Sc. #1906



Sc. #1906a

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17¢ Electric Auto (BEP)
Water-Activated Coils of 100, 500 and 3000
Scott# 1906 Plate # 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (Overall Tagging)
Cottrell Plate Pairings
and Roll Sizes Found
1/2 (100, 500, 3000); 3/4 (100, 500, 3000); 5/6 (500); 5/7 (500) Issued in regular and 'bubble pack' coils of 100.
Purple Machine Cancel Plate # 1, 2, 4
Scott# 1906a Plate # 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (Untagged - Precanceled with two black lines and PRESORTED FIRST CLASS)
Cottrell Plate Pairings
and Roll Sizes Found
Type A: 3/4 (500, 3000); 5/6 (500); 5/7 (3000)
Type B: 3/4 (500); 5/6 (3000)
Type BA: 5/6 (3000)
Type C: 1/2 (3000); 3/4 (3000); 5/7 (3000)
Type D: 1/2 (roll size unknown)
Scott# 1906b Plate # 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 (Imperf - Tagged)
Scott# 1906c Plate # 3, 4 (Imperf - Untagged - Precanceled)
Series Transportation
Issue Date & City June 25, 1981, Greenfield Village, Dearborn, Michigan
Nationwide Sale June 26, 1981 / Precancel - November, 1981
Designer Chuck Jaquays, Woodbridge, Virginia
Modeler VirginiaClarence Holbert (BEP)
Typographer Bradbury Thompson (CSAC)
Engravers Edward P. Archer, vignette, Thomas J. Bakos, lettering (Both BEP)
To Press / Initial Quantity January 1981 /  451,218,000
Coil Size 100, 500, 3000
Printer Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Washington, DC.
Press Cottrell
Process Intaglio
Where Printed Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Washington, DC.
Where Processed Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Washington, DC.
Plate Size & Interval 864 stamps per revolution with two plates of 18 x 24 / plate # every 24 stamps
Paper & Gum Water-Activated Type I, II
Tagging Type Overall, Untagged
Perf Gauge 9.8 Vertically
Color Ultramarine
Overall Size (w x h) apx. 0.87 x 0.96 in. / 22.1 x 24.4 mm
Earliest Known Use June 25, 1981
Note: There are joint lines on the right side of the plate number stamp on this printing.
Plate Pairings: Plates 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6, 5 and 7.
A strip with two plate numbers will show 2 different numbers as above.
Note: Precancel Gaps exist at positions 1L, 2L, 3L, 4L, 5L, 6L, LG, 1R, 3R, 4R, 5R, 6R
Note: There are four different varieties of precancel mats used on this issue.
Combination pairs such as A-B and B-A can be found used together on the same coil.

Type A - “PRESORTED” is 11.3 mm long.
Type B - “PRESORTED” is 12.8 mm long.
Type C - “PRESORTED” is 13.4 mm long.
Type D - “PRESORTED” is 14.1 mm long.

Note: The Scott Catalogue notes that "Three different precancel styles exist in four different lengths: “PRESORTED” measuring 11.3mm, 12.8mm,
13.4mm and 14.1mm. These measurements can vary slightly. The most common is the 11.3mm. Combination pairs exist of the 11.3mm and
12.8mm varieties. The 13.4mm and 14.1mm lengths have the same “type” style and vary in length, and as a result many coil collectors prefer to,
and collect, only the three different “type” styles.
Note: For a side-by-side comparison of the Electric Auto Precancel Mats, click here.