HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Postage Stamps 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNITED STATES OF 
 
 BY JOHN K. TIFFANY, 
 
 Author of THE PHILATELICAL LIBRARY, 
 
 President of the American Philatelic Association and of the St. Louis 
 
 Philatelic Society. Honorary Member of the Philatelic Society 
 
 of London. Conesponding Member of the Societe 
 
 Frangaise de Timbrologie, the Societies of 
 
 Dresden, Wiirtemburg, Etc. 
 
 1887: 
 
 C. H. MEKEEL, PHILATELIC PUBLISHER, 
 
 ST. LOUIS, MO 
 
Copyrighted by J. K: Tiffany, 1886. 
 All Rights reserved. 
 
ERRATA 
 
 Page 96, 3d line from top, for <?jc lilac read 24 cents. 
 
 Page 102 in lines 5, 6, 7 and 8 from bottom in last col- 
 umn for F 2 G 2 H 2 I 2 read F 4 G 4 H 4 I 4 . 
 
 Page 103 in lines 16 to 20 in second column for S 2 T 2 
 U2 V 2 W 2 read S 3 T 3 U 3 V 3 W 3 . 
 
 Page 104 5th line from bottom, omit u in "pro- 
 longued." 
 
 Page 143, 9th line from top for "follows" read "above." 
 
 Page 144, last line supply ''test of" in the blank. 
 
 Page 196, 4th line from top for (") read "cochineal.'" 
 
 Page 196, 6th line from top, for "12 cents" read "75 
 cents." 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PORTRAIT OF J. K. TIFFANY (Frontispiece). 
 
 PREFACE 9 
 
 INTRODUCTION . . 13 
 
 CHAPTER I, 
 II, 
 III, 
 IV, 
 V, 
 VI, 
 VII, 
 VIII, 
 IX, 
 
 x, 
 
 XI, 
 
 XII, 
 
 XIII, 
 
 XIV, 
 
 XV, 
 
 XVI, 
 
 XVII, 
 
 XVIII, 
 
 XIX, 
 
 XX, 
 
 XXI, 
 
 XXII, 
 
 XXIII, 
 
 XXIV, 
 
 XXV, 
 
 XXVI, 
 
 XXVII, 
 
 XXVIII 
 
 XXIX, 
 
 U. S. City Dispatch Post ....... 19 
 
 Uniform Postage .............. 23 
 
 Postmasters' Stamps ........... 26 
 
 Stamp of the N. Y. Postmaster. 29 
 
 Stamps of the St. Louis " 36 
 
 Stamp of the Brattleboro " 48 
 Stamp of the New Haven ' ' 51 
 Stamps of the Providence " 54 
 
 Stamp of the Alexandria " 60 
 
 Stamps of the Baltimore " 62 
 
 Stamp of the Millbury " 65 
 
 Stamped Env. of Wash'n " 67 
 
 Stamps of the Phila'lphia " 69 
 
 Stamp of the Worcester " 70 
 
 Stamp of the Pittsfield " 71 
 Observations ................. 72 
 
 The Issue of 1847 .............. 74 
 
 The Issue of 1851 ............. 81 
 
 The Issue of 1857 .............. 110 
 
 The Issue of 1861 .............. 122 
 
 The Issue of 1867-69 .......... 137 
 
 The Issue of 1869 ............. 144 
 
 The Issue of 1870 .............. 158 
 
 Postage Due Stamps ........... 198 
 
 Special Delivery Stamp ........ 204 
 
 Newspaper and Periodial St'ps 209 
 Official Stamps ................ 227 
 
 Official Seals .................. 249 
 
 Reprints ...................... 254 
 
 INDEX ............................................. 267 
 
 PUBLISHER'S ANNOUNCEMENTS... ..275 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 In seeking for information concerning the post- 
 age stamps of the United States, we shall turn in 
 vain to sources which have furnished, in other coun- 
 tries, such accurate details in regard to the stamps 
 issued by their postal authorities, for the stamps 
 authorized by the United States Post Office Depart- 
 ment are not manufactured by the government, and 
 there is no "stamp office" to authenticate each 
 plate, and register the number of sheets made from 
 it, and no edict, proclamation or law informs the pub- 
 lic of the values authorized for use, or of the designs, 
 or other peculiarities of the stamps to be employed. 
 The Postmaster General is authorized, in general 
 terms of the law, to provide such stamps as he may, 
 from time to time, judge most convenient and expe- 
 dient for the collection of the postal rates fixed by 
 other laws, and is required to have them manufac- 
 tured by those who, under general provisions of 
 other laws regulating all government work, offer to 
 do it at the lowest price. 
 
The proposals for such work and the contracts 
 made with the parties successful in the competition, 
 reserve the right to the Postmaster General to change 
 the values, designs, etc. from time to time as he may 
 judge expedient, and specify nothing as to these 
 particulars, while they are very specific as to the 
 quality of the work, and the precautions to be observ- 
 ed in the manufacture, to prevent pecuniary loss to 
 the Department. A government official inspects the 
 work in order that it may conform in quality to the 
 contract, and the records are kept of the number of 
 stamps of each value made and turned over to the 
 Department, without further specifications. In a 
 word, no record is preserved of how many stamps of 
 any particular design, paper, water -mark, perforation 
 or other peculiarity, are made, or of the date of the 
 adoption of any of these things. Third Assistant 
 Postmaster General Ireland, during his term of office, 
 once wrote "It has always surprised me that the 
 Department has never kept any official history of its 
 stamps." Many of these details might be gathered 
 no doubt from the very voluminous correspondence 
 between the Department and the several contract- 
 ors, if it were accessible, but upon investigation it 
 appears that many interesting changes have been 
 made upon mere verbal instructions. 
 
 We shall have therefore to rely upon quite dif- 
 ferent sources for our information. Fortunately 
 the enterprise of collectors has probably discovered 
 all the varieties of the stamps themselves, and only 
 a careful study of them is necessary to their complete 
 
11 
 
 description. The materials upon which the pres- 
 ent work is based were gathered together mostly as 
 accident threw them into the hands of the author, 
 from time, to time, without any attempt at system- 
 atic research or arrangement, until at the request of 
 J. B. Moens, of Brussells, they were arranged to 
 form a volume of his " Bibliotheque Des Timbro- 
 philes." The annual reports of the Postmaster 
 General have furnished some points of interest di- 
 rectly and many inferentially ; the circulars notify- 
 ing postmasters of the more important changes, a 
 nearly complete file of which has been consulted, 
 have been a great guide ; while frequently very inter- 
 esting details have been extracted from the files of 
 contemporaneous daily papers ; and the published re- 
 sults of the researches of such indefatigable investiga- 
 tors as Messrs. Bagg, Brown and Scott, inthePhila- 
 telical Press, and the articles of Cosmopolitan and 
 Scott have been freely drawn upon. Many large col- 
 lections have been kindly submitted for inspection, 
 in particular those of Messrs Van Derlip, Sterling 
 and Casey, and thus we are able to describe every 
 stamp and essay from actual specimens, except in a 
 few instances specially noted. While there may be 
 possible omissions, the reader may feel assured of 
 the existence of everything described. 
 
 Frequent demands for the translation of the 
 French work have led to the present publication. 
 But as that work was prepared to conform to the 
 general plan of the works compiled for the series 
 of M. Moens' Bibliotheque, it contained many 
 
12 
 
 things, concerning the history and customs of the 
 post office of the United States, which the American 
 collector is supposed to know, and omitted some 
 details concerning the part played by various col- 
 lectors and dealers in finding out the particulars of 
 the history of certain stamps and like matters, which 
 it was thought might be interesting to our home col- 
 lectors, but which the impersonal character of the 
 French Series made it advisable to omit in the orig- 
 inal compilation. 
 
 The entire work has been therefore largely recast 
 in the hope of making it more acceptable to Ameri- 
 can collectors, and in several instances comments 
 have been made upon stamps that were not men- 
 tioned in the French edition, in order to correct cer- 
 tain erroneous views entertained concerning them 
 in this country, which it was supposed was suffi- 
 ciently accomplished by their omission in the other 
 series, 
 
 St. Louis, August, 1886. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 In 1676 John Hey ward, by the authority of Gen- 
 eral Court of the Colony of Massachu setts, established 
 his postal system with its office in Boston, In 1683 
 the government of Penn established a postal system 
 for the Colony of Pennsylvania. In 1700 Col. J. 
 Hamilton organized "his postal establishment for 
 British America " including all the English colonies, 
 but soon after disposed of his right to the English 
 crown. In 1710 the English Parliament established 
 by law the first governmental postal system with 
 the general office at New York, which continued 
 until in 1776 the Continental Congress adopted and 
 set in action the postal system proposed by Frank- 
 lin, who was appointed the first Postmaster General. 
 The first law of the Federal Congress continued this 
 system in operation as sufficient for the public 
 wants, but the postal service was not finally settled 
 until the act of 1792. 
 
 This law (1792) fixed a tariff which with unimpor- 
 tant changes remained in force until the adoption 
 
14 
 
 of the system of Uniform Postage in the United 
 States. Single, double and triple letters were 
 charged 8, 16 and 24 cents respectively when sent 
 to other countries, and four cents plus the internal 
 postage when arriving from foreign countries. The 
 internal postage between offices in the United States 
 was 6, 8, 10, 15, 17, 20, 22 and 25 cents for dis- 
 tances of 30, 60, 100, 150, 200, 250, 350, or 400 
 miles respectively for single letters, and double, 
 triple, etc., this for double, triple, etc. letters. A 
 single letter was defined by the law to be a single 
 sheet or piece of paper, a double letter, two sheets 
 or pieces of paper, etc. , etc. 
 
 The following acts of Congress may be consulted with 
 advantage, by those curious with regard to the Post Office 
 before the introduction of stamps. 
 
 I Congress, I Session. Chap. 16. 
 
 I 
 I 
 
 II 
 
 III 
 
 V 
 
 XI 
 
 XIII 
 
 XIV 
 
 XIV 
 
 XIX 
 
 XX 
 
 XXVII 
 
 II 
 
 III 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 III 
 
 II 
 
 III 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 II 
 
 I 
 
 II 
 
 Sept., 1780 
 Aug.. 1790 
 March. 1791 
 Feb.. 1792 
 8 May. 
 2 March 
 37. 30 April, 
 16, 23 Dec.. 
 7. 1 Feb., 
 43, 9 April, 
 
 36. 
 23. 
 27. 
 23. 
 41. 
 
 1794 
 1799 
 1810 
 1814 
 1815 
 1816 
 
 61, 
 61, 
 43, 
 
 3 March. 1825 
 3 March, 1827 
 2 March. 1845 
 
 The earliest letters which we have seen, consist of 
 single sheets of paper folded and addressed upon 
 the sheet. An envelope would have subjected them 
 to double postage. They are penmarked with the 
 name of the mailing office, the date occasionally, the 
 amount of the postage paid or due, generally in 
 
15 
 
 simple figures, sometimes with the word " cents " in 
 full or abbreviated, added. Gradually, hand stamps 
 were introduced. At first the name of the mailing 
 office in a simple frame, generally circular, the month 
 and day being still written in with a pen, and the 
 amount of postage written as before. A further 
 improvement appears later on in the introduction of 
 the month and day as part of the hand stamp. The 
 word "paid" or "due," the amount of postage 
 in figures or with " cents," either written or hand 
 stamped, always added. And finally all the marks 
 are included in one hand stamp. 
 
 There was evidently no uniformity of practice, 
 except the general requirement that the name of the 
 mailing office, the month and day, and the amount 
 of postage should in some form be marked on the 
 letter. Improvements seem generally to have origi- 
 nated in the larger offices, but smaller offices some- 
 times took the lead in enterprise. An improvement 
 once adopted does not seem always to have been 
 adhered to ; letters mailed at the same office on the 
 same day and differently marked may be frequently 
 found in old files. The hand stamps seem to have 
 been obtained by the several offices for themselves, 
 as there is no uniformity of style. 
 
 Some of these hand stamps are curious enough to 
 warrant a brief description, and it would be difficult 
 to lay down a rule which would distinguish some 
 of them from the stamps we admit to our albums. 
 
 A letter mailed at Philadelphia in 1825, bears an 
 octagonal hand stamp with a double lined frame and 
 
"16 
 
 the words " Phila, 20 Jan" in three lines, a sec- 
 ond similar but smaller hand stamp with the word 
 " Paid," and the figures " 26 " written with a pen, 
 all in red ink. These seem to have been regularly 
 employed for several years. Other letters from the 
 same city mailed in 1845-6-7 and 8, bear a circular 
 hand stamp, the name of the City and State sur- 
 rounding the edge, the month and day in the cen- 
 ter, a single line surrounding all, the amount of 
 postage in large numerals and the words " DUE " 
 or ''PAID" in a small oval are separately hand 
 stamped. Letters from Baltimore of the same dates 
 bear a similar circular hand stamp with name and 
 date, the amount of postage in large numerals in an 
 oval, and sometimes the word " PAID " in large let- 
 ters without frame. Jacksonville, 111., Pittsburgh, 
 Pa. and Little Rock, Ark. employed similar hand 
 stamps at the same time. 
 
 Louisville, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Boston and 
 New York letters of the same years have the 
 same hand stamp with a numeral or numerals indi- 
 cative of the amount of postage added at the bot- 
 tom within the frame. When prepaid the word 
 " PAID" was hand stamped below the other. 
 
 Some New York, Boston and Philadelphia letters 
 of the same dates bear the same hand stamp with 
 "5 cts," " 10 cts," etc. in the lower margin within 
 the frame, the word "PAID" being separately 
 hand stamped when the letter was prepaid. Many 
 western letters bear also the word ''Steam 5 " hand 
 stamped upon them. These hand stamps remained 
 
in use up to 1851 when the rates were changed and 
 appear even upon letters bearing the adhesive stamps 
 of the first issue. 
 
 In 1851 when the rates were changed to 3 cents 
 ordinary postage, and 1 cent for drop letters, many 
 of the same stamps appear with the figures changed 
 to 1 or 3, or to let., 3cte. and Gets., Boston and 
 Petersburg!!, Va. for example. A New York hand 
 stamp of this period has New York above, month 
 and day in the middle and "PAID " and " 3 cts " 
 in two more lines. 
 
 A Philadelphia hand stamp has name above, month 
 and day in one line, and Sets in another, in the cen- 
 ter, and " PAID " in lower margin. 
 
 Another, the ordinary dated postmark and a sec- 
 ond circular stamp, nearly as large, with the word 
 "PAID " in large letters crossed by the numeral 3 
 nearly an inch long. 
 
 A Springfield letter has the ordinary dated post- 
 mark and a second hand stamp nearly as large with 
 a large numeral 3 above and "PAID " below. 
 
 Cincinnati. Buffalo, Quincy, 111., and others have 
 the ordinary hand stamp with the name above, month 
 and day in the center and " 3 PAID " below. 
 
 Another letter has a round hand stamp fully an 
 inch in diameter with the word "PAID" across 
 the center crossed by a large outline "3." 
 
 Another letter was hand stamped with a large G 
 in an octagon double frame and "'PAID" sepa- 
 rately hand stamped across it. 
 
18 
 
 The Cincinnati hand stamp also appears with "1 
 PAID " in the margin. 
 
 New Orleans has the ordinary hand stamp and 
 "PAID" " 1" in two lines of very large letters 
 beneath. 
 
 St. Louis, has the ordinary hand stamp, and an- 
 other with let in large octagonal frame added. 
 
