Flyspeck

Flyspeck philately is a pejorative term for the collection of very minor differences in stamps. While tiny printing differences can identify a plate position, these are consistently printed, at least until details wear away on the printing plate. Meanwhile, there are always any number of tiny differences from stamp to stamp; printing is not perfect every time, especially going back in time.

All it takes is a magnifier to find all the tiny printing flaws that are always possible. Look at any two stamps with the same design and you will find any number of minute differences. The worst thing you can do is to take an old damaged used stamp and declare that you have found a major variety. You cannot say whether the difference(s) came from printing or from bad treatment over the years.

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