History of the Postage Stamps of the United States of America Part 18

Plate impression, 19 by 25 mm., in color, on white paper, perforated 12.

1 cent, imperial ultramarine.

TWO CENTS. Bust of Andrew Jackson, in profile to the left, after Powers, on an oval disk lined horizontally and doubly obliquely, bordered by a broad white line and fine exterior colored line, the whole super-imposed on a s.h.i.+eld, with ground of vertical colored lines, and bordered by a very fine colored exterior line. The s.h.i.+eld is curved in at the top, corners diagonal, sides curved in and then out, bottom rounded and rests on a background of horizontal colored lines. There are no exterior lines on the sides. Below the oval, a large outline numeral "2" divides a colorless ribbon bordered by fine colored lines, and inscribed "_Two Cents_" in outline colored capitals shaded outside, on a background of short vertical colored lines. Above the oval, a band bordered by a colorless line edged by fine colored lines, extends nearly to the outer edge of the stamp, and is inscribed, "_U. S. Postage_" in outline colorless capitals, shaded outside on a rectangularly hatched ground.

The shadows of the s.h.i.+eld are made by short vertical lines, those of the oval by short horizontal lines. The s.h.i.+eld is ornamented by fine laurel leaves on each side, just above the lower label.

Plate impression, 19 by 25 mm., in color, on white paper, perforated 12.

2 cents, velvet brown.

THREE CENTS. Bust of Geo. Was.h.i.+ngton, after Houdon, in profile to left, on oval disk with horizontally lined ground, and occasional diagonal latticed hatchings, bordered by a broad colorless line with exterior fine colored line, resting on a s.h.i.+eld with vertically lined ground, on a background of horizontal lines, with a border line on the right side but none on the left. Above the oval, a band bordered by a colorless line, with a ball on each end and three little foliations above on each side, all edged by a fine colored line inscribed "_U. S. Postage_," in outline capitals, shaded outside on a horizontally lined ground. Below the oval a large numeral "3," shaded outside, divides a ribbon bordered by a colored line, and inscribed in similar capitals, "_Three Cents_" on a ground of short vertical lines. The shadows of the oval are made by short colored horizontal lines, and those of the s.h.i.+eld by vertical lines.

Plate impression, 19 by 25 mm., in color, on white paper, perforated 12.

3 cents, malori green.

SIX CENTS. Bust of Abraham Lincoln, in profile to the left, after Volk, on an oval disk lined horizontally and doubly lined obliquely, bordered by a colorless line. On a depressed panel, lined horizontally, the sides projected, darker than the frame of fine vertical lines which surrounds it, completes the rectangle. There is no terminal line at the sides.

Above the oval a yoke-shaped label, bordered by a colorless line, edged by fine colored lines, inscribed "_U. S. Postage_" in outline colorless capitals, shaded outside on a ground of horizontal lines. Below the oval is a ribbon bordered by fine colored lines, inscribed in the same letters, "_Six Cents_" divided by a large outline numeral "6," on a ground of short colored vertical lines. A distinct line borders the depressed panel all the way around, being heaviest on the left side. The shadows of the oval and depressed panel are made by vertical colored lines, and those of the upper and lower labels are made by horizontal colored lines.

Plate impression, 19 by 25 mm., in color, on white paper, perforated 12.

6 cents, cochineal red.

TEN CENTS. Bust of Thomas Jefferson, in profile to left, after Powers, on an oval disk, lined horizontally, and obliquely from right to left, bordered by a colorless line with exterior colored line, on a s.h.i.+eld bordered by a fine colored line, vertically lined, on a rectangular background, which is lined horizontally. Above the oval a label formed by a colorless line edged by a colored exterior line, curved round from the oval line at the ends, and then parallel with it, having a small ball ornament at each end, is inscribed "_U. S. Postage_" in outline capitals, shaded outside, on a ground of vertical lines, except at the ends, where the lines are horizontal. Below the oval, on a ribbon bordered by colored lines, in the same letters "_Ten Cents_," on a ground of short vertical lines, the words separated by large outline numerals "10." Shadows of the oval in short horizontal lines crossed by lines parallel to the oval. Shadows of the lower ribbon in vertical lines.

Plate impression, 19 by 25 mm., in color, on white paper, perforated 12.

10 cents, chocolate.

