Beginning in 1936, printers' marks are usually found on seal #56 in sheet of 100, however there are exceptions. Location for printers' marks and pre 1936 secret marks are listed in Green's Catalog, part 1, US National Christmas Seals, offered in CS&CSS Literature. Illustrated here are 1936 "D", 1937 "E" , 1938 "S" , and 1939 "U"
Multiple printers are used to aid in seal distribution. Printer’s mark block collecting became popular in the 1930’s. Many Christmas Seal printer’s used the same perforation, so printer’s mark block collecting represented the least number of seals to correctly identify who manufactured the seals. Before 1936 careful study revealed the printer’s marks, which were dashes and dots placed on particular seals in the sheet. Seal #’s count from the top of the sheet to the bottom, and from left to right, the way we read. Beginning in 1936 the printer’s mark was a tiny letter, for many years found on seal #56, which stood for the printing company;
E, for many years stood for Eureka Printing Company
S, for many years stood for Strobridge Printing Company
D, for many years stood for Edwards & Deutsch Printing Company
U, for many years stood for US Printing & Litho.
Download my article, Christmas Seal Printers, published in Seal News in the early 90’s detailing the history of printer’s marks on Christmas Seals
SPECIAL - 100 different printer's mark blocks, beginning in 1932 for $35.00
Printer’s mark blocks before 1932 are available, let me know what you need
1932-1x perf 12 ½x12 ¾, Eureka, A diagonal red line across the white frame at the four corners of the sheet, on the outer corner or seals #1, 10, 91, and 100 1.00
1932-2x perf 12, Edwards and Deutsch, A blue dot in the lower left corner of seal #91. 1.25
1932-3x perf 12 ½, US Printing and Litho., A dark dot over the post on seal #56 1.00
1933-1x perf 12, Eureka, The rope in hands of the leading figure is joined to elbow on seals #11, 20, 91, and 100. 1.75
1933-2x perf 12 ½, Strobridge, Two black vertical dashes below the "S" of "Greetings" on seal #100 1.00
1933-3 perf 12 ½, US Printing & Litho., A green dot under the "S" of "Greetings" on seal #55 1.00
1934-1x perf 12 ½x12 ¼, Eureka, An extra (fifth) star to the right of the cross on seal #10 .75
1934-2x perf 12 ½, Strobridge, Printer's mark A - Two vertical blue dashes in the lower left corner of seal #91 1.25
1934-2x perf 12 ½, Strobridge, Printer's mark B - two vertical blue dashes in the lower right corner of seal #100 1.25
1934-3x perf 12 ½, Edwards & Deutsch, A red dot in the lower left corner of seal #99 1.25
1934-4x perf 12 ½, US Printing & Litho, An extra (fifth) star to the left of the cross on seal #56 1.00
1935-1x perf 12 ½x12 ¼, Eureka, An extra row of vertical shading on the left of the girl's skirt on seal #60. Faint blue shading lines around the cross are omitted 1.00
