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Trying to identify stamps is the most difficult part of our hobby. Patience
and experience are often the best keys to uncover a mystery. Here are a few
tricks of the trade that can possibly help you.
The first thing I do is to watermark the stamp, which can be very revealing.
Many times a stamp's watermark will give you a clue to its origin. You may know
of the British Crown and CC, Crown and CA and such watermarks found on stamps of
the British Empire. You may also be familiar with the lozenges and network
watermarks on German stamps and those of its colonies. Early Italian stamps just
used a crown. These can all give you a place to start. Do you know which country
uniquely used a pineapple as a watermark? For the answer, see the end of this
column.
Check out clear cancellations that sometimes bare city and country names on
them. You may recognize a major city of a country without recognizing the native
spelling of the country's name. Also check for currency. It may be marks,
pounds, schillings, kronas, francs and so on. Sometimes even a coat of arms or a
landmark on a stamp helps you identify its origin.
If you can make out any of the words on a stamp, check the index in the back of
the major catalog you use. Scott's has a very useful one that includes
overprints as well. But I guess if you're like most of us you'll buy Linn's
Stamp Identifier or similar identifier and just hunt until you can figure it
out.
By the way, early stamps from
Jamaica have a pineapple watermark! When you get a chance, take a good look
through and see all of the interesting designs watermarks reveal.
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