 Many letters where the word "paid" appears in 
 the dated stamp are also separately hand stamped 
 " PAID." Some of these letters bear also the 3 and 
 let adhesives of the period. Those that indicate 
 postage to be paid differ from postage due stamps 
 in no respect except that they are not adhesive. 
 Those that indicate postage prepaid correspond to 
 many other hand stamps in every thing except that 
 they were applied after, instead of before payment; 
 but in some countries we have examples of adhesive 
 stamps applied in the same way. They are not 
 beautiful but are interesting relics of the old sys- 
 tem. A number of similar stamps with the words 
 " Post Office" following the name of the town and 
 '5 paid" have passed through the hands of the 
 compiler, but having been cut from the letters the 
 date could not be authenticated. These would 
 appear to be very similar in character to the adhe- 
 sives issued by the postmasters of some offices about 
 the same time, and to many similar stamps used in 
 the early days of the Southern Confederacy. 
 
I. 
 
 UNITED STATES CITY DISPATCH POST. 
 
 Hardly had the discussion of Postal reform begun 
 in England than the subject was taken up in the 
 United States. The daily press was full of it. 
 Pamphlets were distributed broadcast. In nearly 
 every city, private companies undertook to distrib- 
 ute mail matter at less than the government rates. 
 Some even carried letters from city to city. In 
 Congress, members related the expedients resorted 
 to for sending letters at a reduced rate. In New 
 York, a certain A. M. Greig had established a local 
 delivery and employed an adhesive stamp, charging 
 but two cents when the government exacted three. 
 Such competition greatly harassed the department. 
 The act of 1836 had authorized the Postmaster Gen- 
 eral to establish a carrier system in such cities as 
 he might think advisable. Apparently with the 
 view of disposing of Greig' s post, Greig was made 
 a government officer. The following letter author- 
 izing the postmaster at New York to make the ap- 
 pointment was first published by the American 
 Journal of Philately. 
 
20 
 
 POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, 
 
 Contract Office, August 1st, 1842 . 
 Sir- 
 By an order made on Saturday, but journalized to-day, 
 the Postmaster General has established a letter carrier 
 arrangement for the City of New York to be called the- 
 u United States City Despatch Post " for the conveyance 
 of letters from one part of the city to another subject to 
 a charge on each letter of three cents, under the 20th 
 section of the Act of 1836, and authorizes you to employ 
 Alex.M. Greig, nominated by you as letter carrier, other 
 carriers are to be appointed from time to time as may be 
 required, and you are requested to nominate for that 
 purpose. And you are also authorized to obtain the 
 necessary fixtures, pouches, boxes, labels, stamps, etc, 
 at not exceeding $1,200.00 for the whole and to appoint 
 a clerk to superintend said establishment at not exceed- 
 ing $1,000 per annum. You will be pleased to report the 
 date of comrnencemeut of this arrangement. 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 S. R. HOBBLE, 
 First Ass't P. M. General. 
 JOHN LORIMER GRAHAM, 
 
 Postmaster, New York. 
 
 In another number of the same paper we have the 
 text of the following notice concerning the same 
 post. 
 
 UNITED STATES CITY DISPATCH POST. 
 
 Hours of delivery every day (Sundays excepted) at the 
 principal office, upper P. O. Park and lower P. O. Mer- 
 chants Exchange. 
 
21 
 
 Letters deposited before 8, 12, 3 and at the stations 
 before 7, 11 and 2 will be sent out for delivery at 9, 1 and 4. 
 
 Letters to be sent free must have a free stamp attached 
 to them, which can be purchased at the upper and lower 
 Post Offices and at all the stations. The charge will be 
 36 cents per dozen, 2 dols. 50 cents per hundred. All 
 letters intended to be sent forward to the General Post 
 Office for the inland mails must have a free stamp at- 
 tached to them. Letters not having a free stamp will be 
 charged 3 cents on delivery. 
 
 JOHN LORIMKR GRAHAM, P. M . 
 
 New York, June, 1843. 
 
 The stamp issued and used by this post was known 
 in an early day and is catalogued in Kline's Manual 
 1862, but its true histor} 7 was unknown until the 
 publication of the above document. It is a stamp 
 probably alone of its kind. Any one familiar with 
 the law of 1836 will see that the Postmaster General 
 widely exceeded the authority conferred on him as it 
 would be construed to day in making the "arrange- 
 ment" under the power to provide a carrier system. 
 The labels and stamps mentioned in the letter quoted 
 were probably however, not intended to include the 
 postage stamp actually issued, as these terms are 
 used in various documents, reports, etc, of the 
 period to designate quite different articles, the 
 " stamps" being invariably the hand stamps such 
 as we have already described. But whatever may 
 have been intended by the letter, the law did not 
 confer any authority upon the Postmaster General 
 to issue or authorize the issue of the stamp and 
 
22 
 
 
 
 undertake to insist on its use. It certainly has no 
 more character than the hand stamps already de- 
 scribed, but is none the less interesting or worthy 
 of preservation on this account. It was probably 
 employed because the public had seen and appre- 
 ciated the utility of the adhesive stamp, by its em- 
 ployment by the local or private posts, in advance 
 of the official adoption of the system, 
 
 NP:W YORK, 
 
 t !ssuE OF AUGUST, 1842. 
 
 Portrait of President Washington turned % to the 
 right on plain oval, enclosed by plain oval band 
 bounded within and without by two colored lines 
 and inscribed: United States City Despatch Post 
 * Three Cents*, the lower legend separated from the 
 upper by a star on each side ; rectangular frame of two 
 colored lines, corners filled with rayed ornaments 
 between frame and oval. 
 
 Plate impression 18 x 22 mm in black on colored 
 paper. 
 
 3 cents, black on violet. 
 
 3 kt " ; ' brown. 
 
 3 " " 4t green. 
 
 3 " " " blue glazed. 
 
11. 
 
 UNIFORM POSTAGE. 
 
 The "arrangement" put in operation in New 
 York does not seem to have been a great success 
 for it was not extended to other cities, and local 
 posts continued to flourish and do the work at less 
 than the government rates. The demand for better 
 service and lower rates, for "reform" as it was 
 called grew louder and louder, until the Postmaster 
 General in his report dated November 25th, 1844, 
 recommended to Congress a reduced uniform rate 
 according to distance and weight. Stamps were rec- 
 ommended but only for use on foreign letters. 
 
 The bill which was introduced in Congress in pur- 
 suance of this recommendation provided, it is said, 
 both for obligatory prepayment and the use of post- 
 age stamps. But there was great hesitation in 
 adopting the English system in the United States ; 
 the conditions were considered to be so different ; the 
 the distances were so great that a greater rate was 
 necessary ; the country was so new that the risk 
 from counterfeiting was much greater ; the custom 
 
24 
 
 was not to prepay letters, and custom is stronger than 
 aw. Such and like objections were raised and the 
 aw passed without adopting prepayment by stamp, 
 but the great principle of the reform, uniform 
 rnte by distance and weight was adopted. The only 
 portion of the law that is of interest here is the fol- 
 lowing section of the Statutes of the United States, 
 XXVIII Congress, II Session, XLIII chapter, ap- 
 proved March 30, 1845. 
 
 "From and after the first day of July next, mem- 
 bers of Congress and Delegates from Territories 
 may receive letters not exceeding two ounces in 
 weight, free of postage during the recess of Congress 
 anything to the contrary in this act notwithstand- 
 ing ; and the same franking privilege which is 
 granted by this act to the members of the two Houses 
 of Congress, is hereby extended to the Vice Presi- 
 dent of the United States ; and in lieu of the rates 
 of postage now established try law, there shall be 
 charged the following rates, viz: For every single 
 letter in manuscript or paper of any kind by or upon 
 which information shall be asked for or communi- 
 cated in writing or by marks or signs, conveyed in 
 the mail, for any distance under three hundred 
 miles, five cents: and for any distance over three 
 hundred miles, ten cents : and for a double letter there 
 shall be charged double these rates : and for a treble 
 letter treble these rates: and for a quadruple letter 
 quadruple these rates : and every letter or parcel 
 not exceeding half an ounce in weight shall be 
 deemed a single letter, and every additional weight 
 
of half an ounce, or additional weight of less than 
 half an ounce, shall be charged with an additional 
 single postage. 
 
 And all drop letters, or letters placed in any post 
 office, not for transmission through the mail, but for 
 delivery only, shall be charged with postage at the 
 rate of two cents each." 
 
 The newspaper rate was one cent within one hun- 
 dred miles and one and a half cents for a greater 
 distance, for all newspapers not exceeding a certain 
 size, and two cents for each sheet over that size, and 
 two cents for all hand bills and circulars per sheet, 
 and two and a half cents for all magazines and 
 pamphlets. 
 
III. 
 
 POSTMASTER'S STAMPS. 
 
 Notwithstanding the failure of Congress to adopt 
 postage stamps, and to authorize the Postmaster 
 General to issue them, and to provide an appropria- 
 tion for their manufacture, public attention had 
 been drawn to the advantages of the system, and the 
 convenience, to the business community particu- 
 larly, of mailing and receiving letters at hours when 
 the post office or business houses were closed. The 
 question as to whether the Postmaster General 
 might not issue postage stamps on his own author- 
 ity was raised and officially decided in the negative, 
 although the Postmaster General himself favored 
 their use. The postmasters in several places how- 
 ever undertook to meet the public demand by having 
 stamps prepared on their own responsibility, paying 
 the expense of manufacture themselves and selling 
 them to the public at a sufficient advance on the 
 postal rates, to cover the cost of engraving and 
 printing. In some cases the matter was brought to 
 the attention of the Postmaster General and he saw 
 
27 
 
 no objection to the arrangement; in others the 
 whole affair seeins to have passed without any atten- 
 tion being paid to it by the Department. In fact 
 it was a mere contract between the postmaster and 
 the purchaser of his stamps, that when a letter bear- 
 ing one of his stamps was mailed at his office, it 
 should be treated as if the rooney were handed in 
 with it. No postmaster recognized the stamp of 
 any post office but his own. A letter adorned with 
 a New York stamp mailed at the St. Louis office 
 would have been treated as unpaid. A New York 
 stamp was recognized only at the New York office, 
 and a St. Louis stamp only at the St. Louis office. 
 When a letter bearing a stamp was mailed at the 
 office that ixxned the stamp, and accepted as prepaid, 
 the contract between the postmaster and the pur- 
 chaser of the stamp was fulfilled, the postmaster had 
 to account to the government for the amount of the 
 postage as if he had received it with the letter. 
 The Department had nothing to do with the fact that 
 the stamp had been actually paid for at another time 
 or with its existence at all. Examination at several 
 of these offices show that there was no stamp ac- 
 count kept in the records of the office. Such let- 
 ters were treated exactly as letters were, on which 
 the postage was either paid in money or charged in 
 the open accounts which the postmaster chose to 
 keep with the commercial houses. It was marked 
 "Paid." The stamp had no significance at any 
 other office, except as the mark or stamp indicating 
 the amount charged, always put on letters at that 
 
28 
 
 date, but the word "paid " was recognized by every 
 office. The letter was entered as a paid letter on 
 the way bill, and was treated as prepaid, not because 
 of the stamp, but because the forwarding office 
 treated it as prepaid. 
 
 It has been thought necessary to define the exact 
 character of these stamps with some exactness, and 
 at the risk of some re-iteration, because their true 
 character seems to be little understood. They had 
 no official sanction whatever, because no official had 
 any authority to sanction them. It was a mere ar- 
 rangement between the individual postmaster and 
 the public for their mutual accommodation. 
 
 Such stamps were issued at New York, St. Louis, 
 Brattleboro, NewHaven, Providence, Alexandria, Bal- 
 timore, Millbury and probably other places. Although 
 not governmental or official stamps, they are none the 
 less interesting or valuable mementoes. They show 
 how determined the public were to have the postage 
 stamp, and their history shows how the Public Will 
 compelled the government to adopt the postage 
 stamp in spite of the supposed difficulties in the way. 
 
IV. 
 
 STAMP OF THE NEW YORK POSTMASTER. 
 
 The stamp issued by the postmaster of New York 
 was chronicled in the earliest American Catalogue, 
 (Kline, 1862,)butits true character was not estab- 
 lished until the resuscitation and repnblication in the 
 communications of the author of this work to the 
 Philatelist and Le Timbre Poste,in 1873-4, of the fol- 
 lowing articles from contemporaneous newspapers. 
 
 The Express of New York in its issue of July 1st, 
 1845, contains an editorial mentioning, thatthe Act of 
 March 3rd, 1845, went into force on the day of pub- 
 lication, and a report of the meeting of the Cheap 
 Postage Association. In its issue of July 7th, 1845, 
 the same paper published as part of its Washington 
 correspondence, the following: 
 
 Washington, July 2nd. 
 
 It was suggested in New York to Mr. Morris, your 
 postmaster, that he might accommodate the public very 
 much by selling stamped envelopes, as the law does not 
 authorize the sale of stamps on the English plan. When 
 he was here he laid the subject before the Postmaster 
 
30 
 
 Ge neral, who has to-day decided that be may do this. 
 The envelopes are to Ibe marked with the amount of post- 
 age thereon, say 5 or 10 or more cents as the case may be, 
 and the initials of the postmaster are to be superadded. 
 and then the envelopes can be sold. The object is to 
 facilitate the payment of prepaid letters. Postmasters 
 can interchange envelopes whenever they can agree to 
 do so among themselves. 
 
 In the issue of the next day (Express, July 8th) 
 appeared the following editorial : 
 
 FREE STAMPED ENVELOPES. When the Bill for Cheap 
 Postage was before Congress, it contained a clause au- 
 thorizing the sale of stamps on the English system. The 
 provision was however stricken out, leaving the public 
 only the old method of prepay ing letters during the busi- 
 ness hours of the Post Office. A suggestion was made 
 to our new Postmaster, Mr. Morris, that the public con- 
 venience would be very much promoted if he would sell 
 envelopes which would pass free through his office. By 
 this measure letters could be sent at any hour of the 
 night to the post office and the postage paid, where the 
 writer desires it, by enclosing it in a free envelope. 
 The postmaster proposed to sell stamps at five cents 
 each, but this not having been sanctioned by Congress, 
 we should think would not be the best way, and 
 as the public convenience demands something of the 
 kind, we are glad to learn that he has prepared envelopes 
 of the kind referred to, some of which we have seen. 
 They are marked "Five Cents," and under these words 
 is the name " R, H. Morris." For letters over one ounce 
 they are marked according to the Post Office Rates in 
 the same way. These envelopes will be sold by the 
 Postmaster at six and a quarter cents each, or sixteen for 
 a dollar of the common kind and common size. This 
 
31 
 
 will be as cheap or cheaper than they can be bought in 
 small quantities at the stationers. A thin envelope will 
 contain two letters and be subject only to a single post- 
 age. Envelopes of various sizes will also be furnished 
 and of fine quality when desired by the purchaser. The 
 plan we hear, has also been adopted by the postmaster 
 at Washington, D. C. and has met the approval of the 
 Postmaster General. We think it will add to the revenue 
 of the Department very considerably. 
 
 From the preceding extract we should infer that 
 envelopes marked in some way " Five Cents," "R. 
 H. Morris, P. M." had been issued and used at 
 New York, and possibly something of the kind at 
 Washington. The latter would be signed C. K. 
 Gardner, P. M. , but up to the present day none have 
 been found. They must have been prepared at New 
 York at least, since the editor of the Express claims 
 to have seen them. They were probably made by 
 some of the New York hand stamps noted as current 
 at this time, leaving out the date and signed by the 
 postmaster. 
 
 Such an arrangement was clumsy and liable to 
 abuse and could have had but a short duration in so 
 large an office as New York, and in the Express of 
 the 14th of July, 145, appears another editorial as 
 follows : 
 
 Post Office Stamps, We would call the attention of 
 merchants and indeed all who pay postage, to the adver- 
 tisement of the postmaster, who offers to sell stamps of 
 the value of five cents each for the prepayment of let- 
 ters. This is the cost of the postage under 300 miles. 
 