TWELVE CENTS. Bust of Henry Clay, after Hart, in profile to the left, on an oval disk, closely lined horizontally, and bordered by a colorless line between two fine colored lines, surrounded by labels bordered without by a second colorless line, between fine colored lines, but curved inwards, crossed and the sides united in a vertical line at the sides of the stamp, the whole arranged in a double tablet formed by vertical lines, terminated by an outside colored line at top and bottom.

The outer edges representing a chamfer are horizontally lined. A little distance from the edge, a series of diagonal lines between two parallel lines, represent a beveled edge, making the parts within appear higher.

The upper label is inscribed "_U. S. Postage_," in outline capitals, doubly shaded outside, on a ground of horizontal lines. The lower label is inscribed, "_Twelve Cents_," in outline block capitals, doubly shaded on a ground of horizontal lines. Large outline numerals "12," doubly shaded, divide the lower band and separate the words.

Plate impression, 19 by 25 mm., in color, on white paper, perforated 12.

12 cents, neutral tint.

FIFTEEN CENTS. Bust of Daniel Webster, in profile to the left, after Clevenger, on an oval disk, very closely lined horizontally and obliquely, bordered by a colorless line, on a vertically lined background, with no terminal line at the top or bottom. There is a triangular depression represented in each of the four corners by horizontally lined ground and shade lines, and mitered at the angles.

Above the oval and following its outline, is a label indicated by a colorless line between fine colored lines, square at the ends with a ball beyond, inscribed on a horizontally lined ground in colorless capitals, outlined by colored lines and shaded without, "_U. S.

Postage_." Below the oval is a similarly formed label with pointed ends, inscribed in the same letters on horizontally lined ground, "_Fifteen Cents_," divided by large pearled numerals "15."

Plate impression, 19 by 25 mm., in color, on white paper, perforated 12.

15 cents, orange.

TWENTY-FOUR CENTS. Bust of Winfield Scott, in profile to the left, after Coffee, on an oval disk closely lined horizontally, and bordered by a colorless line with exterior colored line, on a rectangular background of horizontal lines. Above and following the line of the oval are thirteen five pointed stars, two at each end plain, and one letter of the inscription "_U. S. Postage_" in colored block capitals in each of the others. Above these and parallel to the oval is a colorless line between colored lines, divided and curving into two b.a.l.l.s below, but curving into a single ball above and shaded by another colored line.

Above these in each corner on a solid ground of color, bordered by a similar arrangement of lines, etc., in colorless block numerals "24."

Below the oval is a label inscribed "_Twenty Four_," with another beneath it inscribed "_Cents_," both indicated by a colorless line between colored lines, with a horizontally lined background. The letters are colorless block capitals. In the lower left corner are flags and cannon, and in the right three muskets stacked.

Plate impression, 19 by 25 mm., in color, on white paper, perforated 12.

24 cents, pure purple.

THIRTY CENTS. Bust of Alexander Hamilton, in profile to the left, after Cerrachi, on an oval disk horizontally and obliquely lined, bordered by a colorless line with outer colored line, on a s.h.i.+eld shaped panel vertically lined, the edges beveled and obliquely lined, resting on a background of horizontal lines. The upper corners of the panel project beyond the rest at top and sides, the sides project beyond the curved bottom, the shadows of the oval on the s.h.i.+eld are indicated by short horizontal lines; those of the s.h.i.+eld by vertical lines. Across the curved top of the s.h.i.+eld is a colorless line bordered by outside colored lines. Across the top of the s.h.i.+eld in a double curve of outline capitals, shaded outside, "_U. S. Postage_." Below the oval, a small s.h.i.+eld, outlined by a colorless line between colored lines, bears the outlined numerals "30," shaded outside on ground of horizontal lines, dividing a ribbon outlined by colored lines, inscribed "_Thirty Cents_,"

in colored spurred capitals, on a ground of vertical lines.

Plate impression, 19 by 25 mm., in color, on white paper, perforated 12.

30 cents, black.