1935-2x perf 12 ½, Strobridge, Two vertical brown dashes below seal #100 1.00
1935-3x perf 12 ½, US Printing & Litho, A blue dot under the post on seal #55 1.00
1936-1x perf 12 ½x12 "E" 1.00
1936-2xB perf 12 ½, "S", printer's mark B 3.75
1936-2xC perf 12 ½, large grey "S", printer's mark C 1.25
1936-3xA perf 12 ½, "D" 1.50
1936-3.2x missing candle flame on seal #67 1.25
1936-4x perf 12 ½, "U"1.00
1937-1x perf 12x12 ½, "E"1.00
1937-2x perf 12 ½, "S" 1.00
1937-3x perf 12 ½, "D" 1.25
1937-4 perf 12 ½, "U" 1.25
1938-1x perf 12 ½x12, "E" 1.00
1938-2x perf 12 ½, "S" 1.00
1938-3x perf 12 ½, "D" 1.25
1938-4x perf 12 ½, "U" 1.00
1939-1x perf 12 ½x12, "E"1.00
1939-2xC perf 12 ½, "S" 1.25
1939-3x perf 12 ½, "D" 1.00
1939-4x perf 12 ½, "U" 1.00
1940-1x perf "E" .75
1940-2xA perf 12 ½, ultramarine "S" .75
1940-2xB perf 12 ½, white "S" 1.25
1940-3 perf 12 ½, "D", medium green 1.25
1940-4x perf 12 ½, "U" 1.25
1941-1x perf 12 ½x12, "E" 1.25
1941-1.1x “E” no footprints in the snow 5.00
1941-2xA perf 12 ½, "S" .75
1941-2xB perf 12 ½, "S" and traces of a "U" 7.50
1941-2.1xA perf 12 ½, mottled paper 15.00
1941-3x perf 12 ½, "D" .75
1941-4x perf 12 ½, "U"1.00
1942-1x perf 12x12 ½, "E" .75
1942-2x perf 12 ½, "S" .75
1942-3x perf 12 ½, "D" 1.00
1942-4x perf 12 ½, "U" 1.00
1943-1x perf 12 ½x12, "E" 1.00
1943-2x perf 12 ½, "S" .75
1943-3x perf 12 ½, "D" 1.00
1943-4x perf 12 ½, "U" 1.00
1944-1x perf 12 ½x12, "E" 1.25
1944-2x perf 12 ½, "S" .75
1944-3x perf 12 ½, "D" .75
1944-4xA perf 12 ½, strong large "U" 2.50
1944-4xA perf 12 ½, weak large "U" 1.25
1945-1x perf 12 ½x12, "E" .75
1945-2xperf 12, "S" .75
1945-3x perf 12, "D"1.00
1945-4x perf 12, "U" 1.25
1946-1x perf 12 ½x12, "E" .75
1946-2x perf 12 ½, "S" .75
1946-3x perf 12 ½, "D" 1.25
1946-4x perf 12 ½, "U" 1.25
1947-1x perf 12x12 ½, "E" 1.25
1947-2x perf 12 ½, "S"1.00
1947-3x perf 12 ½, "D", red .75
1947-3.3x perf 12 ½, "D", vermilion 1.25
1947-4xA perf 12 ½, "U".75
1948-1x1 perf 12x12 ½, "E" 1.00
1948-2x perf 12 ½, "S" 1.50
1948-3x perf 12 ½, "D" 2.25
1948-4x perf 12 ½, "U" .75
1949-1x perf 12x12 ½, "E" .75
1949-2x perf 12 ½, "S".75
1949-3x perf 12 ½, "D" 2.25
1949-4x perf 12 ½, "U" 2.50
1950-1x perf 12 ½x12, "E" .75
1950-2x perf 12 ½, "S" .75
1950-3x perf 12 ½, "D"1.00
1950-4x perf 12 ½, "U" 1.25
1950-5x perf 12 ½, "F" 1.25
1951-1x1 perf 12 ½x12, "E" .75
1951-2x perf 12 ½ "S"1.00
1951-3x perf 12 ½, "D" 1.25
1951-4x perf 12 ½, "U" 1.50
1951-5x perf 12 ½, "F"1.00
1952-1x perf 12 ½x12, "E"1.00
1952-2x perf 12 ½, "S" .75
1952-3x perf 12 ½, "D" 1.75
1952-4x perf 12 ½, "U"4.00
1952-5x perf 12 ½, "F" 2.50
1953-1x perf 13, "E" .75
1953-2 perf 12 ½, "S" .75
1953-3x perf 12 ½, "D" .75
1953-4x perf 12 ½, "U" .75
1953-5x perf 12 ½, "F" 2.50
