Types of the 2¢ Washington
The Laurel Berries

The Shape of the Top Right Laurel Berry

Type I

The top right laurel berry is an indistinct blob

Type Ia

The top right laurel berry is an indistinct blob. On this stamp it does have a slight "v" look, but it is definitely less distinct than the Type III stamp at far right.

Type II

The top right laurel berry is an indistinct blob.

Type III

The top right laurel berry forms a "v" taking on the appearance of an artist's distant bird in flight. This is a defining feature of the Type III stamp.

It should be noted that the Type II stamps are usually much sharper and printed in a heavier ink than Types I and III. This shows up quite clearly in the above examples.