NINETY CENTS. Bust of Com. O. H. Perry, in profile to left, after Wolcutt, on an oval disk bordered by a colorless line with exterior colored line. The upper half of this line is covered by a cable, rove at each end to a ring, that supports the lower label. Above the oval a label with hatched ground, bordered by a colorless line, with exterior colored line following the oval, the ends curved outward and inward in a sort of foliation, is inscribed "_U. S. Postage_" in outline capitals, shaded outside. A five pointed star in each corner. Below the oval, the lower label, square at the ends, with hatched ground, bordered by a colorless line and outer colored line, is inscribed "_Ninety Cents_," in outline block capitals, shaded outside. There is a heavy shadow beneath the label, an anchor in each lower corner. The whole is on a vertically lined panel chamfered at the top, bottom and sides.

Plate impression, 19 by 25 mm., in color, on white paper, perforated 12.

90 cents, carmine.

ISSUE OF JULY 1870.

SEVEN CENTS. Bust of Secretary Edwin M. Stanton, in profile to left, on an oval disk, closely lined horizontally, bordered by a colorless line.

Above and below, a label bordered by a colorless line following the outline of the oval, but curved round and terminated inside by a ball at each end. The whole on a panel, vertically lined, with rounded corners, and large ball on a rectangular background of horizontal lines. The labels are inscribed in outline capitals, shaded outside on a hatched ground, the upper, "_U. S. Postage_," the lower, "_Seven Cents_,"

divided by a large outline numeral "7," doubly shaded outside.

Plate impression, 19 by 25 mm., in color, on white paper, perforated 12.

7 cents, vermilion.

All these values were first issued with a grille, of which there are several sizes, but on many, if not most, even of unused specimens it is so indistinct that it is impossible to distinguish the outlines, measure the size, or count the squares. Some very perfect unused specimens have been examined however, and on the face it appears to be composed of horizontal rows of depressed diamonds, divided by alternate rows of smaller raised diamonds, with deep-depressed lines along the sides of the latter. On the reverse, the appearance is of rows of squares divided by depressed lines, with little raised crosses in each square. By these specimens it has also been determined, that there were at least two distinct sizes of grille.

The first measures 10 by 12 mm., composed of 13 by 15 rows of squares. Perfect specimens of the 1, 2, 3, 7 and 10 cent so grilled, have been found, and satisfactory specimens of the 6, 12, 15, 24, 30 and 90 cents.

The other variety measures 8 by 10 mm., and is composed of 10 by 13 rows of squares. Perfect specimens of the 1, 2, 3 and 7 cents so grilled have been found, but no satisfactory specimens of any other value.

Specimens with only a few distinct squares, are comparatively common.

The difficulty of arriving at accurate measurement, is increased when the specimens examined have been used, but apparently the larger of the above grilles was gradually cut down row by row to the smaller, as specimens of the 1, 2 and 3 cents, the most used values, are found undoubtedly grilled.

10 by 12 mm., or 13 by 17 rows.

10 " 12 " " 13 " 15 "

9 " 11 " " 12 " 15 "

9 " 11 " " 11 " 14 "

8 " 10 " " 11 " 13 "

These all now bear a deep yellow or brown gum. The colors are very uniform.

As stated by the pa.s.sage quoted above, there are 100 stamps, or ten rows of ten stamps in the so called sheet, or properly half sheet, there being 200 on the plate. The imprint was either "Engraved and printed by the," in one line, "National Bank Note Co., New York," in a second line in colorless capitals, on a solid ground, with pearled edges and outer fine colored line, or the second line above without pearls on colored ground, bordered by a double colored line. The author cannot state whether all the values bore both imprints, having only seen the 1, 2 and 3 cents with the first, and the 30 and 90 with the second, the latter without the grille. These imprints are placed 2 mm. from the stamps, above and below the 5th and 6th rows on each half sheet, the plate number being between the 8th and 9th rows. The line on which the sheets are divided is indicated by three lines forming a sort of arrow head, at the top and bottom of the sheet. The center rows of stamps are 2 mm.

apart, and there are no perforations between them. The vertical rows of perforation are 22 mm. apart horizontally. The horizontal rows 27 mm.

apart vertically, but the upper and lower rows are sometimes 28 and sometimes 29 mm. apart. If a sheet is selected, where the vertical rows are so far from the center line as to cut into the stamps, and the horizontal rows too high or too low, and a stamp from the top or bottom of the row next to the center cut line is selected, and the perforations carefully cut off, specimens can be made that have a much larger margin than the ordinary perforated stamps, and might easily pa.s.s as unperforated. This may not account for all the unperforated specimens, some of which may be the result of accident, but all the values of this series and the following may be so made unperforated, and have been so catalogued.