Business Sheets: DLR die-cuts - just how significant is type 2a?

I mentioned the two different types of die-cut arcs reportedly used by De La Rue on 1st & 2nd class business sheets earlier. Somebody asked me to get some of second type which has been labelled Type 2a by specialists.

In the normally adequate light of the club meeting room last night I couldn't see any difference on the 1st class. 2nd class? yes, there's the gap but a smaller one than on Type 2 (hence 2a), but the 1st class? How big do you need to magnify it to be sure? Can we prove that this is a definite variety?

Judge for yourself.

2nd class - Type 2a on the right


1st class - sorry, Type 2a on the left!

Yes it's there, you can just about see the notch at top and bottom - it's hardly a gap, more an slight raising (remember whatever they look like in the scans, these arcs are cuts, depressions, in the stamp.)

Ok, how about these. They are scanned at 2400dpi and yes, I can see the gap!
They go on sale in our online shop within the next couple of weeks!