Dr. Chase mastered the art of plating–attributing stamp impressions to a specific position of a specific printing plate–as early as 1909 with this issue. He studied the “human” touches that went into engraving the master dies and touching up the plate weaknesses after the stamp designs were transferred to the plates. From his observations, he was able to identify the specific “fingerprint” of all 2,600 impressions from the 13 “imperforate” plates (first nine plates in their various states), with only a very few exceptions that he called probable.
The most obvious of these “fingerprints” are readily apparent to even novices, once they are pointed out, while others require the discriminating eye of an experienced student with the aid of plated stamps or Dr. Chase’s plating prints. Some of the recutting characteristics that aid in plating the 1851 – 1857 3-cent stamp are illustrated below.
| PLATING GUIDE | ||
| PLATE | LEFT PANE | RIGHT PANE |
| Variety #1 – Two Inner Lines (1,556 Positions) | ||
| 1 Early | 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 18, 20 through 34, 36 through 99L | 50, 56, 66, 67, 91, 99R |
| 1 Intermediate | 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 18, 20 through 34, 36 through 99L | 50, 56, 66, 67, 91, 99R |
| 1 Late | All positions | All positions |
| 2 Early | All positions | All positions |
| 2 Late | All positions | All positions |
| 3 | All positions except 9, 19, 29, 39, 49, 59, 69, 70, 79, 80, 89, 90, 99, 100L | All positions |
| 5 Early | All positions except 3, 4, 12L | All positions |
| 5 Late | All positions except 3, 4, 12, 13, 22, 32L | All positions except 77, 86, 87R |
| 0 | All positions | All positions |
| Variety #2 – No Inner Lines (929 Positions) | ||
| 1 Early | 2, 3, 4, 14, 15, 16L | 2 through 13, 15 through 35, 38 through 45, 51 through 55, 62, 64, 72, 73, 74, 77 through 80, 82, 83, 90R |
| 1 Intermediate | 2, 3, 4, 14, 15, 16L | 2 through 13, 15 through 35, 38 through 45, 51 through 55, 62, 64, 72, 73, 74, 77 through 80, 82, 83, 90, 98R |
| 4 | All positions | All positions |
| 6 | All positions | All positions |
| 7 | All positions | All positions |
| 8 | All positions | All positions |
| Variety #3 – Inner Line At Right Only (77 Positions) | ||
| 1 Early | 1, 17, 19, 35, 100L | 1, 46 through 49, 58, 59, 65, 68 through 71, 75, 76, 84 through 89, 92 through 98, 100R |
| 1 Intermediate | 1, 17, 19, 35, 100L | 1, 46 through 49, 58, 59, 65, 68 through 71, 75, 76, 84 through 89, 92 through 97, 100R |
| 5 Early | 3, 4, 12L | None |
| 5 Late | 3, 4, 12, 13, 22, 32L | 77, 86, 87R |
| Variety #4 – Inner Line At Left Only (24 Positions) | ||
| 1 Early | 5, 6, 9, 12L | 14, 36, 37, 57, 60, 61, 63, 81R |
| 1 Intermediate | 5, 6, 9, 12L | 14, 36, 37, 57, 60, 61, 63, 81R |
| Variety #5 – Frame Line Takes Place of Right Inner Line (2 Positions) | ||
| 3 | 9, 19L | None |
|
