Dealer discovers imperforate error of U.S. 1997 32¢ Humphrey Bogart stamp

By Charles Snee

In late January, Linn’s Stamp News learned of a new imperforate error of the United States 32¢ Humphrey Bogart stamp (Scott 3152) issued in 1997.

Illustrated nearby is a partially perforated pane of 20 of the 32¢ Humphrey Bogart stamp that stamp dealer Stuart Katz of New Hampshire recently acquired.

The pane’s partial perforations affect the stamps in the fourth and fifth columns. Specifically, there are three completely perforated stamps in the fifth column, four partially perforated stamps in the fourth column and one partially perforated stamp at the bottom of the fifth column.

Overall, the pane contains 12 completely imperforate stamps.

Based on the placement of the partial perforations, the pane could yield either six imperforate vertical pairs or four imperforate horizontal pairs and two imperforate vertical pairs. Katz told Linn’s that he favored the latter breakdown, but he hadn’t made a firm decision.

“The [pane] was purchased at a Virginia post office at the time it was issued,” Katz said. “It was held onto by the family after their father passed and left it to them.”

Scott catalog editor-in-chief Jay Bigalke confirmed that the new imperforate error will be listed as Scott 3152a, “Imperf., pair” with a dash for the unused value column. This new error listing will appear first in the 2026 Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, Vol. 1, to be published this year.

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