Texas Precancel Club Navigation Legend

PSS Town and Type Precancel Catalog footnotes with changes for 7th edition

1 = Counterfeits exist.
2 = Copies normally perfinned, creased or with poor impressions. Type is priced with these conditions present.
3 = Font variations exist in some or all positions within the device. In a few cases, when necessary to distinguish between two devices of the same style, the letters that are in the wrong font are stated in the following format: (3,xx,yy) where xx and yy are the letters that are in the wrong format on the left side of the device and the right side of the device, respectively. One example is SARALAND, AL which has two 841 devices that are distinguished in this way. (I wish a variation in all positions was simply listed somehow without a footnote, as is the practice with footnote 9 errors. I have looked for variations only to find in some cases that the entire device was that way. -JCF)
4 = Line spacing varies within the device by more than a 1/2 mm. When used with a type that lacks lines or bars, this note applies to the distance between the lines of type. (What happens if this is in conjuction with footnote 23 and the lines/bars are missing from a device that ordinariily has them? Measure the distance between where the bars used to be? -JCF)
5 = Punctuation variations exist within the device.
(This addition did not survive, apparently.) Add new footnote (5A) to read as follows: This type has improper punctuation used throughout the device, such as a comma instead of a period after the state. This applies to Berkeley, CA 225 and Evansville, IN L-2 & L-3 Also Xenia, OH L-1 and Canajoharie, NY 225
6 = Device differs slightly from Standard Style illustraton/description.
7 = Repair exists which differs in font, spacing or punctuation from the rest of the device. A picture of the repair position is included in the picture section.
8 = Various dates exist. This footnote is not used for Integral dated control types for which various dates is the norm. (SEE TYPESET PRECANCELS. -JCF)
9 = One or more, but not all, positions of the device have a variant spelling. When space permits, the variant spelling follows the (9), as in Baltimore, MD, L-6TS(9,OER). If all positions are misspelled, the misspelled portion appears in the brackets following the type designation, without reference to Footnote 9, as in Citronelle, AL 841(LLA). (Separate error pricing would be helpful, since this is usually the most expensive position on the device. -JCF. Part of this is now being implemented in the 7th edition. See new footnote 32 for multiple devices, one of which has an error. -JCF)
10 = This note is used when one or more, but not all positions of the device have the wrong state name. When space permits, the wrong state name follows the (10), as in Wabbaseka, AR 841(3,10,AK). If all positions are wrong, the wrong portion appears in the brackets following the type designation, without reference to Footnote 10, as in Moriarty, NM 841(MN).
11 = Two or more devices of the type exist, but the differences, if any, do not justify separate listings under catalog guidelines.
Santa Fe TX 895(11)
Manchaca TX 882(needs 11 added)
12 = Later usage of device shows worn impressions which distort measurements. (especially on soft rubber devices of the 1920s -JCF)
13 = Legitimately used but philatelic in origin and usually controlled in distribution.
14 = The device contains one or more positions in which either the town or state is inverted.
15 = The device contains one or more positions in which the state is over the town.
16 = The device contains one or more positions which lack any identification of the state. (ERROR STATE MAY HAVE BEEN REMOVED LATER. -JCF)
17 = Some of the imprints appear to be press printed. This note is for use with types that are normally hand applied.
18 = Hand applied impressions of this device are known to exist. This note is for use with types that are normally press printed.
19 = Device also used for postcancelling. Price applies to precanceled specimens.
20 = This footnote is used when there are two devices of similar style, one of which has the state name abbreviated and the other has it spelled out. the footnote goes with the device that has the name spelled out. (Old literature uses "SNIF" for State Name In Full. New abbreviation is "SNF". PSS Forum Sep 2005 notes Tierra Santa CA 906(SNF). -JCF) Footnote 20 is deleted in favor of SNF. (7th ed. change #1)
21 = Some positions of the device have either the bottom line or the top line misplaced so that it appears between the town and the state.
Dell City TX 841(21)
22 = The device contains at least one position which has the town repeated in the position where the state normally appears.
6th ed. update #4 New footnote #23 = This type exists both with the lines (or bars) as shown in the style chart or picture section, but also often comes with them partially or completely missing due to wear or application technique. (See Porterville, CA 704, Trinidad, CO 703. Note that Peabody, KS already uses the (6) to denote this condition. -JCF, and examples below)
Centerville, MD 413
Porterville, CA 704
Trinidad, CO 703
Logansport, IN 415
Le Mars, IA 701
Springville, IA L-1 HS
Peabody, KS 729(6)
Northampyon, MA 406
Perth Amboy, NJ 704
Elizabeth, NJ 404 ?
Arcade, NY L-1
Upper Darby, PA L-1
Watertown, SD 704
Marlin, TX 903 (had a bad stamp pad with depressed center, as received. A new pad fixed the problem. -JCF)
(Proposed footnote #24) At least one of the two types from this town having this footnote was used separately, as well as having been used as part of the same device as the other. Multiples can be found showing the types se tenent. However, some denominations may exist in each of the types, that do not exist in the other." (Applies to Los Angeles, CA L-4 and L-12 -JCF)
(Proposed footnote #25) This type had the lines (or bars) applied in a separate operation, resulting in very variable positioning of the lines (or bars) with respect to the town/state. Candidates are Anamosa, IA L-9, Montclair, NJ L-1
(Proposed footnote #26) This type is on the same device as one or more other types from another town. (Candidates: Kell, Odin and Neoga L-1s are all on the same device (4 x Kell (top 4 positions), 4 x Odin (next 4 positions), 2 x Neoga (bottom 2 positions). Additional candidate: Pflugerville TX/Del Valle TX -JCF)
6th ed. update #5 Footnote #27 This type has vertical lines between subjects which may or perhaps may not appear on each stamp. (Does this include a few devices that have boxes for stamp boundaries? -JCF)
6th ed. update #7 Footnote #28 The width of the state abbreviation varies significantly within the device. (The West End NC 703 has state lengths of 5.5 and 7mm. The Kenilworth NJ 458 has state lengths of 5 and 7mm. -JCF)
New footnote #29 Due to various causes, tghe lines may either be straight (early impressions) or wavy. (This footnote will apply to Seattle L-8 and any othr type where applicable. Previously unused but added in 7th ed. update 3 part 1, May 2010
30 This device contains one row (or column) that is inverted with respect to the other rows (or columns), making tete beche pairs possible as a result of normal usage.
6th ed. update #7 footnote #31 This type has varieties shown in the picture section.
6th ed. update #7 footnote #32 Two (or more) nearly identical devices exist of this type, one of which contains an error on one or more subjects. While the non-error subjects from either device generally cannot be easily distinguished, the error subject(s) are identifiable and usually command a premium price. For types with this footnote, the catalog price is for an example showing the error. (In a comment similar to that for footnote 9, an error and non-error price would be helpful. -JCF)
#32A Footnote 32 applies. The error device has the wrong town on both subjects of the top row. The price shown is for a vertical pair with the error on one stamp.
#33 This type is designed to span two stamps, and is priced for a pair showing a full impression.
January 2006 Footnote #34 This is a very scarce type that has a deceptive look-alike postcancel. Genuine copies do not show any trace of a vertical line at either edge of the imprint.
New footnote #35 This device was sometimes printed through an inked fabric such that the fabric pattern appears in the imprint. (One of these was Harrisburg PA L5M. The types used to be listed separately. Once I learned how to tell them apart and bought some, they were combined. -JCF)
New footnote #36 The device was cut apart and a single subject therefrom was used for precancelling. -7th ed. update 3 part 1, May 2010