Variety #6 – Two Extra Lines at Left, and Frame Line Takes Place of Right Inner Line (2 Positions) |
||
| 3 | 80, 99L | None |
| Variety #7 – Frame Line Takes Place of Left Inner Line (4 Positions) | ||
| 3 | 70, 80, 90, 100L | None |
| Variety #8 – One Extra Line at Right (Two Inner Lines) (5 Positions) | ||
| 3 | 58, 68, 78, 88, 98L | None |
|
Variety #9 – One Extra Line at Left, and Frame Line Takes Place of Right Inner Line (6 Positions) |
||
| 3 | 29, 39, 49, 59, 69, 79L | None |
| Variety #10 – One Extra Line at Right (No Inner Lines) (11 Positions) | ||
| 4 | None | 99R |
| 6 | None | 8, 18, 28, 38, 48, 58, 68, 78, 88, 98R |
| Variety #11 – One Vertical Line Recut in Upper Left Triangle (374 Positions) | ||
| 1 Early | 22, 23, 29, 30, 43, 44, 50, 61, 64, 66, 67, 69, 70, 71, 74, 81, 84, 87, 92, 94L | 21, 27, 42, 46, 47, 56, 61, 63, 65, 66, 67, 69, 81, 91R |
| 1 Intermediate | 27, 43, 44, 61, 64, 66, 67, 71, 81, 87, 94L | 21, 46, 47, 61, 63, 65, 66, 67, 81, 91R 46, 47, 65, 69 very faint) |
| 1 Late | 8, 10, 14, 29, 30, 42, 46, 49, 55, 62, 64, 66, 67, 69, 76, 78, 83, 85, 86, 94, 96, 98L (a trace may remain on very early printings of 61, 68L) | 4, 5, 6, 15, 24, 28, 30, 35, 40, 42 through 46, 50, 53, 56, 66, 67, 73, 82, 83, 85, 87, 93 through 98R (a trace may remain on very early printings of 21, 61, 81, 91R) |
| 2 Early | 12, 13, 15, 19, 23, 25, 34, 37, 43, 46, 48, 52, 59, 63, 65, 69, 74, 80, 81, 82, 83, 87, 91, 95, 96, 99L | 24, 26 through 30, 39, 41, 45, 47, 50, 58, 59, 60, 62, 64, 65, 69, 83, 84, 85, 87, 94, 95, 97, 98R |
| 2 Late | 12, 13, 15, 19, 23, 25, 34, 37, 43, 46, 48, 52, 59, 63, 65, 69, 74, 80, 81, 83, 87, 91, 95, 96, 99L | 24, 26 through 30, 39, 41, 45, 47, 50, 58, 59, 60, 62, 64, 65, 69, 83, 84, 85, 87, 94, 95, 97, 98R |
| 3 | 22, 23, 24, 27, 30, 42, 46, 48, 65, 74, 83, 84, 85, 87, 88, 95L | 7, 9, 10, 13, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 29, 37, 41 through 49, 52, 61, 62, 63, 64, 66, 67, 68, 71, 75, 76, 81, 82, 83, 84, 87, 89 through 96, 98R |
| 5 Early | 21, 22, 23, 27, 29, 36, 38, 39, 43, 46, 47, 48, 60, 61, 64, 68, 69, 82, 83, 92, 98L | 20, 46, 48, 50, 61, 67R |
| 5 Late | 21, 23, 39, 43, 47, 60, 64L | 46, 47R |
| 0 | 14, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30, 33, 36, 41, 46, 48, 50, 52, 58, 64, 68, 70, 73, 74, 78, 80, 82, 85, 86, 89, 90, 91, 94, 96, 98, 99, 100L | 12, 15, 21, 23, 27, 28, 34, 35, 41, 45, 46, 47, 49, 51, 55, 61, 63, 64, 66, 70, 72, 74, 76, 81, 82, 95, 98, 99R |
| Variety #12 – Two Vertical Lines Recut in Upper Left Triangle (80 Positions) | ||
| 1 Early | 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 42, 86L | 49, 87R |
| 1 Intermediate | 25, 28, 86L | 49, 87R |
| 1 Late | 7, 9L | 65, 75R |
| 2 Early | 29, 38, 44, 47, 50, 61, 68, 72, 82, 84, 88, 89, 90, 94, 97L | 20, 25, 67, 82, 88, 90, 100R |
| 2 Late | 38, 44, 47, 50, 61, 68, 84, 89, 90, 94, 97L | 20, 90, 100R |
| 3 | 28, 50, 62, 81L | 25, 65, 99R |
| 5 Early | 63L | 86R |