32 
 
 The stamps should be generally adopted as they will give 
 additional facilities to business men, and save them time 
 in making change. The postmaster will receive nothing 
 for this trouble and his stamps beyond the profit of lost 
 stamps. The disposition of the postmaster to make the 
 new system popular merits the thanks of our citizens. 
 
 In another column of the same paper appears 
 the advertisement of the postmaster referred to in 
 the editorial. 
 
 POST OFFICE, 
 New York, July 14th. 1845. 
 
 The public is respectfully informed that the iinder- 
 signed has caused to be prepared stamps for the prepay- 
 ment of postage, made for five cents each, which will be 
 sold in parcels of five and upwards. To prevent coun- 
 terfeits they w T ill be sold only at this office and the branch 
 office. The public may therefore be assured that any 
 stamps which may be offered for sale at any place other 
 than the two post offices are spurious and will not be 
 considered as prepayment. 
 
 (Signed.) Robert H. Morris, P. M. 
 
 [Evening papers please copy.] 
 
 Unfortunately these articles contain no descrip- 
 tion of the stamp issued, and it will occur to those 
 familiar with the process of engraving stamps at 
 that date, that the production of a stamp as elabor- 
 ate as the stamp known, in so short a time as elap- 
 sed between the date of the first and last of these 
 articles, was either a remarkable piece f work, or 
 had been commenced some time before. Pos- 
 sibly the stamps first issued were not those known 
 to collectors and have never been discovered. 
 
33 
 
 Be this as it^may, the plate contained more than 
 a single stamp. From double copies that have 
 passed through our hands, we have proof that it con- 
 sisted of at least eight different varieties, arranged 
 in two horizontal rows of four stamps each, differ- 
 ing in minute details and at different distances 
 apart. There may have been more, but this remains 
 to be verified. The stamp which appears to have 
 occupied the upper left hand corner of the sheet 
 shows in each letter the outlines of the same letters, 
 engraved in black and a little lower down than the 
 white ones, as if the intention had originally been to 
 have the value appear in black on a white label. 
 It is said that the plate is now in the possession of 
 the consolidated Bank Note Companies (American) 
 of New York. At any rate PROOFS were struck 
 from it long after the stamp was out of use, in va- 
 rious colors. 
 
 NEW YORK POST OFFICE. 
 Issue of July 14, 1845. 
 
 Portrait of President Washington, faced % to 
 left in an oval, 19)mm. wide by 21 ^mm. high, with a 
 back ground of colored lines, crossed at right angles 
 and bordered by a colorless line. Solid colored label 
 bordered by a colorless line above and below the 
 oval, inscribed in colorless ordinary capitals, above 
 "Post Office," below " Five Cents." Foliated or- 
 naments in the four corners, the upper enclosing 
 small colorless labels inscribed in small colored 
 capitals "New," at the left " York," at the right, 
 
34 
 
 the whole surrounded by a colored line forming a 
 rectangle. 
 
 Engraved on copper at New York by Messrs. 
 Rawden, Wright and Hatch. 
 
 Plate impression 20>2 by 28 mm., on slightly 
 bluish paper. 
 5 cents black. 
 
 In most of the catalogues this stamp has been 
 described also, as on white paper. Such specimens 
 are shown, but they are produced by some chemical 
 action of the gum used to fasten them to letters, 
 or of the composition of the paper or other acciden- 
 tal causes. Specimens may be also found of a buff 
 color as if steeped in coffee, another changeling 
 produced by the action of strong gum. 
 
 Each stamp is signed A. C. M. in red ink. They 
 are generally cancelled with a pen and blue ink, or 
 by the word "Paid" hand stamped in red ink, or 
 by the dating stamp. 
 
 There is another type of stamp said to have been 
 issued by the postmaster of New York in 1849. 
 The design is two concentric circles, the inner 13/2, 
 the outer 17/^mm. in diameter. In the center, "One 
 Cent" in two lines of ordinary colored capitals, about 
 2mm. high. Between the circles, above, "U.S. Mail;" 
 below, "Prepaid "in similar letters 23rnm. high. They 
 were printed in black on small squares of rose col- 
 ored paper, and afterwards on paper varying from 
 bright yellow to pale drab and generally glazed. 
 
 This stamp was chronicled in Kline's Manual, 
 first edition, 1862, as a "Carrier Stamp," and has 
 
since been alternately considered a governmental, 
 or a local stamp. Upon what ground it is so con- 
 fidently asserted to have been issued by the New 
 York postmaster, and its date assigned to 1849, 
 seems never to have been stated. It is certain how- 
 ever that if it were issued prior to 1851, it did not 
 prepay any authorized government postage, and 
 if issued after 1847, such an issue was forbidden 
 by law unless authorized by the Postmaster Gener- 
 al. It is hardly to be supposed that the postmast- 
 er of New York City would have openly violated 
 the law. The inscription, 4i U. S. Mail," does not 
 prove anything but probably means "prepaid to the 
 U.S. Mail," and the stamp is probabty the issue of 
 some of the local delivery companies. 
 
V. 
 
 STAMPS OF THE ST. Louis POSTMASTER. 
 
 Of all the stamps of this character, those issued 
 by the St. Louis Postmaster have been most dis- 
 cussed in the Philatelical Press. The. ten cents 
 was first noticed in an article in the Stamp Collect- 
 or's Magazine in November, 1863, and the five cents 
 was mentioned in Kline's Manual, 3rd edition, 1865. 
 Mr. L. W. Durbin first mentioned the second die 
 of the 10 cents, Mr. Pemberton the second die of 
 the 5 cents, and Mr. Scott is entitled to the credit 
 of discovering the third die of each. 
 
 It is unnecessary to repeat the numerous discus- 
 sions, pro and con, concerning the authenticity of 
 these stamps, since the present author discovered, 
 and republished in Le Timbre Poste, in May, 1873, 
 the following articles from contemporaneous daily 
 papers, which leave no further room for doubt con- 
 cerning the two values, 5 and 10 cents. 
 
 Missouri Republican, July 17th, 1845. 
 Free stamped envelopes. For the convenience of 
 
I hose who may wish to prepay their packages at any 
 hour of the night, Robert H. Morris, the postmaster of 
 New York, as we learn from the Express, has prepared 
 a variety of stamped envelopes. They are marked five 
 cents, ten cents, etc. and under these words is the name 
 R. II. Morris. The five cent envelopes will be sold by 
 the postmaster at G^ cents each, or 16 for a dollar of the 
 common kind and common size, and the others in pro- 
 portion. This will be as cheap as they can be bought in 
 small quantities at the stationers. A thin envelope \vill 
 contain two letters and be subject only to a single post- 
 age. Envelopes of various sizes will also be furnished 
 and of fine quality when desired by the purchaser The 
 plan has also been adopted by the postmaster at Wash- 
 ington and has met the approval of the Postmaster Gen- 
 eral. We think it not only a convenience to the public 
 but that it will add to the revenue of the Department 
 very considerably. The above arrangement would be a 
 great convenience to many persons. Why should not 
 the postmaster here adopt the same plan. We believe 
 the public generally would buy them." 
 
 This article, although a mere repetition of the ar- 
 ticle of the Express, and like that mentioning envel- 
 opes of New York and Washington which no one 
 has ever seen, contains at the end a reference which 
 was evidently the inspiration of the St. Louis post- 
 master to issue his stamps, for we read in the Mis- 
 souri Republican of November 5th, 1845, the fol- 
 lowing: 
 
 LETTER STAMPS. Mr. Wimer, the postmaster, has pre- 
 pared a set of letter stamps, or rather marks to put upon 
 letters, indicating that the postage has been paid. In 
 this he has copied after the plan adopted by the post- 
 master of New York and other cities. These stamps are 
 
38 
 
 engraved to represent the Missouri Coat of Arms, and 
 are five and ten cents. The}' are so prepared that they 
 may be stuck upon a letter like a wafer and will prove a 
 great convenience to merchants and all those having 
 many letters to send post paid, as it saves all trouble of 
 paying at the post office. They will be sold as they are 
 sold in the East, viz : Sixteen live cent stamps and eight 
 ten cent stamps for a dollar. We would recommend 
 merchants and others to give them a trial." 
 
 And a few days later in the same paper of No- 
 vember 13th, 1845, we again read: 
 
 "Post Office Stamps. Mr. Wimer, the postmaster, re- 
 quests us to say that he will furnish nine ten cent stamps 
 and eighteen five cent stamps for one dollar, the differ- 
 ence being required to pa}* forthe printing of the stamps." 
 
 The above articles contain nearly the whole his- 
 tory of the stamps of St. Louis. We learn the 
 name of the postmaster who had them made, (the 
 name, however is incorrectly spelled) their use and 
 price, the date and object of their issue. A thor- 
 ough search of all the files preserved, of the daily 
 papers published in St. Louis from January, 1845, 
 to December, 1848, resulted in no further discover- 
 ies concerning them. 
 
 ST. LOUIS POST OFFICE. 
 Issue of November oth, 1845. 
 
 Arms of the State of Missouri. A round shield 
 parted per pale ; on the dexter side, gules (red 
 or vertically lined ground), the grizzly bear of 
 
39 
 
 Missouri, passant guardant, proper ; on a chief en- 
 grailed azure (horizontally lined), a crescent ar- 
 gent ; on the sinister side, argent, the arms of the 
 United States, (the stamp is dotted or gold) the 
 whole with a band inscribed "United we stand, di- 
 vided we fall" (The buckle below on the left, in 
 the 5 cents, should be omitted). Supporters on each 
 side, a grizzly bear of Missouri, proper ; rampant 
 guardant, standing on a scroll inscribed "Salus 
 Populi Suprema lex esto." Above, the value is ex- 
 pressed in large outline numerals, ornamented and 
 shaded. In the corners "Saint" and "Loias" 
 with numerous flourishes. Below the arms '''Post 
 Office " in large ordinary capitals. The whole in a 
 rectangular frame of a thin and thick colored line. 
 Engraved on copper by J . M. Kershaw, at St. 
 Louis. The plate consisted of six stamps, three of 
 each value, and was delivered to Mr. Wymer, 
 and is said to have been lost with other of 
 his effects during the war. The engraver thinks 
 he printed about 500 sheets, at three different 
 times, upon such paper as he happened to have 
 at hand, and that as the plate deteriorated easily, 
 he probably retouched it slightly each time in parts, 
 before printing. He denies positively the possibil- 
 ity of the figures upon the twent}^ cent value being 
 his work. These are all the facts he can now vouch 
 for, and states that many of the statements from 
 time to time attributed to him " were the ideas of 
 his interviewers, who tried to refresh his recollec- 
 tion and may have mixed him up." 
 
40 
 
 Plate Impression in black upon three qualities 
 of bluish paper, 3 varieties of each value. 
 5 cents, black 173^ by 22 K mm. 
 10 cents, black 18H by 22}^ mm. 
 These stamps are printed on a rather thick green- 
 ish blue paper, on a thinner grey -blue paper, and on 
 a very thin greyish paper, which agrees with the rec- 
 ollection of the engraver that he printed three dif- 
 ferent lots of them. A pair is also known on a cof- 
 fee colored paper. They were taken from buff en- 
 velopes, and are undoubtedly discolored by the ac- 
 tion of the paper or gum. Those on white paper 
 have been made so by chemical action. 
 
 The varieties may be thus distinguished : 
 
 FIVE CENTS. The dashes in the corners form a 
 sort of triangular ornament, or branch The let- 
 ters are block capitals, shaded by a fine line. There 
 are no lines or dashes under ''Post Office." 
 
 First variety, (a.) The buckle on the garter has 
 the point and tongue turned up to the left. 
 
 (6.) There are six dashes above "Saint," and 
 eight above " Louis," of which the top and bottom 
 ones on each side are long strokes. 
 
 (c.) One long and two short lines and a speck 
 under "Saint," and one long and three short lines 
 under " Louis." 
 
 (d.) A long diamond in top of numeral, and a 
 mis-shapened diamond in the bow of the numeral, 
 with four dots above and nine below it, and a dot 
 in the ball of the numeral. 
 
41 
 
 (e) The bear in the shield is on a vertically lined 
 ground. 
 
 Second Variety, (a) The buckle has the tongue 
 and point turned down to the right. 
 
 (6) There are eleven dashes above " Saint," and 
 ten above " Louis " one of which cuts the frame 
 on the right. 
 
 (c) One long and two short lines, a dot, and a 
 horizontal stroke below " Saint ," one very long, 
 and three short lines under " Louis," two above 
 and two below the level of the bear's ear. 
 
 (d) A triangle in the top of the numeral, and a 
 diamond in the bow of the numeral, with four dots 
 above and nine below the latter. No dot in the 
 ball of the numeral. The right end of the scroll is 
 double, and touches the frame. 
 
 (e) The bear is on a vertically lined ground. 
 Third Variety. () The buckle has the point 
 
 turned down to the right. 
 
 (6) There are twelve lines above "Saint ," and 
 seventeen above " Louis." 
 
 (c) There are one long and three short lines un- 
 der "Saint," and one long and two short lines and 
 a dot under ''Louis," the latter on a line between 
 the ear and eye of the bear. 
 
 (d) Adiamond in the top of the 5, and an upright 
 diamond in the back, with eleven dots below and four 
 dots above it. 
 
 (e) The bear is on a ground lined horizontally 
 above and vertically below. 
 
 Mr. Pemberton thinks, from a fine clear copy he 
 
42 
 
 had seen, that for some reason the numeral of this 
 variety nad been originally engraved as a 1. He 
 says there is a thin line to the right of the down 
 stroke of the o, three small dots in a curve to the 
 right of the diamond in the top of the 5, and two 
 small dots, one over the other to the left of the 
 diamond. 
 
 Fourth Variety.* Mr. Pemberton describes a 
 fourth type of the Five cents which he claims is a 
 restoration of the second variety, from which one 
 variety of the 20 cents was made by alteration. 
 
 (a) The buckle has the point turned down to the 
 right. 
 
 (6) There are eleven dashes above "Saint," and 
 ten above '''Louis." 
 
 (c) There are four lines under "Saint," and 
 three long and two short lines under "Louis " the 
 last on a level with the bear's ear. 
 
 (c?) A diamond in the top, and a long diamond 
 in the back of 5, with four dots over and four dots 
 under the latter. Coarser shading around the fig- 
 ure, and a curved vertical line at the back of the 
 bow, being part of the of 20 badly erased. 
 
 (e) Bear on a vertically lined ground. The two 
 lines of the frame above Louis bulged. 
 
 TEN CENTS. The words " Saint, and "Louis" 
 are in small, colored, ordinary capitals, unshaded. 
 There is a long nourish curved upwards ov r each 
 
 *NOTE. Without examining the specimen from which 
 Mr. Pemberton described, it is impossible to say that it 
 may not be one of the retouches which Mr. Kershaw 
 thinks he made. 
 
43 
 
 word. It seems to have been intended to ha\e a 
 point with a short dash on each side of it, above 
 each of these, with a second long flourish curved 
 upwards and then brought down -round the end of 
 the word, and continued as a flourish under them, 
 but the details are different in the several types. 
 The numerals are ornamented by a diamond in the 
 middle of each down stroke, with three dots, above 
 and below each diamond, except in type one, 
 which has oaly two dots below the diamond in 
 the " 1." 
 
 The following varieties will be noticed : 
 First Variety. The point and right dash, between 
 the corner flourishes on both sides, usually missing, 
 and the upper flourish does not come distinctly 
 round the right hand word. 
 
 3 lines beneath "Post Office." 
 5 " " "Saint." 
 
