T206 Mark Question

[Hellwig]

Won this card off Ebay and arrived today. Is this a crop mark or from some sort of shift? Right center of image on white boarder.

[ullmandds]

Its worth meeeelions!!!!🤪

[edjs]

C'mon Pete, he's new here, play nice! It is an alignment mark. Not that unusual.

[Bpm0014]

I’m not even sure it’s a crop mark that close to the border...

[Pat R]

Brendan, it's a printers alignment mark like ED said.

Pastorius proof.jpg

[Bpm0014]

There's no way that it's a print mark. Not that close to the border on a NORMAL card. On a "proof" yes, but not on a normal card, no. I've never seen a print mark that long, in that spot, on a normal card. (Although a close up may help)

[Pat R]

It's an alignment mark here's a better look at it.

Miller.jpg

Miller - Copy.jpg

[steve B]

Yep, an alignment mark, used to make sure the transfers were lined up correctly when the stone was laid out. They usually got erased after they knew the plate was correct, but sometimes they didn't get all of it.

most T206s show small traces of them at the centers of at least one border. You can even spot them in different colors on the same card. And sometimes the erasing was a bit too aggressive and there's a border gap.