Controls of the 40 Lepta

THE 40 LEPTA OF THE PERIOD 1864-71
AND
THE 80 LEPTA OF 1862-75

by Theodore Groom, M.A., D.Sc.,

(This article was transcribed by Louis Basel from the original which appeared in the Philatelic Journal of Great Britain, November, 1934, p. 185 et seq. It covers primarily the 40 lepta with brief comments on the 80 lepta and is an extension of Theodore Groom’s previous articles on the 10 and 20 lepta.)

INTRODUCTION

It has been shown in previous communications¹ that the 10 and 20 Lepta of the first type of Greece can be arranged into a series of natural groups defined by the settings of the controls.

In the present communication it is proposed to offer evidence that the 40 and 80 Lepta, at any rate in part, can he similarly divided into groups, which arc mutually related to one another and to groups of the 10 and 20 Lepta.

The material available is much less extensive than in the case of these two values, and in the 40 Lepta the printing, either of the stamps or of the controls or of both was so defective at certain periods, that little can be done even with the best of the prints.

The results of investigation, certain of which have been recently published², are therefore very incomplete. They are, however, sufficient to clearly define some of the groups.

Before dealing with the groups, it will be convenient to refer to the accompanying table of ciphers.

This table is a considerable extension of that on p. 189 of the Philatelic Journal of Great Britain for 1927 (Transcriber: This table of ciphers appeared in Groom’s article The Grouping of the Athens Prints of the 10 Lepta of 1863-68.). The addition of Ha, the first group of the mesh-paper series of the 10 Lepta, and of La and LM, as well as groups of the 40 and 80 Lepta may be noted.

The table shows along the horizontal lines the units on which the ciphers, figured in the accompanying plates, occur in various groups.

The table will be seen to afford in many cases confirmation of the correctness of the arrangement of the groups previously adopted, and to bring groups of the 40 and 80 Lepta into line with those of the 10 and 20 Lepta.

Legend for Tables of Ciphers
1	Underlined positions have crust-flaws.
2	Positions with an asterisk are inverted.
3	A dash indicates a cipher which cannot be recognized as identical with any other on the same line³.
4	The letter x indicates the position is unknown.
5	The symbol • after adjacent Group letters indicates that they possibly require mutual transposition.

Notes:
1. Philatelic Journal of Gtreat Britain, 1917, p. 131 et seq.; 1927, p. 19 et seq. and Philotelia, 1924-27.
2. P.J.G.B., 1931.
3. Although the dash in many instances indicates re-setting, in many other instances it does not, notably in the case of ciphers characterized merely by crust-flaws, and in the case of a dash placed in front of the first number on a line; in this case the dash very frequently indicates a normal cipher, from which the following cipher may or may not have been derived. In all cases, the first numeral on a line marks the earliest known appearance of the cipher concerned.

CIPHERS OF THE 40 LEPTA, etc. (Page 1)

	SERIES I - III							SERIES IV							V	VI
Dates	1862		1862	1862			1862	1863		1863	1863	1864	1864	1865	1865	1865	1865
Values	20	10	20	40	10	20	80	10	20	20	80	40	20	10	40	10	80
Groups	B	Ca	Ca	ABC	Cb	Cb•	A•	Cc	Cc	D	B	D•	E•	D	E•	E•	C•
Figure
1															—	—	—
2										—	141	141	141	141	33	64	64
3										38			38		—	—
4	—									143	143		143	143	—	135
5													—		—
6								50	50	50	50		50?	—	—
7									18	18	18		18		12	101	101
8													—			—
9																—
10	—		—	x	11	11	11	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	x	47	47
11													—			—
12	—							147	147	147	?		147	147		—
13															?	?
14														—		119
15	—	1	1	x	69			24	24?	24	24	24	24	24	86	78	78
16														—?	147		—
17	47		47	47		?		69	69	69	69	69	69	69	148	111	111
18													—		—	—
19															—	49
20															—	—
21
22-24
25
26
27																—
28
29
30													—		—	—
31																—
32-33
34
35
36													—	—	—	—
37
38															?
39															—
40														—	—	—
41															—
42															—
43															?	—
44-46															?
47															—	—
48													35			—
49													104	?	?	—
50
51
52
53
54				x						139	139?		139		35	14
55-56															—	?
57														—		—
58
59
60
61
62-64
65														—		—
66													—	—		—
67										—			—	—	10	—
68										—			—	—	40	—
69										?	?	130	130
70

