued with 11x10 perforations.

Other sheets of the 1¢ stamps had been perforated 10 horizontally and were then perforated 11 vertically. Meanwhile, other sheets hadn’t been perforated at all. These 1¢ and 2¢ sheets were perforated with the current standard of 11x11 perforations measured the same as the current sheet stamps being issued. However, when compared, the “coil waste” issues are noticeably darker in color.