2c George Washington Stamp (1917): How to Identify It

• Background: the New York postmaster once found he had about 1,500 sheets of imperforate 2c stamps of this design on hand.
• Color: carmine.

The same design was issued in more than one form. Which one you have changes the catalog listing:

• Type I vs. Type II vs. Type III design (later 2c Washington printings, e.g. Scott 266/267): Across the wider 2c Washington run, the Bureau made small engraving changes (shading lines around the design) that collectors classify into numbered 'types'; these are separate from perforation or watermark differences.
• Perforated vs. imperforate printings: Some 2c Washington sheets were released without any perforations (imperforate) rather than perforated on all sides; check the stamp's edges for perforation teeth.

The 2c denomination paid the standard first-class letter rate for most of this stamp's production, so it was printed and used in enormous quantities across many years, papers, and perforation gauges.

• Measure the perforations with a gauge; the same design often exists in two or three gauges, and that is usually what separates the common one from the scarce one.
• Sheet, coil or booklet: coils have two straight edges on opposite sides; booklet panes have one or two straight edges from the pane edge.
• Tagging: hold it under a longwave UV lamp; tagged and untagged printings of the same design are listed separately.
• Condition (centering, gum, cancel) is a separate question from identification.

Lay the stamp flat on a dark background in daylight, fill the frame, and keep the phone parallel so the perforations are not distorted. Photograph the back too if there is a watermark or gum question. The app reads the design and denomination; the perforation and tagging checks above settle which listing it is.