CIPHERS OF THE 40 LEPTA, etc. (Page 2)

	SERIES VII								SERIES VIII							IX
Dates	1865	1865	1865	1865	1865	1867	1868	1868	1868	1868	1869	1870		1871		1872
Values	40	10	20	80	20	20	40	10	20	10	20	20	10	40	20	20
Groups	F	F	F	E?	G	HJ	G	Ga	Jb	Gb	Jc	K	Ha•	I•	La	LM
Figure
1		8	8	8	8	8	8	8	—	—	—	—
2	21	21	21		21	21	21	21	2*	2*	2	2			38?	38
3	27	27	27		27	27	27	—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—
4	38	38	38		38	38	38		—	—	—	—			?	—
5	47	47	47	47	47	47	47	47	—	—	—	—			—	—
6
7	65	65	65	65	65	65	65	65	147	147?	147	147	—?	?	?	—
8	66	66	66	66	66	66	66	—	—	—	—	—			—	—
9	74	74	74	74	74	74	74	—?	—	—	—	—
10	79	79	79	79	79	79	79	79	88	88	88	88	88			130
11	99	99	99		99	99	99	99	93	93	93	93	93	93	?	—
12	100	100	100		100	100	100	100	107	107	107	107			?	—
13	—	118	118	—	—	—	—
14	—	—	—		—	—	—	—
15	119	119	119	119	119	119	119	119	59	59	59	59	59	59	59	113
16	—
17		20	20	20	20	20	20	?	120	120	120	120			?	—
18		111	111	111	111	111	111	111	62	62	62	62	62	62	—	116
19	—	—	—		—	—	—	—
20	49?	49	49		49	49	49	49	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
21		—	—		—	—	—	—	11	11	11	11	11	11	—?
22-24		—	—		94	94	94	94	34*	34*	34	34		34	6?	6?
25	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	39*	39*	39	39	39	39	—	—
26	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	49*	49*	49	49	49	49	49	49
27		—	—		—	14	14	14	55*	55*	55	55		55	55	50
28			—		—	—	—		57	57	57	57		57	?	?
29	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	72	72	72	72		72	—	—
30	144	144	144		144	144	144	144	79	79	79	79	79	79	—	—
31	145?	145?		145	145	145	145?	145?	109	109	109	109	109	109	—	—
32-33			—		102	102	102	102	112	112	112	112	112	112	—	—
34	—	—	?		?	117	117	117	122	122	122	122	122	122	—	—
35		—	—		—	—	—	—	127	127	127	127	127	127	127	20
36		42	42		42	42	42	42	140	140	140	140	140	140	140	142
37									—		—	—		146	146	—
38		—	—		?	4	4	4	105	105	105	105			?	—
39		—	—		—	5	5*	5*	67	67	67	67	67	67	?	78
40	—	—	—		—	10	10	—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—
41		—	—		—	11	11	11	114	114	114	114		114	?	109
42	?	—	?		12	12	12	12	30*	30	30	30	30	30	?	120
43		?	?		?	13	13	13	58*	58*	58	58			?	125
44-46		?		—		?	18	18	18	—	148	148	148		?	52
47	—	—	—		—	22	22	—	—	—	—	—			—	—
48		33	33	33	33	33	33	—	—	—	—	—			—	—
49	57		57		57	57	57		—	—	—	—		—	—
50	—		—		62	62	62	62	56*	56*	56	56		56		—
51		—			?	63	63	63	82	82	82	82	82	82	—	—
52		—			—	68	68	68	116	116	116	116	116		?	—
53	—	—	—		72	72	72	72	7	7	7	7		17	?	146
54	77		77	77	77	77	77	77	—	—	—	—			?	—
55-56	?	?	—		—	—	—	—	10*	10*	10	10		10	—	—
57	92	92	92	92	92	92	92	—	—	—	—	—	—		—	—
58	—		—		86	86	86	86	68*	68*	68	68	68		?	—
59	—	?	—		96?	96	96	?	83	83?	83	83			?
60	—	—	—		—	105	105	105	—	—	—	—			—	—
61	—	—	—		?	112	112	112	133?	133	133	133	133	133	?	—
62-64	—	—	—		113	113	113	113	14*	14*	14	14	14	14	14	123
65	—	—	150		150	150	150	—	—	—	—	—			—
66	60	60	60	60	—	—	—	—
67	—	—			—	—		—
68	—	—	—		—	—	—	—
69
70									—	—	—	—	134?		134	134