| 5 Late | 63L | None |
| 0 | 43, 45, 62, 63, 67, 69, 87, 88, 92, 93L | 24, 29, 30, 43, 48, 69, 86R |
| Variety #13 – Three Vertical Lines Recut in Upper Left Triangle (25 Positions) | ||
| 1 Early | None | 50R |
| 1 Intermediate | None | 50R |
| 1 Late | None | 27, 49, 86R |
| 2 Early | 21, 24, 27, 28, 41, 64, 85, 98L | 66R |
| 2 Late | 21, 27, 28, 41, 98L | 66R |
| 3 | 82L | 30R |
| 0 | 29, 49L | 50R |
| Variety #14 – Five Vertical Lines Recut in Upper Left Triangle (2 Positions) | ||
| 1 Late | 95L | None |
| 0 | 47L | None |
| Variety #15 – One Vertical Line Recut in Upper Right Triangle (15 Positions) | ||
| 2 Early | 82L | 42, 82, 99R |
| 2 Late | 82L | None |
| 3 | 45L | 86R |
| 0 | 21, 38, 47, 68, 70L | 8, 100R |
| 5 Late | 98L | None |
| Variety #16 – One Vertical Line Recut in Lower Left Triangle (41 Positions) | ||
| 1 Early | None | 53R |
| 1 Late | 9, 33, 47, 49, 52, 66, 85L | 5, 33, 76R |
| 2 Early | 18, 94L | None |
| 2 Late | 18L | None |
| 3 | 82L | 6, 13, 14, 26, 32, 41, 42, 43, 51, 84, 95R |
| 5 Early | 24L | None |
| 0 | 37, 52, 58, 59, 82, 90, 91, 92, 98L | 1, 28, 53, 96, 98R |
| Variety #17 – One Vertical Line Recut in Lower Right Triangle (62 Positions) | ||
| 1 Late | 6, 18, 39, 49, 65, 88, 97L | 94R |
| 2 Early | None | 5, 15, 20, 50, 63, 70, 86, 87R |
| 2 Late | None | 5, 15, 20, 50, 63, 70, 86, 87R |
| 3 | 56L | 17, 32, 36, 38, 61, 62, 65, 82, 91, 95R |
| 5 Early | 47, 48, 50, 68, 70, 87, 96, 100L | 47, 81R |
| 5 Late | 48, 80L | None |
| 0 | 20, 29, 30, 35, 37, 45, 47, 55, 62, 67, 72, 89L | 19, 29, 41, 81R |
| Variety #18 – Two Vertical Lines Recut in Lower Right Triangle (1 Position) | ||
| 0 | 57L | None |
| Variety #19 – Recut Bust and Medallion Circle (1 Position) | ||
| 6 | None | 47R |
| Variety #20 – Recut Button (1 Position) | ||
| 2 Late | None | 10R |
| Variety #21 – Two Horizontal Lines Recut at Top of Upper Right Diamond Block (5 Positions) | ||
| 1 Early | None | 21, 23, 29, 30R |
| 1 Intermediate | None | 49, 87R |
| Variety #22 – One Horizontal Line Recut at Bottom of Lower Left Diamond Block (1 Position) | ||
| 2 Early | None | 34R |
| Variety #23 – Left Inner Line Runs Up Too Far (111 Positions) | ||
| 1 Early | 52, 71, 72, 79, 93, 95L | None |
| 1 Intermediate | 52, 71, 72, 79, 93, 95L | None |
| 1 Late | 5, 11, 17, 18, 28, 41, 48, 51, 52, 54, 57, 59, 66, 67, 68, 71, 78, 92, 98L | 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 14, 16, 18, 25, 29, 31, 32, 39, 50, 52, 53, 55, 56, 75, 76, 77, 78, 81, 94, 95R |
| 2 Early | 35, 51, 58, 59, 73, 80, 92, 98L | 9R |
| 2 Late | 51, 58, 73, 80, 92, 98L | 9, 37, 79R |
| 3 | 6, 12, 33, 38, 52, 64, 71, 77, 97 | 3, 4, 22, 24, 28, 37, 50, 52, 56, 68, 70, 72, 73, 83, 85, 89R |
| 0 | 7, 21, 24, 35, 42, 47, 75, 79, 93L | 33, 93, 97R |
| Variety #24 – Left Inner Line Runs Down Too Far (21 Positions) | ||
| 1 Early | 28, 84L | None |
| 1 Intermediate | 28, 84L | None |
| 1 Late | 85L | 22R |
