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Fig. 1: first type |
Fig. 2: second type |
3 SOLDI - black -
The 3 Soldi too is a "difficult" stamp, not so much for the identifications of the details (as for the 2 Soldi), as for the identification of the cancellations. Being printed in black it is often difficult to understand the cancellations; it was probably for this reason that (to avoid cheating by using again samples with weak cancellations) it was reissued in 1862 in green color. We can ask ourselves how this new value was issued only in 1862 if there were some fraud suspicions: the answer was probably that the black value was already printed and they needed to wait to end the stock of this value before using the green one.
I show here two samples, one of the first (Fig. 1) and one of the second type (Fig. 2). (Note: the perforation of the first sample looks 'strange' due to a image scan issue and therefore it cannot be considered as reference)
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Fig. 1: first type |
Fig. 2: second type |
The main differences are:
In
the first type the curl on the head is flat and low, very often not
so evident (common characteristic to all the values of the first type).
In the second type the curl is bigger and more pointed (common characteristic
to all the values of the second type). |
In
the first type the ribbon on the back of the nape is open, similar to
a "3" and thinner (common characteristic to all the values
of the first type) In the second type it is closed, similar to a "8"
and thicker (common characteristic to all the values of the second type). |
In
the first type the value "3" at the left top is broken at
the bottom while in the second type is perfect (only in rare occasions
it appears with a minor break also in the second type). |
It should be said that other small details do exist that differentiate the two stamps but they result often very difficult to identify (a suggestion? Look with attention under the profile of the royal effigy...) I invite you to go to the special readings for further information.
Catalogued color shades (as per Sassone) - 1st type
Black (typical color)
Grayish black
Catalogued color shades (as per Sassone) - 2nd type
Black (typical color)
Grayish black
Gray