The dates of printing of some of the groups have been carried back. The existence in C of the 10 Lepta of three groups, Ca., Cb., and Cc. defined by the position of the cipher of Fig. 15 is indicated.

The first plate is reproduced from p. 187 of the communication mentioned above.

A glance at the table will show that the various groups have arranged themselves naturally into a number of series, IV. – VIII., each marked off from the next by a very extensive or complete re-setting of the control and that there is an early assemblage (I.- III.) which probably includes two or three series.

With the addition of the 40 and 80 Lepta to the table, there remain of the groups provided with controls, those of the 5 Lepta alone.

A question of some interest is the cause of the extensive re-setting of the ciphers between the printing of any two series. It is, of course, possible that this was due to number of accidents, either to the “form” or to the case in which the type was placed, or to complete lack of system in re-setting. But an explanation on other lines appears more probable.

As urged on a former occasion⁴, and as Dr. Munk also more recently argued⁵when re-setting was necessary in the case of such values as the 10 or 20 Lepta, it would appear that of the two numerals, only the one not destined for use was removed from the form. This resulted in a more rapid change in the position of the first numeral than in the case of the cipher⁶. Before printing of the controls for the 5 Lepta took place, the removal of both numerals would be necessary, and, judging from analogy, would he likely to effect extensive changes all the positions, not only of the first numeral, but also of the cipher, in the printing of a new value.

Thus, while the considerable agreement between the ciphers of the groups of such series as VII. or VIII. suggests that no printings of the 5 Lepta took place during the printing of either of these series, the extensive changes in the ciphers during the intervals between the series, appear to suggest equally strongly that printings of this value took place during at least some of the intervals.

Owing to the absence of the cipher from the 5 Lepta, it is impossible to interpolate groups of this value by the method used for other values, but the considerations given above, may perhaps, facilitate the choice of positions for them.

Notes:
4. Philotelia, 1926, p.73.
5. Kohl’s Briefmarken-Handbuch, 13th edition, Lieferung 17, p. 98.
6. Philotelia, 1927, p. 95.

II. THE 40 LEPTA.

The evidence afforded by the crust-flaws and controls, proves the succession of groups of the 40 Lepta as shown in the above table. The symbols employed for groups later than F, are those of Mr. P. L. Pemberton⁷. The numbers on the last two lines are those of the crust-flaws.

Note:
7. P.J.G.B.,1911-12.

In this arrangement the assemblage of crust-flaws in each group is intermediate, not only in number, but also in character, between those of the immediately adjoining groups. In the present communication, scarcely any ill formation is offered as to groups later than the Solferino (I.) of 1871 and little is available for stamps earlier than 1865, and later than the first Athens prints. The latter assemblage, provisionally grouped together as ABC, may include more than one group.

IIa. Group I., Solferino on bluish paper, 1871.

In dealing with the groups of the 40 Lepta, it will be convenient to commence with the latest of those considered, namely the “Solferino” stamps of l871. Owing to the indistinctness of many of the impressions, these do not form an easy study. The controls, however, are usually printed clearly, and in no unit available show indications of more than one setting.

On a former occasion⁸, it was suggested on general grounds, that the Solferino stamps might find a place between La and LM of the 20 Lepta. Investigation has, however, now made it clear that they were printed, not after, but before La.

Out of 77 units represented by I in my collection or elsewhere, about two-thirds show recognizable ciphers, nearly all of which are characteristic of the same units in the series VIII. Most of the rest are normal or subnormal as in the corresponding units of this series. Of these ciphers, 24 are illustrated in the accompanying plates. The table will suffice to show that I belongs to the series VIII.

