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Last Updated: Aug 12, 2025

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Notch

Posted on Dec 18, 2024

7¢ Bistre 2L53

(A Retouch) "The vertical line of the left numeral box - a line of varying thickness — the bottom line broken near the lower left corner of the box; with a line in E and another below it." A notch with the horizontal almost midway up the 'E' and two verticals, the more significant upper starting in the centre of the oval.

Leo's Notes

Faint notch opposite the middle of the E (position similar to 2R4/3).

  • a) One horizontal line. Goes from the centre to the right of the oval.
  • b) Two vertical lines: the top one is split in two segments in the centre of the oval and the bottom one is barely visible to the right.
Defective transfer – LL corner
  • The bottom line of the LNB stops well short of the left corner, leaving a gap at the corner.
  • The top line of the bottom frame is visible from the right side of the LNB to the left edge of the C.
  • The extent of the defective transfer is masked by retouching, which is the most striking feature of this stamp.
Retouch (in Marler)
  • Vertical line in the LNB from the top but stops short at the bottom. 
  • The thickness varies throughout, but the line is very thick where it stops at the bottom. Quite distinctive.
Dashed diagonal line in the lower left corner of the E in POSTAGE.

Flaw in Zone 16
Plate Position: 2L53
Listed in Marler
Sheet Format
Notch Type: NAC

On page 374, Marler states: "In 19 Subjects of Plates 1 and 2 there is in the white band around the portrait oval, either below E or at right center, either a single line or a group of lines. Whether this is a consequence of a re-entry or not, the author cannot say, but he considers them not to be of sufficient importance to warrant describing them, particularly as many of them are much the same in their general appearance."

In an article to be published in a future issue of "The Admiral's Log", Leopold Beaudet and I suggest that these "Notch" varieties are actually quite interesting. We have found over 40 different instances and many plate positions have been determined using the plate proofs at Library and Archives Canada.

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