1954-1x perf 13, "E" 1.50
1954-1p2x English finish paper 6.00
1954-2x perf 11, "D" 1.75
1954-3x perf 12 ½, "S" 1.25
1954-4x perf 12 ½, "U" 1.50
1954-5x perf 12 ½, "F" 4.50
1954-6x perf 12 ½, "W" 2.50
1955-1x perf 13, "E" 1.25
1955-1p1x white tasteless gum 2.50
1955-2x perf 11, "D"1.00
1955-3x perf 12 ½, "S" .75
1955-4x perf 12 ½, "U"4.00
1955-5x perf 12 ½, "F"4.00
1955-6x perf 12 ½, "W" 1.25
1956-1x perf 12 ½, "E" 1.00
1956-2x perf 11, "D" .75
1956-3x perf 12 ½. "S" 2.50
1956-4x perf 12 ½, "U"5.00
1956-5x perf 12 ½, "F" 1.25
1956-6xA perf 12 ½, "W" 1.25
1956-7x1 perf 11, "B" 2.50
1957-1x perf 13, "E" .75
1957-2.1x perf 11, "D" 1.50
1957-2.5x English finish, perf 10 ½, "D" 6.00
1957-3x perf 12 ½, "S" 1.75
1957-4x perf 12 ½, "U" 2.50
1957-5x perf 12 ½, "F" 2.50
1957-6x perf 12 ½, "W"5.00
1957-7x perf 11, "B" 1.25
1957-8x perf 12 ½, "R"1.00
1958-1x perf 13, "E" .75
1958-2.1 x perf 11, "D" 2.50
1958-2.3x "D" English finish 10.00
1958-3x perf 12 ½, "S" 2.50
1958-4x perf 12 ½, "U"5.00
1958-5x perf 12 ½, "F" .75
1958-6x perf 12 ½, "W" 1.50
1958-7.1x perf 11, "B" 5.00
1958-8x perf 12 ½, "R" 1.00
1959-1x perf 13, "E" .75
1959-2x perf 11, "D"1.00
1959-2.1x experiment with every other vertical row of perfs omitted 9.50
1959-2.1x experiment with every other vertical row of perfs omitted, no gum 4.50
1959-3x perf 12 ½, "F"1.00
1959-4x perf 12 ½, "W" 2.50
1959-5x perf 12 ½, "R" 2.50
1959-6x "B" 2.50
1960-1 "E" .75
1960-2x perf 11, "D" .75
1960-2.1x experiment with every other vertical row of perfs omitted 15.00
1960-2.1x experiment with every other vertical row of perfs omitted, no gum 7.50
1960-3x perf 12 ½, "F"1.00
1960-4x perf 12 ½, "W" 1.25
1960-5x perf 11x10 ½, "B"1.00
1960-6x perf 12 ½, "R"1.00
1961-1.1x perf 12 ¾x 12 ½, "E" 1.75
1961-1.2x perf 12 ½x12, "E" 15.00
1961-1.4x advance sample, blue very dark 5.00
1961-2x perf 11, "D" 1.00
1961-3x perf 12 ½, "F" 1.25
1961-4x perf 12 ½, "W"1.00
1961-5x perf 12 ½, "R"1.00
1961-6x perf 11x 10 ½, "B"1.00
1962-1x perf 13, "E" 2.25
1962-2x perf 11, "D" 1.25
1962-3x perf 12 ½, "F" 5.00
1962-4x perf 12 ½, "W" 5.00
1962-5x perf 12 ½, "R" .75
1962-6x "B" .75
1963-1x1 perf 12 ½, "E" .75
1963-2x perf 11, "D" 1.25
1963-3x1 perf 11 ½, "F" 1.25
1963-3.3x dry gum 8.50
1963-4x perf 12 ½, "W" 5.00
1963-5x perf 12 ½, "R" 1.00
1963-6x perf 11, "B" 2.00
1964-1x1 perf 12 ½, "E" .75
1964-2x perf 11, "D" 1.25
1964-3x1 perf 12 ½, "F" 1.25
1964-4x1 perf 12 ½, "W" 2.50
1964-5x1 perf 12 ½, tiny "R" 1.75
1964-6 perf 11, "B" 1.25
1964-6.1x dry gum 5.00
1965-1x perf 13, "E" .50
1965-2 perf 11, "D” .50
1965-3x perf 12 ½, "F" .75
1965-4x perf 12 ½, "W" .75
1965-5x perf 11, "B" 1.25
1966-1x perf 12 ½, "E" .50
1966-2x perf 11, "D" .75
1966-3x perf 12 ½, "F" .50
1966-4x perf 12 ½, "W" .75
1966-5x perf 10 ½x11, "B" 4.00