Three of these, however, namely those of units 6 (fig. 24), 82 (fig, 66), and 146 (fig. 37) agree with La alone in this series, a proof that I was printed later than K of the 20 Lepta.

That at the same time it preceded LM of the 20 Lepta is shown by the ciphers of figs. 15, 25, 31-36, and 64, in each of which the cipher of I differs from that of LM.

Thus I, like Ha of the 10 Lepta⁹, was printed between K and La of the 20 Lepta. As to whether it preceded or succeeded Ha, I can, at present, offer no evidence.

The close connection between I and Ha is illustrated by the cipher of No. 15 which is inverted in both¹⁰. This is the only instance of inversion met with in I up to the present.

Notes:
8. Philotelia, 1926, p.53.
9. Ibid., p. 35.
10. In this unit, the cipher of Jc and K is not inverted, and La has not been certainly recognized.

IIb. Group G, Red-lilac on blue paper, 1868.

The red-lilac stamps of 1868, G of 1868, G of Mr. P. L. Pemberton, were the immediate predecessors of the Solferino stamps among the groups of the 40 Lepta. Under this heading are placed stamps, the prevailing shades of which arc red-lilac and pale red-lilac, but which range to lilac-red and brownish lilac-red. The controls lire usually thicker, more uniformly printed and redder than those of the preceding issues, and include a greater proportion of characteristic ciphers. In their printing, they approach those of Ja of the 20 Lepta, and to a smaller extent, those of Ga of the 10 Lepta. The crust-flaws of the earlier copies arc more numerous than in any other group of the 40 Lepta.

As stated in an earlier communication, G was printed during the interval between Ja of the 20 Lepta and Ga of the 10 Lepta.

The setting of the ciphers shows a close affinity to those of both these groups, especially the former. Reference to the table of ciphers will make it clear that in the case of some 40 units, G belongs to the series VII., and that, if the sequence of similar ciphers is not to be broken, the only possible position is between HJ and Ga. This position is confirmed by units 13 and 18, in which the ciphers (figs. 43 and 45) are those of the late stage of Ja, and not of the early (fig. 44). A similar statement may possibility hold good of the cipher of No. 11 (Fig. 41).

Moreover, in units 1, 5 (fig. 39) and 123, the cipher differs from that of HJ, and agrees with that of Ga in being inverted. These three cases of inversion are the only ones in the nearly completely reconstructed sheet of G. Dr. Munk¹¹ records inversion also in No. 51, but this cannot be characteristic of the setting, for in my own copies of No. 51, the cipher is that of Ja and Ga, and is not inverted.

Note:
11. Kohl’s Briefmarken-Handbuch, 11th edition, Lieferung 17, p. 167.

The sheets surcharged 5 Drachmai in 1900, partly belong to group G, and include the error 20 corrected by hand (S.G. 87). With respect to this error, which is found on unit 127, I may say that it does not characterize the whole setting for I have two copies of G, which have on the back a normal 40, with no trace of a 2.

IIc. Group F, Red-brown on lavender paper.

These stamps, D of Mr. P. L. Pemberton, and No. 46 of Stanley Gibbons, are rather troublesome to deal with. This is due, in the first place, to the frequency of blotches, many of which have not hitherto proved to be recurrent, and which may be either short-lived crust-flaws, or spots due to over-inking; and secondly to the imperfect printing of the controls, a relatively small proportion of which, moreover, show characteristic ciphers.

Enough information has, however, been gained to show that, among the groups of the 40 Lepta, F is the immediate predecessor of G, and to determine its position among groups of the 10 and 20 Lepta.

Many of the data on which this determination is based, are shown on the accompanying table of ciphers. A perusal of this will show that the cipher of F in each of 14 units, proves it to belong to the series VII., and that it must occupy the head of the series.

The earliest date that I have seen for F, is April 8th, 1866, but Dr. Munk records¹² the earlier date of February, 1866. The time of printing, however, must be still earlier; for I now possess two covers franked with 20 Lepta stamps of group G; one postmarked at Nauplion with the date December 15th, 1865, and the other with the dotted obliteration (7), and sent from Aigion on November 13th, 1865.

