Probably the same catalogue number followed by a letter, rather than a new catalogue number would be how I'd go. Printers do err, don't they?

Thanks for your observations, Dave, and Happy New Year. Although Barbour strongly implies the reason for the 2nd printing was dissatisfaction with the light color of the first, he really doesn't say that outright in his book. As you suggested above maybe the real reason for a 2nd printing was simply demand, and while they were at it, Dr. Frackelton told them to make the colors a little darker. That's an interesting explanation I had not considered. I wonder if there were any other 2nd printings of subsequent issues due to demand alone. Of course they would not have been designated as such, there being no design or color changes. Thanks again. It's these details I like to look into as they come to mind. Steve.

Dave, that's fantastic. It's interesting that her designs on the 1973-77 stamps, except for the obligatory 1976 flags, all included wildlife, fish, birds, and butterflies. That was somewhat a departure from Dr. Frackelton's mostly photographic scene designs of the early issues. I'd like to know if the wildlife theme was her suggestion or Dr. Frackelton's direction, or perhaps both. Also, what can she say about why a new artist was chosen, other than as Wells relates in his book, there was a change in ownership of RI? It seems that continuing to have an artist, such as Bernice Kochan, who has designed USPS stamps, as the designer of RILP issues would have been meritorious and marketable for the brand. Steve Altic.

Thanks, Dave. It's nice to retain these bits of history.

Thanks, Dave. I am curious. At first I thought it might be Charles Natola, who of course did some nice rattler cachets. Steve.

Michael, I think that largely depends on the time period in the island's history in the past 60 years. I have some covers and postcards using the RILP stamps on mail coming from the island that was clearly not destined for collectors. But how much the inhabitants of RI used the stamps has never been clear to me. I'll be interested to read what Dave Gill has to say. He and I have had some conversations about encouraging residents and visitors there to use the stamps for outgoing mail. Steve Altic.

Dave, that's interesting. The sheet I just got appears to be similar to the second row you have shown above. I'll have to do a side by side comparison in daylight as well to check on the dullness/brightness of the paper.

I have a question about apparent perforation errors on early RILP sheets. I have a 1971 sheet that is perforate but is imperforate along one dagonal. Barbour's book on page 30 suggests these "errors" may be forgeries in which an imperforate sheet was taken and then perforations were irregularly applied. I presume this would have been done to trump up value. Barbour relates a communication from Bob Fritz in which the latter states because the perforations were applied via a die at least in the early productions, such perforation errors would have been impossible. Anyone have any insights about this. Steve Altic.

When I was a 12 year old boy back in 1966, as many boys did then, I collected stamps. In the local paper in 1966 or '67 there was an article about RILP stamps. I remember being fascinated by the notion of a local post (and the triangular design) and so began sending for them. But as often happens with youthful interests, stamp collecting went away. I am now a mostly retired physician and mentioned to a friend a couple years ago, who also collected stamps as a boy, that in the remote past I had a small collection of early RILP stamps. The reason the topic came up was that my friend had acquired a place on Kelleys Island, and we were discussing the Lake Erie Islands in general. One Christmas he presented me with several FDCs from RILP from 1967, and that reignited my interest. So here I am, a veteran collector 50 years on. Much thanks to Dave Gill for reinvigorating my interest as well.

Just as Dr. Frackleton had problems with the color of the first printing of the 1966 rectangular issue, it is prophetic, and maybe fitting that the 2022 re-issue has these perforation problems. Perhaps this will make this re-issue more unique than it is already. I am a traditionalist and prefer Perf 12 format, but if it is truly problematic as it sounds, then R 24 is fine. And thank you, Dave, for taking on this Herculean task. Steve Altic.