PSS Catalog of United States Bureau Precancels Fifth Edition June 2005 new footnotes

The Sheet stamps that exist either wet printed or both wet and dry printed are identified in the body of this catalog by parenthetical notes as follows:
1 = Both wet and dry printed
2 = Dry printed only. ERROR. should be Wet printed only.
DEFAULT: Unfootnoted Liberty sheet stamps come only dry printed

Large and small perforation holes
Wet printed coils have only large holes.
3 = Wet printed with large holes
4 = Dry printed with large holes
5 = Dry printed with small holes
6 = Dry printed, with either large holes, or small holes

Shorthand letters used in dimension references by PSS. New dimensions in 7th edition noted in red.

a = Distance between town and state.
b = Distance between bottom of state and inside of lower line (or bar).
c = Overall length of town, including punctuation, if any.
ca = Length of first word in a multiword town.
cb = Length of second word in a multiword town.
cc = Length of third word of a multiword town (not shown [in catalog illustration -JCF]).
d = Distance between insides of top and bottom lines (or bars). (NOT CENTER TO CENTER -JCF)
e = Distance between top of town and bottom of state.
f = Height from bottom of lower line (bar) to top of upper line (bar). (OUTER TO OUTER -JCF)
g = Distance between 1st and 2nd word of town (applies to 2-word towns only).
h = Length of top and bottom bar, which are assumed to be equal (does not apply to types having lines).
j = Indicia overall length. (for dateds or integrals -JCF)
k = Indicia letter height.
ka = Height of company abbreviation portion of indicia (not shown [in catalog illustration -JCF]).
kb = Height of month portion of indicia (not shown).
kc = Height of year portion of indicia (not shown).
m = Town letter height. (previously proposed and implemented in 7th ed. PSS T&T)
n = State letter height. (previously proposed and implemented in 7th ed. PSS T&T) (Consider applying these new dimensional criteria to Baltimore, MD types L-18, 19, 41. -JCF)
p = Distance from top of top line (or bar) to bottom of dating indicia.
s = Length of state, including punctuation, if any.
sa = Length of first word of a multiword state (not shown).
sb = Length of second word of a multiword state (not shown).
t = Distance from top of town to inside of the top line (or bar).
w = Width of either line (or bar), which are assumed to be equal.
x = For types with double lines (bars), the distance between the inside gap of each pair, which are assumed to be equal.

Website page design and content Copyright �2000-2010 John C. Foster and Texas Precancel Club - All Rights Reserved. Awards images are the property of the respective award program owners and used with permission.

Jun	AUG	Oct
	25
2017	2018	2019