1931, 2¢ American Red Cross, Black & Red, United States (Scott #702)

This stamp commemorates the 50th anniversary of the founding of the American Red Cross by Clara Barton. The central design is based on a famous World War I poster titled "The Greatest Mother in the World," which features a nurse kneeling before a globe, symbolizing the organization's global humanitarian reach.

This specimen is a genuine example of the 1931 commemorative issue. It is a notable early two-color printing for the U.S. Post Office, utilizing a flat plate process to apply the red cross over the black engraved design. Given the high printing volume of approximately 100 million and the centering of this particular copy, it represents a standard collector's item rather than a high-premium rarity.

Technical Specifications:

• Catalog Number: Scott #702.

• Denomination: 2 Cents (2¢).

• Release Date: May 21, 1931.

• Printing Method: Flat Plate.

• Perforation: 11 x 11.

• Color: Black (frame and image) and Carmine-Rose (cross).

• Subject: Red Cross Nurse and Globe.

Condition Analysis:

• Status: Used. The stamp features a black ink machine cancellation consisting of wavy lines, which was the standard postal cancellation of the early 1930s. The cancel is clear but does not completely obscure the central figure.

• Centering: Fine (F). The design is noticeably shifted toward the top and left edges. The margins on the right and bottom are significantly larger than those on the top and left, which is common for flat plate issues of this era.

• Reverse Side: The gum is absent as this is a used specimen. The paper shows natural signs of aging and slight yellowing, but no significant thins, tears, or creases are detected.

• Perforations: Generally intact and well-defined. There is typical "shagginess" on some of the teeth, which is characteristic of the perforation machines used for flat plate sheets in the 1930s.