This must carry with it group 7 (on greenish .paper) of the 20 Lepta, for which many years ago, Messrs, Beckton and Duerst recorded the year 1865, and group F of the 40 Lepta, and confirms the present writer's contention¹³ that E of the 10 Lepta (S.G. 35) was printed not later than 1865. Such confirmation is, however, no longer necessary, for a recently acquired cover franked at Karystos with a typical pair of this stamp is dated September 10th, 1865.

Notes:
12. Kohl’s Briefmarken-Handbuch, 11th edition, Lieferung 17, p. 156.
13. P.J.G.B., 1927, p. 196.

IId. Group E, dull purple-brown on blue paper, 1865.

The symbol E is applied here to an assemblage (apparently a single group) of stamps usually of a purple-brown color, often pale, sometimes deep in tone and sometimes varying into deep brownish lilac or dull red-lilac. Crust-flaws are usually scarce, and the paucity of identifiable ciphers likewise indicates early printing.

The group appears to include 1-Ir. Pemberton's F (dull red-lilac, reddish-purple), Dr. Munk's gray-lilac (29c.) and in part, at any rate, the deep lilac or deep purple of Stanley Gibbons (309,325) surcharged in 1900, and probably in part, Mr. Pemberton's H.

The upper third (50 units) of a sheet of the “deep lilac” stamps surcharged 5 Drachmai in my possession, and hitherto grouped with the mesh-paper series of 1872-75, has proved useful. Examination of this showed that neither in its crust-flaws nor in its controls, does the block conform to that assemblage, nor is the paper thin or meshed. In certain units, the controls are identical with those of other early dull shades in my collection. Two only of the units of this block show marked structural defects (Nos. 33 and 35, figs. 2 and 54 respectively). Three other ciphers (figs. 7, 15 and 17) having a long range, have been recognized on units of E, determined as 12, 86 and 148 respectively, and the cipher of fig. 10 occurs on a unit which is not one of those (36, 87, 77, etc.) on the same line in the table, but the plate-number of which I have been unable to determine.

Inspection of the table of ciphers will show that the setting, so far as known, differs greatly from that of any other group represented. It cannot fall within the limits of any one of the series, IV., VI. or VII.

The circumstance that the crust-flaws show the group to be later than D of the 40 Lepta, and earlier than F of the same value shows that, like E of the 10 Lepta, it intervenes between these two groups, a conclusion in apparent agreement with its earliest dates. Dr. Munk's date for his 29c. is December 11th, 1865. A copy in my own collection is stated to have been taken off a cover dated October 27th. 1865. A possible connection with series IV. is seen in unit 1, the cipher of which is very doubtfully identified with that of my single copy of the same unit of D of the 10 Lepta. E of the 40 Lepta is accordingly placed provisionally next to the latter, but additional copies of D are needed to prove or disprove the identity.

With reference to Mr. Pemberton’s H (deep purple, originally termed deep violet)¹⁴ in reply to a suggestion that this might he an early stamp, he remarked that he had come to the conclusion that it was so, but used at a later date.

Investigation of the small number of these which I have been able to plate tends to show that the copies have on the average about the same number of crust-flaws as the earlier copies of E. In unit 40, a copy shares with E the cipher of fig. 68, the crust-flaw of which is not repeated in D nor E of the 10 Lepta, nor in F of the 40 Lepta.

Other and probably more numerous deep purple copies with fewer crust-flaws belong to the group D, next to be mentioned.

IIe. Group D, Red-lilac to deep purple on blue paper, 1864.

In the group of the 40 Lepta designated as D, four units alone at present afford evidence as to the position of the group, namely 24, 69, 130 and 141 (figs. 15, 17, 69 and 2). These units show that the group, which appears to correspond with Mr. Pemberton's E (Deep. purple)¹⁵, belongs to series IV. In the table of ciphers it is provisionally placed between D and E of the 20 Lepta, but, as is obvious from the list, it may have to change places with the latter.

Notes:
14. P.J.G.B., 1911, p. 211.
15. Ibid., July, 1911, p. 132.

IIf. Assemblage ABC.