 4 " " "Louis." 
 
 Second Variety. The point and right dash, between 
 the flourishes in the ri.'ht hand corner, gone, and 
 the upper flourish, does not come round the right 
 hand word distinctly. 
 
 3 lines beneath "Post Office,'" with a 
 smaller stroke over each. 
 
 4 lines beneath " Saint." 
 4 " "Louis." 
 
 TJiird Variety. The point between the dashes, 
 between the flourishes on the left, missing. 
 3 lines beneath " Post Office," with 
 a smaller stroke over each, and 
 
44 
 
 dots between them. 
 
 3 lines and 2 dots beneath " Saint." 
 
 4 " 1 " " "Louis." 
 
 M~. Pemberton at one time chronicled a fourth 
 variety of this value als?, but could not afterward 
 identify it. Indeed the impressions show great va- 
 riation from the intended design in the corner flour- 
 ishes, which seem to have been engraved too fine 
 in parts. 
 
 TWENTY CENTS. While the author and many 
 others do not believe the twenty cent value to be 
 genuine, in deference to such authorities as Messrs. 
 Scott and Pemberton, who accept the few speci- 
 mens known, they are here described. In the 
 American Journal of Philately, of January, 1870, 
 Mr, Scott, after describing the three varieties each 
 of the 5 and 10 cents for the first time, mentions 
 the 20 cent value as a new-discovery. Comparing 
 the three specimens, he says : Two are exactly 
 alike, and have evidently been altered from variety 
 three, above described, while the third is different, 
 having evidently been altered from variety two. 
 At a later date he mentions a fourth specimen. 
 Five specimens are all that have ever been chron- 
 icled, we believe. 
 
 Mr. Pemberton describes the first three more at 
 length, in a paper in the Stamp Collector's Maga- 
 zine, for January, 1871. He says he had before 
 him 13 stamps of the 5 cent value, and 12 of the 10 
 cents, but he does not state how many he had of the 
 20 ceuts, but that 10 of the 25 specimens were lent 
 
45 
 
 him from America. The American Journal, for 
 January, 1871, however, says he had the three 
 known specimens of the 20 cents. The theory of 
 his article is that the twenty cents was made by 
 erasing the numerals, and of course incidentally other 
 surrounding parts of the varieties two and three, of 
 the five cent value on the plate, and engraving the 
 numerals 20, printing that value and afterwards 
 erasing the 20 and replacing the five. It is also 
 the theory of the article that this was done with all 
 three varieties of the 5 cents, although the author had 
 seen only two varieties of the 20 cents, and only one 
 specimen of the 5 cents, which he could torture in- 
 to a re-engraving. He alters the arrangement of 
 varieties of Mr. Scott, to which we prefer to adhere, 
 and thus describes them : 
 
 Variety One, from variety three of the five cents. 
 
 One long and one short line under ' Saint." 
 Half of each of the original top strokes and the 
 third stroke under ' Louis" being erased, but the 
 dot left. The inner line of the frame erased from 
 the T to L, and a smaller portion of the outer 
 frame above erased also. 
 
 Variety Two, from variety two of the five cents. 
 Four strokes under "Saint." but bolder and closer 
 than the original, the vertical stroke over the left 
 bear's paw nearly erased. 
 
 Four strokes under " Louis," but deeper and 
 more regular, the third stroke downwards on a 
 level with the bear's ear. L of " Louis " has been 
 re-engraved. Bear's paw on the garter erased. 
 
46 
 
 The inner line of frame half erased between 
 il Saint" and " Louis." 
 
 It remains to be added that the numerals are, in 
 both these varieties, very badly drawn, single lined 
 and solid, instead of open and ornamented, and 
 are shaded by miserably drawn irregular horizontal 
 fine lines of uneven length, totally different from 
 the figures in the other two values. 
 
 It is both impracticable and useless to attempt to 
 repeat here all the arguments for and against the 
 authenticity of these specimens. It is claimed that 
 they were found in the same file of letters with 
 the greater part of the specimens of the other 
 values known. That the rate they indicate was a 
 regular rate upon heavy letters from St. Louis to 
 New York, and that many letters so marked that 
 do not bear stamps, were found in the same and 
 other files ; that there are no traces of erasure of the 
 5 by scratching, and the paper is no thinner under 
 the numerals than elsewhere. This seems to be the 
 substance of what can be said in their favor. 
 
 On the other hand they are not alluded to in the 
 notices published in the Republican, above quoted, 
 or elsewhere ; the engraver is positive that he did 
 not alter the values ; says that he retained the plate 
 until after Mr. Wyman had ceased to be postmast- 
 er, which was at least two years after the stamps 
 were prohibited by law, and that the workmanship 
 of the numerals could not possibly be his, and 
 would be a disgrace to any engraver ; the figures 
 are apparently made by an unskilled hand with an 
 
47 
 
 ordinary pen and ink; competent authorities in 
 such matters state that it is possible to remove 
 printing ink from paper ; three of the known 
 specimens have been photographed, two of one 
 variety and one of another ; in all the numerals dif- 
 fer, those of the two varieties mentioned by Mr, 
 Scott as corresponding, vary as much as the two 
 from different varieties of the five cents. While it 
 is true that a portion of the inner line of the frame 
 is gone between Saint and Louis, and that the 
 strokes are bolder beneath these words on one Var- 
 iety, it is not apparent that they are nearer to- 
 gether, or of different shape as Mr. Pemberton 
 thought, or that the L of " Louis " has been re-en- 
 graved. The absent lines need no comment. Last- 
 ly, the work has a blurred apperance, as if the ink 
 ha'd slightly run in to the paper around these famous 
 20 numerals, and in all .the photographs they are 
 of a different color from the remaining parts of the 
 same stamps, and the other stamps photographed 
 with them, particularly noticeable in light photo- 
 graphs, while the blurred appearance is more 
 apparent in the dark photographs. If these facts 
 do not convince those who believe in the authenticity 
 of these 20 cent varieties, that they, with Messrs. 
 Scott and Pemberton, have been the victims of a 
 clever fraud, the question will probably never be 
 settled for them, as no new facts are likely at this 
 date to be discovered. 
 
 The two cent value, once chronicled, is of a dif- 
 ent design, and an admitted invention. 
 
VI. 
 
 STAMP OF THE BRATTLEBORO POSTMASTER. 
 
 The stamp issued by the Postmaster, of Brattle- 
 borro, Vermont, is catalogued as a local as early as 
 Kline's Manual. 2nd edition, 1863. The first mag- 
 azine to describe it was Taylor's Record, February, 
 1865, which states that it was issued in 1&48, by 
 F. N. Palmer, to supply a temporary lack of the 
 current five cents and gives a fair description of it. 
 The American Journal of Philately, in January, 
 1869, in an article by Dr. Petrie, gave the first cor- 
 rect account of it. The article gives a letter pur- 
 porting to have been written by Dr. Palmer, who 
 says it was a strictly private enterprise, neither 
 ordered or repudiated by the Department, and did 
 not appear in his account with the head office at 
 Washington. "My object," he says, "in issuing 
 it was to accommodate the people, and save myself 
 labor in making and collecting quarterly bills, al- 
 most everything at that time being either charged 
 or forwarded without prepayment. I was disap- 
 pointed in the effect, having still to charge the 
 
49 
 
 stamps and collect my bills. As to the number is- 
 sued, I should say five or six hundred as an exper- 
 iment. They were engraved by tyTr, Thomas Chub- 
 buck, then of Brattleboro, now of Springfield." 
 
 Mr. Palmer thinks the stamp was issued during 
 his first year as postmaster, (1845), 
 
 The March number of the same journal, for the 
 same year, mentions a specimen on a letter of 1846, 
 post-marked with a pen, November 10th, but the 
 stamp cancelled with the word "PAID," hand- 
 stamped in red. In the Stamp Collector's Maga- 
 zine. November, 1870, Mr. L. H. Bagg, recapitu- 
 lating the foregoing, states incidentally, that one 
 reason for this accommodating spirit on the part of 
 the postmaster, was that his salary depended on 
 the cash receipts of his office, and hence his anxiety 
 to have as many letters prepaid as possible, a fact 
 which assists us in understanding why a stamp 
 should have been issued at such a small place as 
 Brattleboro then was. The postmarked letter shows 
 that the use of the stamp did not do away with the 
 necessity of marking the letter " PAID," and that 
 it was this mark and not the stamp that was recog- 
 nized by other postmasters. In his interview with 
 Mr. Bagg, the engraver, Mr. Chubbuck, was quite 
 confident that Mr. Palmer burned all the unsold 
 stamps in his possession upon the appearance of the 
 first regular United States Stamps, that the bill for 
 engraving them was not collected until June, 1848, 
 and that the charges were $7.50 for engraving the 
 plate, and $1.50 for printing 500 stamps. Mr. 
 
50 
 
 Bagg also obtained from Mr. Chubbuck a part of a 
 sheet, eight stamps, which was afterwards pur- 
 chased by Mr. Scott, who got together all the copies 
 he could t and thus reconstructed the sheet, which 
 was shown to have contained ten varieties, in two 
 horizontal rows of 5 stamps each, each stamp sep- 
 erately engraved, the words " Eng. by Thos. 
 Chubbuck, Bratt'o " appearing in small script un- 
 der the middle stamp of the lower row, and not ex- 
 tending over the length of that stamp. 
 
 BRATTLEBORO POST OFFICE. 
 
 ISSUE OF 1845 OR 1846. 
 
 * 1 F. N. P. " , the initials of the postmaster, Freder- 
 ick N. Palmer, in fac-simile, with flourish beneath, 
 on a vertically lined ground, in an oblong with cut 
 corners, bordered by a heavy colored, a colorless 
 and a finer colored line in a band lined diagonally, 
 (from right above, to left below) and bordered by 
 another fine colored, a colorless and heavier colored 
 line, forming an oblong rectangle, and inscribed 
 above "Brattleboro, Vt.," in colored black letters, 
 "P. and 0." on left and right, in ordinary colored 
 capitals, and "<5 Cents" in outline capitals below. 
 Plate impression 21 by 19 mm., in color on brown- 
 ish paper. 
 
 5 cents, black. 
 
VII. 
 
 STAMP OF THE NEW HAVEN POSTMASTER. 
 
 This stamp was discovered in an old collection 
 by Mr. Wm. P. Brown, and described by him in 
 his Curiosity Cabinet in May, 1871. The New 
 Haven Palladium of May 11, 1871, has the follow- 
 ing account of the discovery, which, though it con- 
 tains some errors as to the former postal rates, and 
 some ignorance as to the history of the stamps of 
 the United States, is worthy of insertion here. 
 
 "A CURIOSITY." 
 
 " An old envelope post office stamp, issued at 
 New Haven, of the denomination of 5 cents, 
 marked ' PAID,' and subscribed by ' E. A. Mitchell, 
 P. M.,' has lately turned up. It must have been 
 issued over 20 years ago and is probably one of the 
 oldest United States stamps in existence. Mr, 
 Mitchell was postmaster of this city from 1844 to 
 1850. When he took office the rates were 6. 10, 
 12)i>, and 25 cents for single letters, according to 
 distance, no prepayment being required . The rates 
 
52 
 
 were afterwards reduced to 10 and 5 cents accord- 
 ing to distance, and subsequently to five cents, uni- 
 form for all distances, the weight not exceeding 
 one quarter ounce, and prepayment required. At 
 this period envelopes began to come in use, and as 
 prepayment of postage could only be made at the 
 office during business hours, Mr. Mitchell took the 
 responsibility of issuing envelopes, stamped as 
 above, with his signature on each, and selling them 
 at the cost of envelopes and postage as an accomo- 
 dation ; some of the post offices refused to recognize 
 them, and reported the fact to the Department. As 
 hdwever the stamps could only be used at the New 
 Haven office, and were sent as prepaid matter, 
 properly entered on the New Haven Post Bill, 
 there could be no loss to the government, and the 
 Department taking a liberal view of the subject, 
 authorized their continuance. There is no doubt 
 that the adoption of stamps by our government was 
 much hastened by the issue of these prepaid envel- 
 opes, and it can truly be said that they were the 
 first stamps issued by the United States. Mr. 
 Mitchell is still in possession of the original plate." 
 From a letter of Mr, Mitchell's, printed in the 
 American Journal of Philatety in May, 1871, it fur- 
 ther appears that Mr. Mitchell permitted parties to 
 bring their own envelopes to be stamped. The die 
 was a simple hand stamp engraved by F, G. Gorham, 
 and the ink employed was that in ordinary use 
 for hand stamps in the office, red or blue. He was 
 postmaster from iSeptember, 1844, to 1852, and 
 
thinks the stamp was issued first in 1845. Only 
 one original stamp has so far been found. 
 
 NEW HAVEN POST OFFICE. 
 
 ISSUE OF 1845. 
 
 Large rectangular stamp, with corners cut by 
 quarter circles. Frame of a very heavy outside 
 line with an interior fine line. "Post Office'' in 
 heavy block letters inclined to left, in a straight line 
 across the top, " New Haven, O.," in a curved line 
 of Roman capitals, in a second line. Large numeral 
 " 5 " with 4t PAID " in large block capitals beneath, 
 signature (E. A. Mitchell) written, and " P. M." 
 in ordinary capitals forming the fifth line. 
 
 Impression 26 by 31 mm., from brass hand stamp, 
 in color on white or colored envelopes. 
 
 5 cents, red. 
 
 The only known original is cut square. In 1871, 
 Mr. Mitchell made a few re-impresions in red and 
 blue ink, which he signed and distributed to col- 
 lectors. The die was then deposited in the arch- 
 ives of the New Haven Colonial Historical Society. 
 Reprints. 5 cents, blue impression, red signature. 
 5 " red " blue 
 
 5 " " " black " 
 
 5 " " " no " 
 
 All on large white paper. 
 
VIII. 
 
 STAMPS OF THE PROVIDENCE POSTMASTER. 
 
 These stamps, of which the 5 cent value was cat- 
 alogued as early as 1863, and the 10 cent in June, 
 1865, were issued by Mr. H. B. Sayles, postmaster 
 at Providence, and engraved by a Mr, Kidden, of 
 that city in 1846. None of the daily papers of the 
 locality, which we have been permitted to consult, 
 seem to have noticed the issue. The plate has how- 
 ever been preserved among the archives of the 
 State of Rhode Island. 
 
 PROVIDENCE POST OFFICE. 
 
 ISSUE OF 1846 . 
 
 "Post Office," in a curved line, "Prov. R. I." in 
 a straight line, and -'Five Cents" in a curved line, 
 all in outline colorless block capitals on a ground 
 of fine horizontal lines, bordered by a fine colored, 
 a broad colorless and second fine colored line, form- 
 ing a horizontal oval, the space outside filled in with 
 similar horizontal lined ground to form a rectangle, 
 bordered by a fine colored line, the bottom and 
 
55 
 
 right side double thickness, and ornamented with a 
 white foliated ornament in each of the four corners, 
 separated by a white ball on the sides, and by from 
 two to five balls above, but none at the bottom, where 
 there is instead a prolongation of the foliation. 
 
 Plate impression (copper), 20 by 28 mm., on 
 yellowish white paper. 
 
 5 cents, black, 
 10 cents, black. 
 These stamps were issued gummed. 
 
