Philippines O.B. error

Discussion in 'United States Stamps' started by redsox81, Oct 14, 2014.

  1. redsox81

    redsox81 Active Member

    Wondering what to think of the overprint, how common for the extra B... "B.O.B. rather than O.B. and possible value anyone thinks it may have? Thanks
     

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    Last edited: Oct 14, 2014
    redsox81, Oct 14, 2014
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  2. DonSellos

    DonSellos Moderator Moderator

    Interesting. The stamps of the U.S. Commonwealth Period make for an interesting side collection.

    The stamp appears to be O7 of the 1931 series of Official Business (O.B.) overprints in the Scott catalog. It is Sc # 243 as regularly issued. Minimum value in both formats.

    The catalog indicates these O.B. overprints were done in a variety of ways, but mostly with a rubber hand stamp in the post offices. My guess is the rubber stamp was long enough and contained enough O.B.'s to imprint one row of a sheet of stamps at a time.. Looks like the clerk doing the stamping put the hand stamp a little too far to the right side and and overlapping of the initials occurred. For instance, the stamp to the left of yours in the original sheet may have had O. B. O on it.

    Just speculation though.


    Don
     
    DonSellos, Oct 14, 2014
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  3. Hochstrasse

    Hochstrasse Moderator Moderator

    Misregistration of overprints isn't all that uncommon, we see them on a variety of stamps from almost every country. I would expect that stamp might have a small premium over the regular overprint, but I doubt the value is significantly different. I like the stamp redsox81. The black "constabulary" overprint leaves little doubt that it is B.O.B. (back of the book). :)
     
    Hochstrasse, Oct 14, 2014
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  4. redsox81

    redsox81 Active Member

    Thanks, I like these too. Very cool little series! Do you think the "B" and "O" were stamped simultaneously or separate? I'm thinkinging simultaneously due to the fact that all the ones I have or have seen are exactly straight and even to each other plus it just makes more sense. I have another small error with a "crooked" B and another with a faint double impression. I do really like the "crooked B" however.
     

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    redsox81, Oct 14, 2014
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  5. Hochstrasse

    Hochstrasse Moderator Moderator

    According to Don (who has a catalogue and I don't) there were various methods used to put the overprint on. I'm speculating that post offices used existing stocks of stamps to use for this constabulary purpose and various devices to do the overprinting. Small offices might have had a special hand stamp for that purpose to use on individual stamps. Some small offices may have had nothing else than letter stamps. Larger offices could have some small conveyor cancelers capable of doing overprints on entire sheets of stamps. It certainly could be an area of study for someone interested in this stamp.
     
    Hochstrasse, Oct 14, 2014
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  6. littleriverphil

    littleriverphil Active Member

    After reading all the above posts, I went to the catalogues. You're certainly correct, an area to study deeper. Under the heading Official Stamps
    Official Handstamped Overprints:
    "Officers purchasing stamps for goverment business, may, if they so desire, surcharge them with the letters O.B., either in writing with black ink or by rubber stamp but in such a manner as to not obliterate so that postmaster will be un-able to tell if they are used or not".

    Even typewriters were used. Your crooked B is, I think, very similar the B. O. B., but instead of stamping off center, this sheet was slightly crooked, and the line of O.B O.B O.B. ran downhill so to speak. As Don said,
     
    Last edited: Oct 15, 2014
    littleriverphil, Oct 15, 2014
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  7. littleriverphil

    littleriverphil Active Member

    I was just browsing the Philippines Officials listing on a stamp site, bought 10 of them, six that were overprinted by the government printing bureau and 4 that were hand stamped. The government printing will be much more consistent than the hand stamped overprints, one of the hand stamped overprints that I bought was inverted.
     
    littleriverphil, Oct 16, 2014
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  8. zararina

    zararina Simply Me! :D

    I do have some Philippines stamps with the OB overprint but never have BOB one. I guess it was just an error on the process of putting the overprint.
     
    zararina, Oct 19, 2014
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  9. littleriverphil

    littleriverphil Active Member

    Authorizing officials to surcharge regular postage stamps by any means available led to almost every error imaginable. Perfect for some like me who loves overprint errors! Have you ever seen the web site "Post Office in Paradise" ? Wonderfull! Even more errors that the Official Special Printings have, and that's a bunch!

    http://www.hawaiianstamps.com/townpostmarks.html
     
    Last edited: Oct 19, 2014
    littleriverphil, Oct 19, 2014
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  10. nicthu

    nicthu New Member

    As far as I can discern, this is NOT O7. The Scott-listed O.B. stamps are only ones overprinted by the BEP. They do not list any O.B. handstamps...probably because anyone can make their own rubber stamp and create more even now. Interestingly, they DO list some(/all?) VICTORY handstamps, which are all quite pricey: O38-O43 on O.B. overprints, C63, E8-E9, J16-J22, U42A-U45 on stamped envelopes. All pictured appear to come from the same handstamp, with VIC and TORY at an angle. Not sure why the difference in treatment.
     
    nicthu, Jul 28, 2019
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