| 2 Early | 58, 98, 100L | None |
| 2 Late | 58, 92, 98, 100L | None |
| 3 | 10, 32, 40, 77L | None |
| 0 | 5, 45, 87, 93L | None |
| Variety #25 – Right Inner Line Runs Down Too Far (26 Positions) | ||
| 1 Late | 18, 24, 47, 50, 67, 68, 79, 90, 94, 100L | 22, 27, 69R |
| 2 Early | 84, 87L | 25, 62, 65, 100R |
| 2 Late | None | 62, 65R |
| 0 | 45, 65, 71, 87, 98L | None |
| Variety #26 – Vertical Line Ties Upper Left Corner of Upper Left Diamond Block to Top Frame Line (2 Positions) | ||
| 2 Early | None | 45R |
| 2 Late | None | 45R |
| Variety #27 – Top Label & Upper Right Diamond Block Joined at Top (23 Positions) | ||
| 1 Late | 31, 32, 96L | 60R |
| 2 Early | 26, 44, 48, 52, 84L | 66R |
| 2 Late | 3, 26, 48, 52, 71, 84L | 66R |
| 4 | 76L | 87R |
| 5 Late | 31L | None |
| 0 | 7, 15, 37L | None |
| Variety #28 – Top Label & Upper Left Diamond Block Joined at Top (10 Positions) | ||
| 1 Late | 79L | 14R |
| 2 Early | None | 6, 100R |
| 2 Late | None | 6, 100R |
| 4 | None | 1, 10R |
| 8 | None | 77, 78R |
| Variety #29 – Bottom Label & Lower Right Diamond Block Joined at Bottom (14 Positions) | ||
| 1 Early | None | 84R |
| 1 Intermediate | None | 84R |
| 1 Late | None | 14R |
| 2 Early | 17L | None |
| 2 Late | 17L | None |
| 3 | 52L | None |
| 4 | 24, 52, 65, 78L | 51, 71, 77R |
| 0 | 62L | None |
| Variety #30 – Line Ties Top of Upper Label to Upper Right Diamond Block & Extends to Frame Line (10 Positions) | ||
| 2 Early | 19L | 6, 99R |
| 2 Late | 19L | 6, 7, 99R |
| 4 | None | 28, 68R |
| 0 | None | 68R |
| Variety #31 – Top Label & Upper Right Diamond Block Joined at Top & Bottom (1 Position) | ||
| 4 | None | 68R |
|
Variety #32 – Horizontal Line Joins Upper Right Diamond Block to Right Frame Line (5 Positions) |
||
| 3 | 83L | None |
| 4 | 31L | None |
| 0 | 14, 97L | 62R |
| Variety #33 – Horizontal Line Ties Upper Right Diamond Block to Upper Left Diamond Block of Next Stamp (4 Positions) | ||
| 2 Early | None | 99, 100R (early impressions only) |
| 0 | None | 95, 96R |
| Variety #34 – Diagonal Line Runs From Upper Right Corner of Top Label Across Diamond Block Nearly to Frame Line (1 Position) | ||
| 5 Late | 96L | None |
| Variety #35 – Lower Label and Lower Right Diamond Block Joined at Top (1 Position) | ||
| 5 Late | 26L | None |
|
Variety #36 – Lower Label and Lower Right Diamond Block Joined at Top and Bottom (1 Position) |
||
| 6 | 13L | None |
| Variety #37 – One Horizontal Line Recut at Top of Upper Left Diamond Block (8 Positions) | ||
| 1 Late | 2, 3, 14, 38L | None |
| 2 Early | None | 58, 60R |
| 0 | 47L | 16R |
|
Variety #38 – Vertical Line Recut Along Upper Left Side of Upper Left Diamond Block (2 Positions) |
||
| 1 Early | None | 69R |
| 2 Early | 24L | None |
|
Variety #39 – Line Joins Lower Right Corner to Upper Right Corner of Stamp Below (7 Positions) |
||
| 1 Intermediate | 1L | None |
| 2 Early | 90L | None |
| 2 Late | 90L | None |