 The paper of the sheet measures 85>s by 88 mm. 
 On the plate there are three stamps in each hori- 
 zontal and four in each vertical row, or twelve 
 stamps. The upper right hand corner stamp alone 
 bears the value "Ten Cents." If for the sake of 
 convenience the first stamp on the left of the upper 
 row is designated as type one, the next two, etc. ; 
 the first stamp on the left of the second row as type 
 four ; the first of the third row as seven ; and the 
 first of the fourth row as ten, the following may 
 be noticed among the many points of difference. 
 The plate was orignally ruled into spaces for the 
 stamps by very fine lines, which seem to have been 
 carried straight through over the spaces intended to 
 separate the stamps, and not always to have been 
 perfectly obliterated afterwards. On the right of 
 the plate there is also a vertical line parallel to the 
 right side of all the stamps in the right hand row, 
 at the distance separating two stamps (nearly 2 mm.) 
 as if the intention had been to add another stamp 
 to each horizontal row. 
 
56 
 
 Type 1. At the upper left corner, the horizontal 
 frame line thickened projects to the left and the 
 vertical line projects upward. 5 balls between the 
 foliations the middle one is an oblong rectangle, 
 the end ones touch the ornaments. The side balls 
 are on a line with the tops of the letters of "Prov., 
 R. I." There is a period after Cents. 
 
 Type 2. At the upper left corner, the horizontal 
 frame line thickened projects to the left. At the 
 lower left corner both the horizontal and vertical 
 lines thickened project. Both the horizontal top 
 and bottom lines continue on the right to Type 3. 
 5 balls, the middle one is a square, the next on the 
 right is the the lower half of a circle, the next on 
 left flat at top and bottom. These three are all 
 small. The end ball on the right larger than the 
 others. Both it and the end ball on the left are 
 flat on top. "F" in "Five" very close to the 
 border. Side balls above the line of the top of the 
 letters of " Prov., R. I." A period after Cents. 
 
 Type 3. Ten cents. The horizontal top line of 
 frame projects each way. The vertical line at the 
 right plain above but thickened and partially oblit- 
 erated below the lower right corner. The lower hori- 
 zontal line projects to the left to Type 2. 5 balls, 
 the middle one large and square, the extreme right 
 one nearly round, the remaining three irregular and 
 nearly equal in size. "E" of "Office" touches the 
 oval. Side balls below the line of the top of the let- 
 ters of "Prov., R.I. , "and lower point of left foliation 
 cuts into the left ball. No period after Cents. 
 
57 
 
 Type 4. The top horizontal line projects 10 the 
 left. The bottom horizontal line projects both to 
 the left and right. 5 balls. The middle one is 
 a small oblong rectangle. Those next to it very 
 small. Left side ball on a level with the top line of 
 letters of ; ' Prov., R. I.," but the right ball smaller 
 and lower down. No period after Cents. 
 
 Type 5. The top horizontal line projects to the 
 left, and part of it is thickened. It also projects to 
 the right. The bottom horizontal line projects to 
 the left. 5 bails. The middle one in an oblong 
 rectangle. The " s " of Cents, resembles an 8. 
 Side balls are above the line of the top of " Prov., 
 R. I," No period after Cents. 
 
 Type 6. The top horizontal line projects to left. 
 The bottom horizontal line also. The vertical left 
 line projects to type 9. 5 balls. The middle one 
 is a square. Shading of " E " of ' ; Office " touches 
 the oval. The side balls are below the tops of 
 " Prov., R. I." No period after Cents. 
 
 Type 7. The top horizontal line projects both 
 to left and right. The right vertical line projects 
 above the corner. 4 balls only. The middle one 
 is gone. They are all small. A period after Cents. 
 
 Type 8. The top horizontal and left vertical lines 
 both project at the upper left corner. 5 balls. The 
 middle ball is a square. The top of the '' E " of 
 " Office" touches the oval. The " s " in Cents is 
 very small, and is followed by a period. 
 
 Type 9. The top horizontal line projects both 
 
58 
 
 ways, and the left vertical line projects above the 
 upper left corner. Both vertical lines are continued 
 down to type 12. 2 balls only, the middle ones are 
 left out. " V " in " Prov." is too large and the 
 " F" of ' Five " touches the oval. N@ period after 
 Cents. 
 
 Type 10. The top horizontal and right vertical 
 lines both project beyond the upper right corner. 5 
 balls. The middle one square. The lower leaf of the 
 upper left foliation- has no notch. Point after Cents. 
 
 Type 11. The top horizontal line projects to the 
 left and both verticals project upwards. 5 balls. 
 The middle one is square, The end balls project 
 above top line. No period after Cents. 
 
 Type 12. Both vertical lines project up to Type 
 9. 5 dots. Middle one is an oblong rectangle. 
 The next on the right projects above the frame. 
 The one at right end is nearly round, but both those 
 at the left are rectangular. Ball at right side large 
 and flat. No period after Cents. 
 
 It has been stated that the engraver of the orig- 
 inal plate re-engraved these stamps for the benefit of 
 collectors many years ago. However this may be, 
 there are a number of very dangerous counterfeits 
 in existence, as well as some that are easily de- 
 tected. 
 
 In the following table the lines which touch the 
 letters or other parts are counted as well as those 
 between them. By these differences and peculiar- 
 ities the position of a given specimen on the plate 
 can readily be determined. 
 
5 ( J 
 
 , 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 HM 
 
 9 
 
 *! 
 
 
 
 KJ 
 o 
 
 "0 
 o 
 
 i-h 
 
 O 
 
 O 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 O 
 
 O 
 c 
 
 1 
 
 e+ 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 O 
 
 
 I 
 
 W 
 
 - 
 
 o 
 
 9 
 
 P 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 M 
 P 
 
 O 
 
 E? 
 
 o 
 
 Q 
 
 
 ? 
 
 P 
 o 
 
 P 
 
 P 
 
 &> 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 P 
 
 p 
 
 3 
 
 9 
 
 
 < 
 
 | 
 
 
 c" 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 C 
 
 H 
 
 ft 
 
 
 ft 
 
 ft 
 
 P 
 
 
 
 T^ 
 
 
 < 
 
 I-H 
 
 a 
 
 O 
 
 a 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 
 P 
 
 
 o 
 
 O 
 
 O 
 
 ft 
 O 
 
 
 
 
 ,i 
 
 w 
 
 
 
 Hh 
 
 O 
 
 o 
 
 cr 
 en 
 
 Q 
 
 p 
 cr 
 
 P 
 
 cr 
 
 P 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 3 
 
 
 * 
 
 o 
 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 C 
 
 
 
 sr 
 
 p 
 
 5> 
 
 . sr 
 
 a 
 
 P 
 
 : 
 
 
 
 
 jj? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 !__, 
 
 to 
 
 l 
 
 
 K 
 
 05 
 
 Ol 
 
 OS 
 
 -<i 
 
 O5 
 
 
 to 
 
 CC 
 
 00 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 K>\ 
 
 i\ 
 
 
 
 CO 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 . -< 
 
 Bfi 
 
 *- 
 
 05 
 
 o 
 
 
 05 
 
 te 
 
 
 
 OS 
 
 to 
 
 00 
 
 Ls 
 
 ^ 
 
 "i 
 
 a 
 
 OS 
 
 OS 
 
 05 
 
 
 
 UJ 
 
 h i 
 
 1 1 
 
 
 00 
 
 to 
 
 H 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 c 
 
 
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 ^ 
 
 h- 1 
 
 h- 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 i i 
 
 GO 
 
 8 
 
 ^x 
 
 P. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
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 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 _ 
 
 to 
 
 u 
 
 r 
 
 ^ 
 
 05 
 
 05 
 
 1* 
 
 M 
 
 K 
 
 Oi 
 
 to 
 
 OS 
 
 GO 
 
 OS 
 
 (C 
 
 
 to 
 
 OS 
 
 - 
 
 0- 
 
 - 
 
 1 
 
 c: 
 
 to 
 
 - 
 
 * 
 
 1 i 
 GO 
 
 LO 
 
 -I 
 
 s 
 
 c- 
 
 to 
 
 0, 
 
 - 
 
 05 
 
 00 
 
 05 
 
 r ' 
 
 to 
 
 M 
 
 o 
 
 s oo 
 
 K 
 
 -I 
 
 
 05 
 
 ^ 
 
 05 
 
 01 
 
 GO 
 
 i i 
 
 Ol 
 
 1 I 
 C5 
 
 CD 
 
 tsD 
 
 I i 
 00 
 
 K 
 
 H 
 
 f 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 J0\ 
 
 
 a 
 
 
 
 * 
 
 05 
 
 - 
 
 
 
 05 
 
 t 1 
 
 ( i 
 05 
 
 h- 1 
 
 to 
 
 OS 
 
 I 1 
 00 
 
 to 
 
 ^ 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 <D 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 t I 
 
 
 H 
 
 
 ce 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 Ol 
 
 CD 
 
 OS 
 
 
 
 ? 
 
 OS 
 
 GO 
 
 * 
 
 
 
 
 * 
 
 Ol 
 
 Ol 
 
 * 
 
 - 
 
 1 1 
 4- 
 
 Ci 
 
 1 1 
 
 to 
 
 to 
 
 1 
 
 * 
 
 =! 
 
 r 
 
 OS 
 
 O5 
 
 
 OS 
 
 
 
 M 
 M 
 
 Ol 
 
 53 
 
 to 
 
 GO 
 
 I 
 
 5 ! 
 
 
IX. 
 
 STAMP OF THE ALEXANDRIA POSTMASTER. 
 
 This stamp was discovered by the present author, 
 and was first chronicled in an article by him in 
 Le Timbre Poste, of February, 1873. A second 
 specimen is chronicled in Durbin's Philatelic 
 Monthly, of August, 1879. They are both post- 
 marked with the ordinary dated hand stamp of Al- 
 exandria, D. C., the word "PAID," and large 
 numeral " 5." The first post-mark is dated July 
 10th, that of the second is illegible, but the letter 
 was dated Sept. 9th, 1846. 
 
 ALEXANDRIA POST OFFICE. 
 ISSUE OF 1846. 
 
 Large round stamp, 30mm. in diameter, with 
 border of 40 six-rayed stars. Within ^Alexandria," 
 above, and "Post Office,'" below, in heavy block 
 capitals, a six-rayed star separating the words, on 
 each side. In the centre " PAID," in smaller cap- 
 itals, with the numeral "5 " beneath. 
 
61 
 
 Impression from wood block, 30mm. in diameter, 
 on yellow paper. 
 
 5 cents, black. 
 
 This stamp appears to have been originally 
 stamped upon the buff envelopes common at the 
 time, and to have been cut out and fastened to the 
 letter. No further information concerning it has 
 yet been discovered. The files at Washington, of 
 the Alexandria Gazette, the only Alexandria pa- 
 per of that period, are defective from May 22nd, to 
 October, 1845, and in part, for 1847. Daniel Brien 
 was Postmaster at Alexandria during 1845-47. 
 
X. 
 
 STAMPS OF THE BALTIMORE POSTMASTER. 
 
 This stamp was first chronicled in the Philatelical 
 Journal in 1874. The copy there described was the 
 only one known, until very recently, a second copy 
 was described in the New York World, and subse- 
 quently that and another were mentioned in the 
 Alexandria Gazette, of August 3rd, 1886, as having 
 been in possession of Mr. Thomas Semmes, of Al- 
 exandria. These are described as postmarked re- 
 spectively, January 15th, and 31st., 1847, with the 
 other marks usual upon letters of the period. From 
 1845 to 1849, Mr. James Madison Buchannan 
 was the postmaster at Baltimore, and is, said to have 
 issued this stamp in the fall of 1846. Further de- 
 tails are wanting. The stamp is a simple looking 
 slip of paper, containing the signature of the post- 
 master in fac-simile, in one line, and the value, "5 
 Cents," in a second line, bordered by a frame of 
 single colored lines, crossed at the four angles. 
 
 Impression, 55 by 15 mm., in color upon thin blu- 
 ish paper. 
 
 5 cents, black. 
 
63 
 
 Besides these adhesive stamps, Mr. Buchannan 
 also issued a species of franked envelope. Two 
 copies of this were found by Mr. Robt. H. Smith, 
 
 in examining his 
 
 S?z. ^ucLc^z^^ old letters. They 
 p fa | Q are the ordina- 
 
 ry buff wove 
 envelopes of the 
 period, size 80 
 b}' 137 mm., of 
 the old simple 
 form with straight edged flaps. In the right upper, 
 hand corner the signature " James M. Buchannan," 
 hand stamped, bO^z mm. long, the ' fc B," 4% mm. 
 high. Beneath this in a second line the word 
 " PAID," in capitals. 4 mm. high, and 16 mm. 
 long is also hand stamped. Below this again, a 
 large numeral " 5." Hi mm. high, in an oval 20H 
 mm. long by 7% high, is also hand stamped. 
 
 The specimen described is hand stamped with the 
 ordinary round hand stamp of Baltimore. Md., and 
 dated Nov. 24th. no year stated and is directed to 
 the present owner and finder. 
 
 Impression hand stamped in blue ink on buff en- 
 velopes. 
 
 5 cents, blue. 
 
 Besides these it has been claimed that the stamp 
 known as the '* horseman," was also issued in I860 
 or 1861, by the Postmaster of Baltimore. It may 
 be described as a rough design of a horseman, gal- 
 loping to the right, holding a streamer, inscribed : 
 
64 
 
 "One Cent." On ribbons above, "Government City 
 Dispatch." Rough frame of vertical lines with 
 rough ornaments in the corners, bordered by a sin- 
 gle colored line. 
 
 Impression, 23 by 17 mm., apparently litho- 
 graphed in color on white paper. 
 1 Cent, red. 
 1 " black. 
 Variety, 1 Sent " 
 
 It will appear further on, that at this date, 1860, 
 and long prior thereto, the law prohibited post- 
 masters from recognizing or permiting to be used 
 any stamps not received from the Postmaster Gen- 
 eral. In a letter published in the American Jour- 
 nal of Philately, July 20th, 1869, W. H. H. Corell, 
 3rd Assistant Postmaster General, says : " The re- 
 cords of the Department do not contain an}^ refer- 
 ence to the other stamp, Post Rider. It is sup- 
 posed to have been issued by one of the numerous 
 " City Dispatch " companies located in New York. 
 These facts and the very rough workmanship , so un- 
 like any of the authorized Government issues, would 
 seem sufficient to settle the absolutely unofficial 
 character of this stamp. 
 
XL 
 
 STAMP OF THE MILLBURY POSTMASTER. 
 
 In the collection of letters received by Col. Isaac 
 Davis, of Worcester, Mass., now in the library of 
 'the American Antiquarian Society, were found, in 
 1884. two letters written and posted at Mill- 
 bury, in August and December, 1846, postmarked 
 with the ordinary dating stamp of Millbury, of 
 the dates August 21st, and December 16th, re- 
 spectively, and stamped with an adhesive stamp, 
 cancelled with the word "PAID," in large capitals, 
 partly on the letter and partly on the stamp. The 
 earliest also bears a large "V," in an octagon 
 frame, and the other a large numeral " 5," in a cir- 
 cle. Col. Asa H. Waters, was postmaster of Mill- 
 bury in 1846, having received his commission, dated 
 January 2nd, 1836, from President Jackson, " Old 
 Hickory," and retained the office until November, 
 1848, when he resigned and obtained the office for 
 Henry Waterman, who had been his assistant. A 
 third copy of the adhesive stamp is in the posses- 
 sion of Col. Waters, postmarked exactly as the 
 
66 
 
 first described specimen, but the date is July 18th. 
 Both Col. Waters and Mr. Waterman state that the 
 idea of the stamp was suggested by the reception 
 of letters bearing the New York stamp, and that the 
 stamp was printed in Boston, from a block cut 
 in 1846. Neither gentleman has any data by which 
 to fix more exactly the date of its issue. 
 
 MILLBURY POST OFFICE. 
 
 ISSUE OF 1846. 
 
