Posted By:
Joe D."What is this polished out format that you speak of?"
... Its basically a term for erasing something on the printing plate. It takes just moments for a pressman to do this - and you don't have to go through the time and expense of making a new plate. The pressman did a sloppy job and left a little bit of the N.
... The other possibility (but I am guessing not likely) is that the "Natl" was cut away from the flats (the film used to make the plates) and the person who did that did a sloppy job and left part of the N. After that, every plate would have that little mark - and possibly an astute pressman would see that during the run and polish out the dot. (I think the other scenario is more likely, but maybe with the numbers from Ted's survey I will change my mind).
"I know that there's some one on the forum in the printing trade.
Are you the one?"
.... I don't think I am the only one.