| 4 | 41L | None |
| 8 | 29, 31, 44L | None |
| Recut Combinations on Stamps with Two Inner Lines and One Vertical Line Recut in Upper Left Triangle | ||
| With One Line Recut in Upper Right Triangle (1+11+15) | ||
| 0 | 68, 70 | None |
| With One Line Recut in Lower Left Triangle (1+11+16) | ||
| 1 Late | 49, 66, 85L | 5R |
| 3 | None | 13, 26, 41, 42, 84, 95R |
| With One Line Recut in Lower Left Triangle and One Line Recut in Lower Right Triangle (1+11+16+17) | ||
| 1 Late | 49L | None |
| 3 | None | 95R |
| With One Line Recut in Lower Left Triangle and Left Inner Line Down Too Far (1+11+16+24) | ||
| 1 Late | 85L | None |
| With One Line Recut in Lower Right Triangle (1+11+17) | ||
| 2 Early | None | 50, 87R |
| 2 Late | None | 50, 87R |
| 3 | None | 61, 62, 82, 91, 95R |
| 5 Early | 47, 48, 68L | None |
| 0 | 30, 89L | 41, 81R |
| With Left Inner Line Running Down Too Far (1+11+24) | ||
| 1 Early | 84L | None |
| With Right Inner Line Running Down Too Far (1+11+25) | ||
| 2 Early | None | 62, 65R |
| 2 Late | None | 62, 65R |
| With Upper Left Corner of Upper Left Diamond Block Joined to Left End of Top Frame Line (1+11+26) | ||
| 2 Early | None | 45R |
| 2 Late | None | 45R |
| With Top Label & Upper Right Diamond Block Joined at Top (1+11+27) | ||
| 1 Early | 96L | None |
| 2 Early | 48, 52L | None |
| 2 Late | 52L | None |
| With Line Tying Top Label to Upper Right Diamond Block & Extending Out to Frame Line (1+11+30) | ||
| 2 Early | 19L | None |
| 2 Late | 19L | None |
| With Line Connecting Upper Right Diamond Block to Right Frame Line (1+11+32) | ||
| 3 | None | 83R |
| With Line Tying Top of Upper Right Diamond Block to Upper Left Diamond Block of Adjacent Stamp (1+11+33) | ||
| 2 Early | None | 99, 100R (only shows on very early impressions) |
| 0 | None | 95, 96R |
| Recut Combinations on Stamps with Two Inner Lines and Two Vertical Lines Recut in Upper Left Triangle | ||
| With One Line Recut in Upper Right Triangle (1+12+15) | ||
| 2 Early | 82L | None |
| With One Line Recut in Lower Left Triangle (1+12+16) | ||
| 1 Late | 9L | None |
| 2 Early | 94L | None |
| 0 | 92L | None |
| With One Line Recut in Lower Right Triangle (1+12+17) | ||
| 2 Early | None | 20R |
| 2 Late | None | 20R |
| 3 | None | 65R |
| 0 | 45, 62, 67L | 29R |
| With Left Inner Line Running Both Up and Down Too Far (1+12+23+24) | ||
| 0 | 93L | None |
| With Left Inner Line Running Down Too Far (1+12+24) | ||
| 1 Early | 28L | None |
| 1 Intermediate | 28L | None |
| 0 | 45, 93L | None |
| With One Line Recut in Lower Right Triangle and Both Inner Lines Running Down Too Far (1+12+17+24+25) | ||
| 0 | 45L | None |
| With Right Inner Line Running Down Too Far and Top Label & Upper Left Diamond Block Joined at Top (1+12+25+28) | ||
| 2 Early | None | 100R |
| With Top Label & Upper Right Diamond Block Joined at Top (1+12+27) | ||
| 2 Early | 44, 84L | None |