 Head of Washington, % face to the right, on a 
 colorless circular disk, 16K mm. in diameter, shad- 
 ed to left of the head, and part way in front by 4 
 diagonal lines, and bordered by a circular band, 
 2 mm. wide, edged outside and inside by a colored 
 line. The band is inscribed above, "Post Office," 
 below, "Paid 5 Cents," in colored block capitals, 
 except " 5 Cents," which is in script. There are 
 three five-pointed stars irregularly formed on each 
 side in the band. The outer circle is a little flat 
 between T and O. The vertical diameter is /l> mm, 
 longer than the horizontal. 
 
 Impression from wood block 22 by 22/s mm. in 
 diameter, in black on smooth unsurfaced white 
 paper. 
 
 5 cents, black. 
 
XII. 
 
 STAMPED ENVELOPES OF THE WASHINGTON 
 POSTMASTER. 
 
 The Daily Union, published at Washington, Wed- 
 nesda}', July 23rd. 1845, and the National Intelli- 
 gencer, of Friday, July 25th, 1845, contain the fol- 
 lowing advertising editorial : 
 
 "INTERESTING TO CITIZENS AND SOJOURNERS IN 
 WASHINGTON, Upon inquiring at the city post office, 
 we learn that Col. Gardiner has had franked (or rather 
 prepaid) envelopes prepared, which do away with the 
 necessity of personal application at the delivery window 
 when one wishes to pay postage on sending off a letter. 
 They are for sale at the post office, at the following 
 rates; which barely pay the cost, after deducting the 
 sum chargeable on each for postage, viz : 
 
 18 envelopes to enclose letters charged at 5 cents for $1.00 
 
 50 
 
 " 6 1 
 
 10 cents 1.00 
 
 4 ' '10 
 
 1 
 
 r> 50 
 
 Tin's plan, it will be recollected has been adopted in 
 the northern cities to the great advantage of the public, 
 
68 
 
 and its introduction here will save our fellow citizens 
 many a long and hitherto, indispensable trudge, in this 
 metropolis of magnificent distances." 
 
 The latter paper, however quotes the price of the 
 5 cent envelopes at 6 cents, instead of 6M. These 
 are evidently the envelopes mentioned in the article 
 of the Express, of July 8th, quoted in the chapter 
 on the stamps of the New York postmaster. Up to 
 the present time none of them have been reported 
 to have been found. 
 
 *The newspaper articles concerning these envelopes 
 were found by Mr. C. F. Rothfuchs who, at the sugges- 
 tion of the author, kindly searched the files of the 
 Washington papers. 
 
XIII. 
 
 STAMPS OF THE PHILADELPHIA POSTMASTER. 
 
 From 1845 to 1849, Dr. Geo. F. Lehman was 
 postmaster of Philadelphia. It is asserted that he 
 adopted for use in the post office at Philadelphia, a 
 number of peculiar devices of his own, which ap- 
 pear to have been a substitute for postage stamps. 
 They are described as bands with the names of the 
 persons who mailed the letters upon them, which 
 were fastened around the letters, and upon receipt 
 at the post office, were removed by the clerks and 
 kept as vouchers, the amount of postage due being 
 charged to the account of the sender, and collected 
 with the quarterly bill. There are also said to have 
 been in use several other designs in the form of 
 stamps, printed and sold by the post office, which 
 when fastened upon the letter indicated that the 
 office had received postage, and such letters were 
 then forwarded and marked as paid. 
 
 Although several varieties of these are said to have 
 been in use, none of them have yet been found. 
 
XIV. 
 
 STAMPS OF THE WORCESTER POSTMASTER. 
 
 In the National Aegis, published at Worcester, 
 Mass., September 2nd, 1846, may be found the 
 following item : 
 
 "POST OFFICE STAMPS. The postmaster has issued 
 postage stamps of the denomination of five cents and 
 ten cents. They are very convenient, and will save 
 the trouble of making change at the post office, and will 
 enable people to send prepaid letters at times when the 
 office is closed. To cover the expense of engraving and 
 printing, these stamps are sold at five per cent advance 
 upon the regular rates of postage." 
 
 Maturin L. Fisher was postmaster at Worcester, 
 from 1839 to LS49, and Andrew A. Williams was 
 his chief clerk in 1846, The above item was re- 
 cently found by the present author in searching old 
 files of newspapers, for information about the vari- 
 ous postmaster's stamps. No other Worcester pa- 
 per seems to have noticed the matter, and no further 
 information has so far rewarded the limited inquiry 
 and search possible since the discovery. Both of 
 the gentlemen in the office at the time are now 
 deceased. 
 
XV. 
 
 STAMPS OF THE PITTSFIELD POSTMASTER. 
 
 A short notice published in one of the Springfield, 
 Mass., papers, in the summer of 1874, asserts that 
 in overhauling the vaults of the Berkshire Mutual 
 Fire Insurance Company, of Pittsfield, a number of 
 stamps were found that were issued by the Pitts- 
 field postmaster, in 1846-7. Phineas Allen was 
 postmaster of Pittsfield at the time. No further in- 
 formation concerning these stamps, has rewarded 
 inquiry. 
 
XVI. 
 
 OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 It is by no means improbable that other similar 
 devices were in use in other towns and cities at this 
 period, by which prepayment of postage was se- 
 cured. The salaries of many of tlie smaller offices 
 depended on the amount of postage collected, and 
 the importance of all offices was estimated by the 
 revenue collected. It was natural, therefore, as 
 the public demand for such accommodation grew, 
 that the postmaster should adopt a device tending 
 to their own benefit. There are in the possession 
 of the present author a number of hand stamps, ap- 
 parently cut from letters and envelopes, inscribed 
 such and such a "Post Office," " 5 Cents Paid," 
 which would seem to be stamps of this kind, but in 
 the absence of further information, are not here 
 chronicled. The wide spread use of such stamps 
 would appear from the folio wing caution, published 
 in the Courier, of New York, July 18th, 1845. 
 
73 
 
 "The postmaster of this city has given notice that he 
 has prepared stamps for the use of merchants, and re- 
 quests them to provide themselves with these stamps to 
 facilitate the business of "the post office, and for their 
 own convenience. It will be observed that the post- 
 master warns the public that any stamps offered for sale 
 at any place other than the post office of this city are 
 spurious. That the use of proper stamps by merchants 
 will be a great convenience is admitted ; but these stamps, 
 thus offered, should be considered in no other light than 
 the personal obligations of the postmaster, unauthorized 
 as far as the public know, by any proper authority, and 
 if issued by the postmaster of one city, may also be is- 
 sued by the postmaster of any town or city in the United 
 States ; and if this practice becomes general, the amount 
 in these stamps held by the public will be very consid- 
 erable, and will evidently lead to great abuses and prob- 
 ably losses. 
 
 In case of the death or removal of a postmaster, we 
 know of no legal obligation of his successor to consider 
 these stamps of any value whatever. 
 
 Post office stamps to be of general utility, should be 
 issued by the General Post Office at Washington, sanc- 
 tioned by law, and with suitable penalties in case of for- 
 gery : they would be of great advantage to the Post Of- 
 fice Department, and would much facilitate business in 
 various ways, but if issued by any or all postmasters, 
 will in some cases be used "to raise the wind," and may 
 raise it pretty effectually in cases of death or default, 
 as the amount held by the public in any of the large 
 cities would be a very considerable sum." 
 
 (Signed) CAVEAT. 
 
 This article was reprinted by numerous journals, 
 among them the Express, of New York, July 18th, 
 1845. 
 
XVII. 
 
 . THE ISSUE OF 1847. 
 
 Notwithstanding these manifest dangers, noticed 
 by the Courier and Express, the public continued 
 to demand and use, and the postmasters to issue, 
 as we have seen, these unauthorized stamps, with- 
 out action on the part of Congress, or interference 
 by the Department, until the beginning of 1^47 
 when, apparently in response to the necessities 
 the case the following law was passed : 
 
 STATUTES OF THE UNITED STATES, XXIX Congress, 
 Session II, Chapter LXIII, Section 1, approved March 
 3rd, 1847. An Act to establish certain Post Roads and 
 for other purposes. 
 
 And be it further enacted, that to facilitate the trans- 
 portation of letters by mail, the Postmaster General be. 
 authorized to prepare postage stamps, which, when at- 
 tached to any letter or packet, shall be evidence of the 
 prepayment of the postage chargeable on such letter, 
 which said stamps the Postmaster General may deliver 
 to any deputy postmaster who may apply for the same, 
 the deputy postmaster paying or becoming accountable 
 for the amount of the stamps so received by him, and 
 if any of said stamps shall not be used, but be returned 
 
75 
 
 to the General Post Office, the amount so returned shall 
 be credited to such deputy postmaster, and such deputy 
 postmaster may sell or dispose ot any stamps so received 
 by him. to any person who may wish to use the same, 
 but it shall not be lawful for any deputy postmaster, to 
 prepare, use. or dispose of any postage stamps not au- 
 thorized by and received from the Postmaster General. 
 And any person who shall falsely and fraudulently make, 
 alter or forge any postage stamp with intent to defraud 
 the Post Office Department, shall be deemed guilty of 
 felony, and on conviction shall be be subject to the same 
 punishment as provided in the 21 Section of the Act ap- 
 proved March 3rd, 1825, entitled an Act,'' etc. 
 
 This is the first authorization of postage stamps 
 in the United States, and it will be well to observe 
 that the use of any stamps other than those author- 
 ized and received from the Postmaster General is 
 strictly prohibited. The use of the stamps of the 
 postmasters herein before treated of, must there- 
 fore have ceased from and after the 1st of July, 
 1847, when the law went into effect, or as soon 
 thereafter as supplies were received from the De- 
 partment. This effectually determines the charac- 
 ter of such locals, as the so-called "Horseman," and 
 "U. S, Mail Prepaid," before referred to. 
 
 According to the law and custom in the United 
 States, a contract for the engraving and printing of 
 stamps, under the authority of this Act, was made by 
 the Postmaster General with Messrs. Raw don, 
 Wright, Hatch and Edson, for four years. During 
 this time they furnished 4,400,000, five cent stamps, 
 and 1,050,000, ten cent stamps, of which 3,712,000 
 
76- 
 
 five cent, and 891,000 ten cent stamps are officially 
 reported to have been been distributed by the De- 
 partment to deputy postmasters for sale. A por- 
 tion of these, valued at $12,038.55, were however 
 afterwards returned to the Department and ex- 
 changed for those of the subsequent issue, and 
 credited to the deputies who returned them, 
 
 ISSUE OF JULY IST, 1847. 
 
 The issue consisted of two values only, five and 
 ten cents. 
 
 FIVE CENTS. Portrait of Benjamin Franklin, 
 Continental Postmaster General, facing three quar- 
 ters to the left, on an oval disk with hatched 
 ground, 14> by 17K mm., bounded by a broad col- 
 orless line with a fine colored line outside, in a rec- 
 tangular frame, also bordered by a broad colorless 
 line with a fine colored line outside. The ground 
 work of this frame is composed of fine horizontal 
 colored lines, and is ornamented by foliations, and 
 inscribed in outlined colorless capitals, " U," and 
 "S.," in the upper corners, with "Pos Q^ce," 
 between, following the form of the oval, large 
 numeral "5," and "5," in the lower corners, with 
 "Five Cents" between, following the form of the 
 oval. 
 
 Between the lines of the outer border, exactly in 
 the centre, are the initials of the engravers, "R. W, 
 H. & E.," in small colored capitals. 
 
 Plate impression, 18J by 23% mm., in color on 
 faintly bluish paper. 
 
 5 cents, bronze. 
 
TEN CENTS. Portrait of George Washington, 
 first President, facing three quarters to the right, 
 on an oval disk, with hatched background, border- 
 ed by a broad colorless line, with a fine colored 
 line outside, in a rectangular frame, bordered in 
 the same manner. The ground of the frame and in- 
 scriptions are similar to the five cents, but changed 
 for the value to a large "X," in each lower corner, 
 with "Ten Cents," between. Same small initials 
 in the lower border. 
 
 Plate impression, 18K by 23)4 mm., in color on 
 faintly bluish paper. 
 
 10 cents, black. 
 
 In the Hartford Times of August 5th, 1885, ap- 
 peared a long article, entitled: ' ; The First Postage 
 Stamps," from which the following relating to the 
 actual date of this issue may be here repeated, 
 
 " Thirty eight years ago to-day the first postage 
 stamps were used in the United States. * * * On the 
 25th of March, 1840, John M. Niles, of Hartford, be- 
 came Postmaster General and signalized his administra- 
 tion by many reforms. * * * It was necessary to cap 
 all by a genuine innovation, and he performed this by 
 suggesting the postage stamp. The suggestion was re- 
 ceived with ridicule, and Mr. Niles soon after retired. 
 * * * When Cave Johnson assumed the post office, on 
 the 5th of March, 1845, he found it an Herculian task to re- 
 instate the reform measures of Mr. Niles. * * * Among 
 the measures of Mr. Niles that he adopted was the post- 
 age stamp idea. * * * Johnson garnished his conver- 
 sation with fathering the suggestion originated six years 
 before. * * * The matter took form as a bill. * * * 
 
-78 
 
 Approved March 3rd, 1847. The date of the issue was 
 appointed as July 1st, but there was a delay in the con- 
 tractors' work and the time ran over a month. 
 
 On the 5th of August, soon after the opening of the 
 Postmaster General's office for the day, an old gentle- 
 man called to see Mr. Johnson on business. The 
 gentleman was the Hon. Henry Shaw, a New Yorker, 
 * * * and the father of the well known Henry Shaw, Jr., 
 (Josh Billings) . * * * Mr. Johnson came into his office 
 accompanied by the printer of the new stamps, a few 
 minutes after Mr. Shaw had arrived, on that August 
 morning. Sheets of the stamps were laid before the Post 
 master General, who, after receipting for them, handed 
 them to his visitor to inspect. Mr. Shaw returned them 
 after a hasty glance, and then drawing out his wallet, 
 he counted fifteen cents, with which he purchased two 
 of the stamps the first two ever issued. The five cent 
 stamp he kept as a curiosity, and the ten cent stamp he 
 presented co Governor Briggs, as an appropriate gift." 
 
 OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 In nearly all the early catalogues and in some recent 
 foreign ones, these stamps are catalogued upon 
 white paper. Mr. Terell, Third Assistant Post- 
 master General, in a letter published on page 111, 
 American Stamp Mercury. 1870, states positively 
 that this issue was never printed except upon faint- 
 ly tinted bluish paper. It may be observed, gen- 
 erally, that the paper of all stamps of the early is- 
 sues of all countries which were affixed to the blue 
 or bluish paper in general use at the time, has a 
 tendency to vary from the original color, sometimes 
 becoming blue or bluish, when originally white, 
 
79 
 
 darker or lighter blue or even whitish if originally 
 blue. This has been variously explained, as the 
 action of some ingredient in the paper of the let- 
 ter, or of the stamp, in the gum or the ink. 
 
 It must be further observed that the color of the 
 impression of the five cents varies greatly from the 
 original pale red brown, called bronze. Many 
 shades of faint red brown, red brown, faint dark 
 brown, deep dark brown, black brown, bluish black, 
 and almost pure black, may be found. Whether 
 these result, as seems to be the case, from a natu- 
 ral change in the course of time, from something in 
 the ink, paper or surroundings of the stamp itself, 
 or whether it results from the use of different col- 
 ored ink originally, may perhaps be impossible 
 now to determine. 
 
 The ten cent, however, varies very little in the 
 color of the impression. Beyond a lighter, or 
 grayish shade, a black with a bluish cast, and the 
 ordinary black impression, little is to be noticed. 
 
