Unusual RIA 1903 ... and 'N' stamps

[Rick the Librarian]

Actually, I looked through my "archives" and I had a 207,777 RIA, also with a N stamp in the same place. I also checked in C.S. Ferris' book "Rock Island Model 1903" and he states that single letters appeared in the 1917 period on RIA stocks. Obviously, while yours in a Springfield, there is a possibility it was stamped on rebuilds, as well.