| With Top Label & Upper Left Diamond Block Joined at Top (1+12+28) | ||
| 2 Late | None | 100R |
| Recut Combinations on Stamps with Two Inner Lines and Three Vertical Lines Recut in Upper Left Triangle | ||
| With One Line Recut in Lower Left Triangle (1+13+16) | ||
| 3 | 82L | None |
| With One Line Recut in Lower Right Triangle (1+13+17) | ||
| 0 | 29L | None |
| With Left Inner Line Running Down Too Far (1+13+24) | ||
| 2 Early | 98L | None |
| 2 Late | 98L | None |
| With Top Label & Upper Right Diamond Block Joined at Top (1+13+27) | ||
| 2 Early | None | 66R |
| Miscellaneous Recut Combinations on Stamps with Two Inner Lines | ||
| With Five Lines Recut in Upper Left Triangle, One Line Recut in Upper Right Triangle, One Line Recut in Lower Right Triangle, and Left Inner Line Running Up Too Far (1+14+15+17+23) | ||
| 0 | 47L | None |
| With One Line Recut in Lower Left Triangle, and One Line Recut in Lower Right Triangle (1+16+17) | ||
| 3 | None | 32, 95R |
| With One Line Recut in Lower Left Triangle, One Line Recut in Lower Right Triangle, and Top Label & Upper Right Diamond Block Joined at Top (1+16+17+27) | ||
| 0 | 37L | None |
| With Left Inner Line Running Both Up and Down Too Far (1+23+24) | ||
| 2 Late | 92L | None |
| 3 | 77L | None |
| 0 | 93L | None |
| With Left Inner Line Running Up Too Far, and Right Inner Line Running Down Too Far (1+23+25) | ||
| 1 Late | 68L | None |
| With Top Label & Upper Left Diamond Block Joined at Top, and Bottom Label & Lower Right Diamond Block Joined at Bottom (1+28+29) | ||
| 1 Late | None | 14R |
| With Top Label Joined to Both Diamond Blocks at Top, and Line Extending from Top of Upper Right Diamond Block to Right Frame Line (1+28+30) | ||
| 2 Early | None | 6R |
| 2 Late | None | 6R |
| With One Extra Line at Right (Two Inner Lines), and One Line Recut in Upper Left Triangle (8+11) | ||
| 3 | 88L | None |
| Miscellaneous Recut Combinations on Stamps with No Inner Lines | ||
| With One Line Recut in Upper Left Triangle, and Two Horizontal Lines Recut at Top of Upper Right Diamond Block (2+11+21) | ||
| 1 Early | None | 21R |
| With Two Horizontal Lines Recut at Top of Upper Right Diamond Block (2+21) | ||
| 1 Early | None | 21, 23, 29, 30R |
| 1 Intermediate | None | 30R |
| Miscellaneous Recut Combinations on Stamps with Inner Line at Right Only | ||
| With One Line Recut in Upper Left Triangle (3+11) | ||
| 1 Early | None | 46, 47, 65, 69R |
| 1 Intermediate | None | 46, 47, 65, 69R (all may be extremely faint) |
| With Two Lines Recut in Upper Left Triangle (3+12) | ||
| 1 Early | None | 49, 87R |
| 1 Intermediate | None | 49, 87R |
| Miscellaneous Recut Combinations on Stamps with Inner Line at Left Only | ||
| With One Line Recut in Upper Left Triangle (4+11) | ||
| 1 Early | None | 61, 63, 81R |
| 1 Intermediate | None | 61, 63, 81R |
A special thanks to Dr. Charles J. DiComo for supplying the images hyperlinked in the above plating guide.