 The stamps are separated in the sheet by about 
 2 mm,, each way. Double copies of the five cents, 
 adhering either by the side, or by the top and bot- 
 tom, are often found on old letters, and occasional- 
 ly, three or four adhering specimens are encoun- 
 tered. The ten cents is almost invariably found in 
 single specimens, though a few pairs, and even 
 three used together are known. 
 
 According to a statement in the American Jour- 
 nal of Philately, of April, 1871, this issue was with 
 drawn from circulation between June llth and 
 
so 
 
 September 30th, 1851, The instructions of the De- 
 partment to the deputy postmasters, concerning 
 the distribution of the next issue, published in 
 June, 1851, order that these five and ten cent 
 stamps must not be recognized as prepaying letters 
 after the 30th of June, 1851, and request the pub- 
 lic to return them to the deputy postmasters, in 
 exchange for others of the new issue. The report 
 of the Postmaster General for the year expiring 
 June 30th, 1851, and published in the fall of that 
 year, further states: " Directions for the destruc- 
 tion of the dies and plates, employed in the manu- 
 facture of the stamps formerly used, have been 
 given, and for counting and burning such stamps 
 as have not been issued to postmasters or have 
 been returned," 
 
 These facts probably explain the extreme rarity 
 of unused stamps of this issue, and the re-engrav- 
 ing of the dies by the Goverment, when it was 
 considered advisable to make an exhibit of all its 
 issues of adhesive stamps at the Centennial Exhibi- 
 tion, 
 
 The existence therefore, of a specimen of four 
 unused five cent stamps, adhering by the sides, 
 and another of four unused ten cent stamps, ad- 
 hering also by the sides, in the private collection 
 of Mr, Sterling, is worthy of notice. The latter 
 specimen, at any rate, is probably unique, and 
 though called whitish paper by him, has neverthe- 
 less, the bluish tint, and certainly is not white paper. 
 
 Note. There are proofs however on white paper. 
 
XVIII. 
 
 THE ISSUE OF 1851. 
 
 The Act of the XXXI Congress, Session II, 
 Chapter XX, approved March 3rd, 1851, and en- 
 titled: "An Act to reduce and modify the Rates of 
 Postage in the United States, and for other pur- 
 poses/' reads: 
 
 " Be it enacted, etc., that from and after the 30th day 
 of June, 1851, in lieu of the rates of postage now estab- 
 lished by law, there shall be charged the following 
 rates, viz : For every single letter in manuscript, or pa- 
 per of any kind, upon which information shall be asked 
 for, or communicated, in writing, or by marks or signs, 
 conveyed in the mail for any distance, between places 
 within the United States, not exceeding 3,000 miles, 
 when the postage upon said letter shall have been pre- 
 paid, three cents, and five cents when the postage there- 
 on shall not have been prepaid, and for any distance 
 exceeding 3,000 miles, double these rates; for every such 
 single letter or paper when conveyed wholly or in part 
 by sea, and to or from a foreign country, for any dis- 
 tance over 2,500 miles, twenty cents, and for any dis- 
 tance under 2.500 miles, ten cents, excepting however, 
 all cases where such postages have been or shall be ad- 
 justed at different rates by postal treaty or convention 
 
82 
 
 already concluded or hereafter to be made; and for a 
 double letter there shall be charged double the rates 
 above specified; and for a treble letter, treble these 
 rates ; and for a quadruple letter, quadruple these rates ; 
 and every letter or parcel not exceeding half an ounce 
 in weight, shall be be deemed a single letter, and every 
 additional weight of half an ounce, or every additional 
 weight of less thau half an ounce, shall be charged with 
 an additional single postage. And all drop letters, or 
 letters placed in any post office, not for transmission, but 
 for delivery only, shall be charged with postage at the 
 rate of one cent each, and all letters which shall here- 
 after be advertised as remaining over or uncalled for in 
 any post office shall be charged with one cent in addi- 
 tion to the regular postage to be accounted for as other 
 postages now are." 
 
 The second section fixed the rates upon newspa- 
 pers of all descriptions, coming from the publishers, 
 etc., etc., which were not to be paid for by stamps, 
 but: 
 
 "Every other newspaper circular, handbill, engraving, 
 pamphlet," etc., etc., "shall be charged one cent an 
 ounce under 500 miles and one cent each additional 
 ounce between 500 and 1500 miles," double beyond, etc., 
 etc. 
 
 The third section provides : 
 
 "And be it further enacted, that it shall be the duty of 
 the Postmaster General to provide and furnish to all dep- 
 uty postmasters, and to all other persons applying and 
 paying therefor, suitable postage stamps, of the denom- 
 ination of three cents, and of such other denominations as 
 he may think expedient to facilitate prepayment of post- 
 ages provded for in this Act; and any person who shall 
 forge or counterfeit any postage stamp, provided or fur- 
 
83- 
 
 nished under this Act, whether the same are impressed 
 or printed on or attached to envelopes or not, or any die, 
 plate or engraving therefor, or shall make or print, or 
 knowingly use or sell, or have in his possession, with in- 
 tent to use or sell, any such false, forged or counter- 
 feit die, plate, engraving, or postage stamps, or who 
 shall make or print, or otherwise procure to be made or 
 printed, any postage stamps of the kind provided and 
 furnished by the Postmaster General, as aforesaid, 
 without the especial authority and direction of the 
 Post Office Department, or who, after such postage 
 stamps have been printed, shall, with intent to defraud 
 the revenue of the Post Office Department, deliver any 
 postage stamps to any person or persons other than 
 such as shall be authorized to receive the same by an 
 instrument of writing duly executed under the hand of 
 the Postmaster General, and the seal of the Post Office 
 Department, shall on conviction thereof be deemed 
 guilty of felony, and punishable by a fine not exceed- 
 ing 500 dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding 
 five years; or by both such line or imprisonment, 
 and the expenses of procuring and providing all 
 such postage stamps and letter envelopes as are provid- 
 ed or authorized by this Act, shall be paid, after being 
 adjusted by the auditor of the Post Office Department, 
 on the certificate of the Postmaster General, out of any 
 money in the Treasury, arising from the Kevenues of 
 the Post Office Department." 
 
 The 4th section provides that postage stamps shall 
 be defaced as the Postmaster General may direct, 
 and the penalty for omitting so to do. 
 
 The 10th section provides for the appointment 
 of carriers, the rate to be one or two cents prepaid, 
 the carriers to be paid oat of the receipts from this 
 postage. 
 
84 
 
 The llth section authorizes the coming of the 
 three cent coin, probably to facilitate the payment 
 of these rates. 
 
 The other matters mentioned in the foregoing Act 
 are of little interest here, but the following circular 
 contains some matters of importance : 
 
 KEGULATIONS CONCEKNING POSTAGE STAMPS. 
 
 POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, 
 
 June 10th, 1851. 
 
 To facilitate the payment of postages upon letters and 
 packages, postage stamps of the following denomina- 
 tions are provided and furnished by the postmaster 
 General, pursuant to the third section of the "Act to re- 
 duce and modify the rates of Postage in the United 
 
 States, and for other purposes approved March 3rd, 
 1851. 
 
 Viz: No. 1. Printed in black, representing the head of 
 Washington, of the denomination of twelve 
 cents. 
 
 No. 2. Printed in red, representing the head of 
 Washington, in profile, of the denomination 
 of three cents. 
 
 No. 3. Printed in blue, representing the head of 
 Franklin, in profile, of the denomination of 
 one cent. 
 
 These stamps will be furnished to one or more of the 
 principal postmasters in each county, who will be re- 
 quired to supply the other postmasters in their vicinities, 
 upon being paid for the amount furnished." 
 
 The remaining provisions relate to the mode of 
 distribution, accounting, cancelling, etc., and are 
 of no particular interest. The circular is signed 
 "Nathan D, Hall, Postmaster General." 
 
85 
 
 A similar circular dated April 3rd, 1852, is al- 
 most an exact repetition of the foregoing. The 
 stamps issued may be described more fully thus: 
 
 ISSUE OF JULY IST, 1851. 
 
 ONE CENT. Bust of Benjamin Franklin, first 
 Postmaster General, in profile, facing to the right, 
 in an oval disk 17 by 20/2mm., with a ground of 
 very fine horizontal colored lines, slightly waved, 
 bordered by a colorless line between two fine col- 
 ored lines. The colorless line is ornamented by a 
 line of fine dots. Above is a label, bordered at the 
 top by a similarly ornamented colorless line, between 
 two fine colored lines, terminated at the ends by 
 the corner ornaments of the stamp, with a ground 
 of fina colored lines following the lines of the oval, 
 and inscribed in outline capitals "C7. S. Postage." 
 Below the oval is a similar label, the ends termina- 
 ted by a similar border, with a ground of fine col- 
 ored lines,* inscribed "One Cent" in outline capi- 
 tals. This label is shaded by a number of vertical 
 lines. Scroll and foliated corner ornaments ex- 
 tending down the sides. There is no cutside line 
 finishing the frame. The stamps are very near 
 each other on the sheet. 
 
 Plate impression, 19 by 22mm., color, white paper. 
 1 cent, shades of indigo blue. 
 
 THREE CENTS. Bust of Washington, first Presi- 
 dent of the United States, in profile to left, on an 
 oval disk, with hatched ground, bordered by a fine 
 colorless line between two fine colored lines, sur- 
 
rounded by a frame composed of colorless lines, 
 forming diamonds on a solid ground, the alternate 
 diamonds filled in with diagonal colorless lines, leav- 
 ing a colored chain conspicuous, with rosettes in 
 the four angles. The space between the oval and 
 frame filled with horizontal lines, and the corners 
 outside the rosettes filled with ornamented triangles. 
 Above and below all these are solid colored labels, 
 with a small piece containing a diamond cut off at 
 each end by a vertical colorless line, inscribed in 
 colorless Roman capitals, above 11 U. S* Postage," 
 below ^Tliree Cents. 1 " The whole is surrounded, 
 at a little distance, by a colored line forming a rect- 
 angle. 
 
 Plate impression 20 by 25mm., color, white paper. 
 3 cents, in shades of brick and rose red, 
 
 TWELVE CENTS. Bust of Washington, after Stew- 
 art, facing three quarters to the left, on an oval 
 disk 13> by 17mm., with hatched ground, bor- 
 dered by a colorless line between two colored 
 lines. This colorless line is crossed by h izontal 
 lines. About this is a frame like that oi the 3 
 cents, with rosettes at the angles, but showing six 
 and two half links in the chain on each side, instead 
 of five and two half links as in the three cents. 
 The outside corners are filled by small foliations, 
 The space between the oval and frame is filled by 
 horizontal lines. Inscription above "(7. S. Post- 
 age," below " Twelve Cents" in colorless capitals, 
 shaded outside on the back ground and following 
 the curve of the oval. The whole is surrounded by 
 
87 
 
 a fine colored line. 
 
 Plate impression, 19 by 25mm., color, white paper. 
 12 cents, black. 
 
 As it was considered desirable to keep the amounts 
 collected and paid for delivery by carriers (under 
 section 10 of the act) separate, a special stamp 
 for the paj^ment of such postage was soon added : 
 
 ISSUE OF SEPTEMBER 29TH, 1851. 
 
 ONE CENT. Bust of Benjamin Franklin, in pro- 
 file, to the left, on an oval disk, 15 by 17/^mm. with 
 hatched ground, bordered by a colorless line be- 
 tween two fine colored lines. Frame, labels, etc., 
 like the three cents, but with a colorless star be- 
 tween curved colorless lines at the end instead of 
 the diamonds. The inscription is in colorless Roman 
 capitals, on the upper label "Carrier's," and 
 "/Stamp" in the lower label. 
 Plate impression, 19>s by 24mm. , color, rose paper. 
 
 No value indicated, indigo blue. 
 Specimens exist in brick red, some of which show 
 he crack in the die. These must be proofs, al- 
 hough a letter purporting to be from W. M. Ire- 
 land, Third Assistant Postmaster General, dated 
 August 10th, 186?, and published in the August 
 number of the American Journal of Philately, after 
 describing this stamp says: 
 
 "'Color, orange-brown, typographed in color on white 
 paper. Proofs were, issued printed in blue on pink pa- 
 per; also in green and yellow. It was issued about Sep- 
 tember 29th, 1851, but was suppressed almost immedi- 
 
88 
 
 ately, owing to its great similarity to the then three cent 
 stamp. Only about 300,000 were ever issued. It has al- 
 ways surprised me that -the Department has never kept 
 any official history of its stamps." 
 This stamp was succeeded by the 
 
 ISSUE OF NOVEMBER, 17, 1851. 
 
 ONE CENT. Eagle poised for flight, turned to the 
 left, resting on a branch of laurel, on an oval disk, 
 18 by 13mm., the ground of clouds and rays, sur- 
 rounded by a fine colored line, a colorless line, and 
 a band of solid color inscribed in colorless Roman 
 capitals, above ' k C7. S. P. 0, Dispatch," below 
 "Prepaid, One Cent," with ornaments of oak leaves 
 on the left and of laurels on the right. 
 
 Plate impression, 19 by 25mm, color, white paper. 
 1 cent, blue. 
 
 A letter dated from the Post Office Department, 
 Finance Office. July 20th, 1869, and signed W. H. 
 H. Coreil, Third Assistant Postmaster General, 
 published in the American Journal of Philately, 
 says: 
 
 " The blue stamp "Eagle" was used for prepaying 
 City letters delivered by carriers. It was issued about 
 Nov. 17th, 1851, and was withdrawn Jan. 27th, 1852. Tt 
 was very little used except in Philadelphia, Pa., and Cin. 
 cinnati, Ohio." 
 
 As a matter of fact however, the published re- 
 ports of the Pastmaster General, shows that there 
 were issued : 
 
 4,777,552 from Nov. 1851, up to June, 1852. 
 
 4,370,383 " June 1852, " " " 1853. 
 
 7,103,416 " 1853, " " " 1854. 
 
These stamps were all engraved and printed by 
 Messrs. Toppan, Carpenter, Cassilar and Co., of 
 Philadelphia, under a contract with the Depart- 
 ment. 
 
 The collector naturally desires to know what sup- 
 posed peculiarities of the public demand led to the 
 selection of these values, and not others. As al- 
 ready shown, the carriers were paid out of the re- 
 ceipts from the sale of the two carrier stamps. 
 
 The one cent was required for newspapers and 
 other printed matter, either singly or in twos, 
 threes, fours, fives, sixes, etc., and Mr Sterling has 
 preserved specimens thus used, adhering, either in 
 strips by the sides or ends, or in bloiks. 
 
 The three cent stamp paid the ordinary letter 
 rate, and two or more would be required on double, 
 triple, etc., letters. Mr, Sterling has also pre- 
 served strips and blocks of these found so used. 
 
 The single postage to California was six cents. 
 This was also the double letter rate, and it seems 
 singular that a stamp of this value was not issued. 
 Its place was supplied by two three cent stamps, 
 the double rate to California by four three cent 
 stamps, etc. That it was also supplied occasional- 
 ly by half of the twelve cent stamp, cut diagonally 
 from corner to corner, specimens so used on the 
 original envelopes in the possession of the same 
 gentleman abundantly prove. The twelve cent 
 must, therefore, have had no function except to re- 
 place a quadruple ordinar}' rate, or a double Cali- 
 fornia rate.' For foreign letters, the postage was 
 
90 
 
 10 or 20 cents, when not provided for by treaty. 
 Most of the treaties fixed the same rates, and 
 stamps of those values would seem to have been 
 required, The fact that prepayment was optional, 
 may have influenced the demand for these values. 
 