This comprises the earliest stamps after the First Athens prints, and includes Mr. Pemberton's A and B of the 40 Lepta, with shades ranging from bright red-lilac to deep purple. In the table of ciphers, the series is doubtfully represented in unit 141 by two deep purple copies, apparently sharing the same cipher with an early copy of C of the 20 Lepta. But additional copies are needed to determine whether or not the small defect in the cipher is anything more than a printing flaw.

Better representatives are afforded by unit 47, which in A and B of Mr. Pemberton, show the cipher of fig. 17.

I can, at present, offer no further evidence as to whether the assemblage under consideration includes, like the 10 Lepta, more than one group.

IIg. The Cleaning of the Plate.

Little need be added to the account already given of the cleaning of the plate. The plate, very clean during the first part of the period 1862-68, acquired a small number of specks in E. The average for the plate, still small in early F, rapidly approached a maximum during the printing of this group, and appears to have reached this maximum early in the printing of G, or sometimes to have shared the maximum with the latest prints of F.

After the extensive cleaning in 1868, the loss of crust-flaws appears to have been slow. The gaps between the groups, as shown in the table of ciphers are, it is true, larger than in the case of the 10 and 20 lepta, but this, there can he little doubt, is largely due to the small number of copies available, for such gaps diminish with every extensive addition to that number.

IIh. The Cleaning of the Controls of the 40 Lepta.

Examination of the table of ciphers will show in the case of a large number of units the identity. of the ciphers of HJ of the 20 lepta with those of G of the 40 Lepta. A number of other instances might be added. Further, it is noteworthy that, as a rule when the cipher of HJ is normal, it is also normal on the same unit in G. These statements hold good very largely also for Ga of the 10 Lepta. Little disturbance of the ciphers seems to have taken place during the printing of these three groups.

In a number of units, the ciphers of HJ and G, or of one of the two, possess crust-flaws. Twenty-one of these instances appear in the table, and are indicated by italics (Transcriber: Apparently, this was changed so that crust-flaws are indicated by underlining.). If reference be made to the figures of these, it will be seen that whenever the cipher is identifiable by some structural feature, that cipher is present also in Ga, when this is represented. Any crust-flaws have, however, disappeared. In other cases, namely those of J the ciphers of, figs. 3, 5, 8, 40, 47, 48, 52, 57 and 150, in which the cipher is normal, Ga also appears with a normal cipher, but without crust-flaws. It seems probable that in most of these cases the cipher is that of HJ and G. The disappearance of the crust-flaws at this time probably follows also from the fact that none have been hitherto noticed on any stamps later than G of the 40 Lepta.

There is, at all events, evidence of the disappearance of many crust-flaws between the printing of G and Ga, or, I may add, in some cases earlier, for instance in unit 100 (fig. 12) during the printing of G, and in unit 8 possibly even before G.

There is, then, evidence that the ciphers were cleaned in the year 1868, the chief year for the cleaning of the plates of stamps.

III. The 80 Lepta.

Not much has been done in the way of plating this value. Judging from the material seen, crust-flaws are appreciably scarcer than in the 10, 20 or 40 Lepta, and the controls are commonly poorly printed; but it has been found possible to recognize representatives of the series I.-III., IV., VI. and VII., as well as of two groups which alternate with groups of the other values named belonging to the series of 1872-75. These representatives include the following.

Series I.-III., 1862.

Printing A of Mr. Pemberton, No. 11 (fig. 10) and probably the earlier prints of B.

Series IV., 1863.

Most of the copies of Mr. Pemberton's B probably belong here. I have copies of Nos. 141, 143, 50, 18, 36, 24 and 139? in this series (figs. 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 15 and 54 respectively), also of No. 23 figured earlier¹⁶.

In the Beckton collection a complete sheet of B (as determined by Mr. Pemberton) which owing to the courtesy of Messrs. Sefi and Pemberton, I was able to examine, showed as far as could be seen close agreement in this distribution of the ciphers, and added No. 69 (fig. 17) to the list.

As may be seen from the large table, B evidently belongs to a group printed between D of the 20 Lepta and D of the 10 Lepta.

Note:
16. P.J.G.B., 1927, p. 21, Fig III, D, 23.

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