United States, Scott #3036, used(o), 1998, Flora and Fauna Definitive Series, Red Fox, 1 dollar, lithography printed by the Banknote Corporation of America (BCA), tagged: yellow green under UV light, serpentine die cut simulated perforations: 11½x11¼ (which differs from a similar stamp, Scott #3036a with perforations: 11¾x11, and UV blue green); serpentine die cut simulated perforations: 11½x11¼, non-water soluble self adhesive panes, three special security features: 1) USPS in black-ink micro printing on second ragged indent on the right edge of the tree limb, 2) words 'Red Fox' is micro printed, also in black ink, on the lower center knot branch at the bottom middle of the stamp, and 3) a ‘scrambled indicia’ image of a running fox is visible on lower left corner, on the fox's hind quarter, using a special decoder lens; this is the post office's second stamp using the 'Scrambled Indicia' process developed by the Graphic Security System Corporation; the process is a 21st century IT version of the old watermark concept, under this process, the stamp paper is pre-press processed by taking an image or print message and scrambling, distorting, intertwining, overlapping, and otherwise manipulating the image or printed message making them unreadable by the naked eye, and also by present day copiers and scanners; the images can only be seen using a special decoder glass available to the post office or sold to collectors, multicolored, Scott 2025 Catalog Value: 50¢, nicely centered (superb), light, black-inked, thin, spaced, multi-line cancel, two lines, then one, across the middle of the stamp, however, the lightness and spacing of the cancel leaves the main image remarkably clear, good perforations; stamp was lifted from the mailing envelope using the Bestine solvent and placed on a piece of black card stock for a uniform and attractive album appearance with other stamps from the period similarly mounted; centering, mounting, and largely image clear cancel warrants a selling price premium. This is not a 'bait-and-switch;' the stamp you see will be the one you receive.
This stamp is frequently mis-identified. There are two $1 Red Fox Flora and Fauna stamps - nearly identical - same fox - same size: 20½mm wide x 17½mm high - same ‘1998’ microprint date at bottom left - same color - same non-water soluble gum - and the same three security features: 1) ‘USPS’ in black-ink micro printing on second ragged indent on the right edge of the tree limb, 2) words 'Red Fox' is micro printed, also in black ink, on the lower center knot branch at the bottom middle of the stamp, and 3) a ‘scrambled indicia’ image of a running fox on the fox's hind quarter. They can only be distinguished by two features: 1) their perforation gauges; the 1998 stamp is perforated 11½x11¼, while the 2002 stamp is perforated 11¾x11 and 2) the 1998 stamp glows yellow green under a UV light, while the 2002 stamp glows blue green under UV light. Stamp albums seldom provide a space for the 2002 stamp, and collectors drive themselves nuts searching for a ‘2002’ date on the 2002 stamp, asking who, in their right mind, would issue a stamp in 2002 with an inscribed 1998 date? - and who let the contract printer make the second run on a different scale perforation machine and use a different phosphorus coat? - the US Post Office, that's who! Interestingly, the 2002 stamp carries the higher selling price on eBay and the higher catalog value in the Brookman catalog - it is probably the scarcer stamp because so many copies are sitting in the 1998 stamp's place in collectors' albums - so collectors need to carefully examine the stamp that is sitting in the 1998, $1, Red Fox album location.
Please review my terms of sale. If you are not ordering from the United States, there is a $US1.65 additional postage expense that needs to be added to the price of the stamp. If you are ordering from the United States, there is only a $US0.73 added postage expense. Also, if you make additional purchases from my offerings, they can all go in one mailing at no extra shipping expense for the added purchases. I will send the purchase by US first class mail, since the relatively low value of the stamp does not warrant signature or tracking mail. Hence the buyer assumes risk of loss or non-delivery. I will keep a scan of my mailing to verify that the correct mailing address was used. If not satisfied, return the stamp to me at your own expense, and I will refund the cost, but not my postage to you. If the stamp is not as described, I will refund the cost and reimburse you for postage both ways.
By way of reference, I am an American Philatelic Society member (195176) and an American Stamp Dealers Association (ASDA) member. Thank you for looking, and I hope this is the perfect stamp to fill that gap in your collection.
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