 Soon after the issue of the foregoing series, the 
 postal rates were again discussed in congress, and 
 the law amended as follows : 
 
 XXXIII Congress, Session II, Chapter 173, Section 31, 
 approved March 30th, 1885, entitled: "An Act further to 
 amend the Act entitled: 'An Act to reduce, etc., ap- 
 proved March 3d, 1851.' " 
 
 Be it enacted, etc. That in lieu of the rates of post- 
 age now established by law, there shall be charged the 
 following rates to wit: For every single letter in manu- 
 script, or paper of any kind in which information shall 
 be asked, or, communicated in wricing, or by marks or 
 signs, conveyed in the mail, for any distance between 
 places in the United States not exceeding 3,000 miles, 
 three cents ; and for any distance exceeding 3,000 miles, 
 ten cents. And for a double letter, there shall be 
 charged double the rates above specified; and for a tre- 
 ble letter, treble these rates, and for a quadruple letter, 
 quadruple these rates ; and every letter or paper not ex- 
 ceeding half an ounce in weight shall be deemed a sin- 
 gle letter; and every additional weight of half an ounce, 
 or every additional weight of less than half an ounce, 
 shall be charged with an additional single postage; and 
 upon all letters passing through or in the mail of the 
 United States, except such as are to or from a foreign 
 country, the postages as above specified, shall be pre- 
 paid, except upon letters and papers addressed to officers 
 of the government on ofiicial business, which shall be so 
 marked on the envelope. And from and after the first 
 
91 
 
 day of January, 1850, the Postmaster General may re- 
 quire postmasters to place postage stamps upon all pre- 
 paid letters, upon which such stamps may not have been 
 placed by the writers. 
 
 And all drop letters, or letters placed in the post of- 
 fice, not for transmission through the mail, but for deliv- 
 ery only, shall be charged with postage at the rate of 
 one cent each, and all letters which shall hereafter be 
 advertised as remaining over or uncalled for in any 
 post office, shall be charged with one cent each in addi- 
 tion to the regular postage, both to be accounted for as 
 other postages now are. 
 
 Section 2. And be it further enacted, that it shall 
 be unlawful for any postmater or other person, to sell any 
 postage stamp or stamped envelope for any larger sum 
 than that indicated upon the face of such postage stamp, 
 or for a larger sum than that charged therefor by the 
 Post Office Department. 
 [Here follows the penalty for so doing.] 
 
 Sections. And be it further enacted: That for the 
 greater security of valuable letters posted for transmis- 
 sion in the mails of the United States, the Postmaster 
 General be, and hereby is authorized to establish a uni- 
 form plan for the registration of such letters on applica- 
 tion of parties posting the same, and to require the pre- 
 payment of the postage, as well as a registration fee of 
 five cents, on every such letter or packet, to be ac- 
 counted for by postmasters receiving the same, in such 
 manner as the Postmaster General may direct: Provid- 
 ed, however, that such registration shall not be compul- 
 sory : and shall not render the Post Office Department, 
 or its revenues liable for the loss of such letter or pack- 
 age, or the contents thereof. 
 
 By this Act there was established for the first 
 time compulsory prepayment, at a uniform rate of 
 
92 
 
 3 and 10 cents, according as the distance was less 
 or greater than 3,000 miles, upon letters in the 
 United States, and the Act of the XXXIV Con- 
 gress, Session III, Chapter 1, approved January 
 2d, 1857, entitled: "An Act to provide for the 
 compulsory Prepayment of Postage on all transient 
 printed matter," which provided, that such postage 
 " shall be prepaid by stamps or otherwise, as the 
 Postmaster General may direct," completes ttie 
 legislation upon the subject, so far as it is of inter- 
 est here, up to the year 1861. 
 
 Upon the approval of this Act, the following cir- 
 cular, dated at Washington, March 12th, 1855, 
 was issued to postmasters : 
 
 XEW POSTAGE ACT. 
 
 INSTRUCTIONS TO POSTMASTERS. 
 
 The particular attention of Postmasters and others is 
 invited to the annexed Act, passed at the last session of 
 Congress. It will be observed : 
 
 1st. That from and after April 1st, 1855, the single 
 rate of postage on a letter conveyed in the mail, for any 
 distance in the United States, not exceeding three 
 thousand miles, is three cents, and for any distance ex- 
 ceeding three thousand miles, ten cents. 
 
 2nd. That from and after April 1st, -1855, prepay- 
 ment by stamps, stamped envelopes or in money is com- 
 pulsory. 
 
 3rd. That from and after January 1st, 1856, all let- 
 ters, between places in the United States, must be pre- 
 paid either by postage stamps or stamped envelopes. 
 
 4th. That the laws relating to the Franking Privil- 
 edge are not altered. 
 
93 
 
 5th. That the existing rates aud regulations in regard 
 to letters to or from Canada, and all foreign countries, 
 remain unchanged. 
 
 Unpaid letters mailed before April 1st, 1855, will be 
 forwarded and delivered upon payment of the postage, 
 by the person addressed. Postage stamps and stamped 
 envelopes, of the denomination of ten cents, will be pre- 
 pared and issued speedily, and the Department will use 
 every exertion to supply all post offices with one and 
 and three cent stamps also, as fast as they are required. 
 
 Absolute prepayment being required on all letters to 
 places \vithin the United States, from and after- April 
 1st, 1855, great care should be used as well in prepaying 
 the proper amount on lettters above the weight of half 
 an ounce, as on single letters. 
 
 Postmasters will post up conspicuously in their re- 
 spective offices a notice, calling attention to the provis- 
 ions of the Act requiring prepayment. 
 
 The provisions in regard to the registration of valua- 
 ble letters will be carried into effect, and special instruc- 
 tions issued on the subject, as soon as the necessary 
 blanks can be prepared and distributed. 
 
 (Signed) JAMES CAMPBELL, 
 
 Postmaster General. 
 Post Office Department, March 12, 1855. 
 
 N. B. Copy of the Act of March 3d, 1855, on the back. 
 
 Another circular dated at Washington, Nov. 20th, 
 1855, also signed by the Postmaster General, after 
 reciting certain regulations which are addressed to 
 and concern only the postmasters themselves, con- 
 tains the following : 
 
 "Section 7. The denominations of postage stamps 
 authorized by the Department to be issued, are one, 
 hree,five, ten and twelve cents." 
 
94 
 
 The one, three and twelve cents of the issue of 
 1851, remaining in use without apparent change, 
 and the same contract with Messrs. Toppan, Car- 
 penter, Casellar & Co., of Philadelphia, remaining 
 in force, the following were added to the series: 
 
 ISSUE OF MAY OTH, 1855. 
 
 TEN CENTS. Portrait of Washington, after Stew- 
 art, faced three-quarters to the left, on an oval 
 disk with hatched ground, bordered by a colorless 
 line between two fine colored lines, the colorless 
 line crossed in parts by small horizontal lines, on a 
 hatched back-ground, bordered by outlined folia- 
 tions, which form small ovals in the upper corners 
 containing a colorless" X," with tl U. S. Postage" 
 in colored capitals between them. Thirteen color- 
 less stars on the ground above the oval. "Ten 
 Cents" in colorless capitals in a waved line below. 
 
 Plate impression, 18 by 24 mm., in color, on 
 white paper. 
 
 10 cents, green. 
 
 This stamp was issued to provide for the single 
 rate to California. 
 
 ISSUE OF JANUARY STH, 1856. 
 FIVE CENTS. Portrait of Jefferson, the third Presi- 
 dent of the United States, faced three quarters to 
 the right, on an oval disk, 12/4 by 15/^mm. , with 
 hatched ground, bordered by a colorless line be- 
 tween two fine colored lines, in a broad frame with 
 solid ground, ornamented by colorless lines forming 
 
95 
 
 a geometric lathe pattern. This frame is rounded 
 at the corners, with a small projection of about 2 
 mm. between at the top, bottom and sides, and is 
 surrounded at a little distance by afine colored line 
 following the same outline. On the back ground, 
 without labels, above "U. S. Postage," below 
 "Five Cents," in colorless Roman capitals. 
 
 Plate impression, 19 by 25mm., in color, on white 
 paper. 
 
 5 cents, in shades of yellow brown, red brown, 
 and dark brown. 
 
 This stamp was issued to prepay the registration 
 fee, but is often found in unsevered pairs upon 
 California letters, and sometimes in triplets includ- 
 ing the registration fee and a single postage to Cal- 
 ifornia. 
 
 On the 24th of April, 1856, a stamp of the value 
 of twenty-four cents was approved. 
 
 TWENTY-FOUR CENTS. Portrait of Washington, 
 after Stewart, faced three quarters to the right, on 
 an oval disk, with hatched ground, bordered by a 
 colorless line, surrounded by a solid band of color, 
 inscribed in colorless Roman capitals, above li U.S. 
 Postage," below "Twenty-four Cents," separated by 
 a sort of buckle at the sides. A broad solid colored 
 frame, ornamented by colorless lathe work is sur- 
 rounded, at a little distance, by a fine colored line, 
 and the corners are rounded, with a single swell 
 between them above and below, and three between 
 them at the sides. 
 
-96 
 
 Plate impression, 1$% by 25mm., in color on 
 white paper. 
 
 25 cents, lilac. 
 
 Although made and approved, this stamp is said 
 to have been withheld from issue in this imperfo- 
 rate condition. They were finished and gummed, 
 and some of them seem to have gotten into circula- 
 tion, as occasional specimens are to be found in 
 collections, and one entire sheet, at least, is known 
 to have existed. 
 
 OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 Every collector ought at least to be aware of the 
 nature and character of the varieties that exist in 
 these stamps. Although many of them are very 
 minute, and can be distinguished only by the use 
 of a good magnifying glass, others, once noticed, 
 can readily be selected by the unassisted eye. Few 
 will care, probably, to place more than the most' 
 marked varieties in their collections, still fewer will 
 have the patience to explore the necessary piles of 
 common "stock, " in order to find these marked 
 varieties, for the most marked are the most uncom- 
 mon, or to distinguish the more minute varieties 
 from each other. 
 
 The plates of all values printed 200 stamps each 
 upon the sheet. Before the stamps were distrib- 
 uted, each sheet was cut vertically into half sheets, 
 the place where they were to be cut being marked 
 on the plate by a vertical colored line, and each 
 
97- 
 
 half containing ten rows of ten stamps each. Up- 
 on each side of the plate, at -a little distance from 
 the outer row of stamps, the tops of the letters be- 
 ing towards the stamps, and running along the 
 sides of the oth and 6th stamp from the top or bot- 
 tom of the sheet, and part :f the 4th and 7th stamp, 
 is the maker's imprint, "Toppan, Carpenter, Cassilar 
 
 & Co., BANK NOTE'ENGRAVP:RS, pwia., New 
 
 York, Boston and Cincinnati," with "No P." in a 
 second line. This imprint was afterwards changed 
 by leaving out the third name. 
 
 The one cent eagle is an exception, as the imprint 
 here appears at the top and bottom of the sheet, 
 running along the space covered by four stamps, 
 and the sheet is said to have contained only 100 
 
 stamps. 1 
 
 Upon some of the sheets, of the other values, from 
 the first plate, there is also a vertical line from the 
 top to bottom of the plate, probably upon each outer 
 margin. Upon other sheets, this does not ap- 
 pear. Specimens of these are now difficult 'to ob- 
 tain, as the wide borders at the sides, the top 
 and bottom of the sheets, were usually cut off when 
 the stamps were used. 
 
 ONE CENT UNPERFORATED. 
 
 The stamps are about Mmm. apart between the 
 nearest points of the tops and bottoms, and 1mm. 
 between the nearest points of the sides. 
 
 It should be noticed that the top and bottom la- 
 bels have a fine line parallel to the solid body of 
 
98 
 
 the inscribed labels, both at the top and bottom. 
 
 The imprint is about iHmm. from the outer row 
 of stamps. The central vertical line is about 1% 
 mm. from each central row. The side vertical lines 
 are about S^mm. from the outside rows. These 
 dimensions vary slightly. There is little apprecia- 
 ble difference in the stamps in a sheet, except in 
 the thickness of the lines bordering or shading the 
 ornaments. In some specimens, these lines are all 
 fine in all parts of the stamp, in others, they are 
 much heavier, and in others fine in parts and heavy 
 in other parts, in many gradations. The color used 
 seems to have been always the same, varying only in 
 intensity, as more or less ink was left on the paper in 
 printing. Dark, or pale specimens, with intermedi- 
 ate shades ma}^ therefore be found. The paper is 
 always white, but more or less tinted with the color 
 of the stamp from imperfect wiping of the plates. 
 
 THREE CENTS UNPERFORATED. 
 
 The number of plates used in printing this value 
 unperforated, has not been possible to determine. 
 The distance between the stamps varies considera- 
 bly in different plates. In some, they are only i^- 
 mm. apart between the tops and bottoms, in others 
 a little over 1mm. In some they are only Amm. 
 apart between the side lines, in other fully Irtrmm. 
 Specimens with broad, white margins (A) show the 
 the paper to have extended, sometimes 15mm. be- 
 yond the stamps. The vertical lines are (B) 6mm., 
 
99 
 
 or (C) 2 l o, 3 and 3%mm. from the center rows. 
 The makers imprint (D) is about l^mrn. from the 
 outer rows, but varies slightly in different sheets. 
 
 The process of making these plates is said to have 
 been ; first to mark out on a soft plate of steel the 
 points at which the right vertical line of each verti- 
 cal row of stamps was to come, by a dot at the top 
 and bottom of the plate. These dots were some- 
 times too large and too heavily put in, and may be 
 found in some specimens (E) at or near, the upper 
 or lower right hand corner of the stamp. The lines 
 however were not always accurately drawn so that 
 the dot appears (F) on the top or bottom line, at a 
 distance to the left of the corner, or (G), above the 
 line, or (H) below the line, or (I) entirely outside 
 of the stamp to the right. These lines having been 
 drawn, the next step in the process was to put in 
 the body of the design, which had been engraved 
 on a soft steel punch or die, and then hardened, 
 by placing the die successively in the position to 
 be occupied by each stamp on the plate, and 
 "rocking" it back and forth under pressure. As 
 this process was not as perfect as that now employ- 
 ed, the die was not always placed in exactly the 
 proper position, not infrequently being too near 
 or too far from the vertical side lines, or the die 
 was not rocked far enough, and the edges were left 
 imperfect. 
 
 In the design, it was evidently intended that the 
 outside lines should be equally distant from the top 
 and bottom labels, and the side edges of the block, 
 
100 
 
 and that the corners should be exactly mitered. 
 The top and bottom lines are practically always at 
 the same distance from the labels, and one engraver 
 maintains that they were engraved on the die. But 
 specimens are plentiful in which (a) the top and 
 bottom line projects beyond the side line, or (b) 
 does not touch it, or rarely (c) is double or split, 
 or again the side line (d) projects beyond the top 
 or bottom line, or (e) does not touch it. Again, 
 instead of the side line being (f) at the proper 
 distance from the corner blocks, it is not infre- 
 quently (g) too far from one or more of them, or 
 (h) too near one or more of them, or (i) touches 
 one or more of them. Again, the side line is found 
 (j) connecting with the next stamp above or below, 
 and occasianally there is a second line (J) near this 
 between two stamps. 
 
 In the die itself it will be noticed that the lower 
 left block is almost always a little further to the left 
 than the top one, in fact, that the distance from the 
 right of the right block to the left of the left block 
 is about K of a mm. greater at the bottom than at 
 the top of the stamp. The lower right rosette is a 
 little too far also to the right, ordinarily at least. 
 The blocks vary in size in the same and different 
 stamps, as well as the diamonds in them, which are 
 not of uniform shape or size. The labels above 
 and below are crowded upon the rosettes. The 
 sides of the. groundwork should terminate in a 
 straight line, formed by the bases of the little col- 
 ored triangles, which touch each other. But this 
 
101 
 
 line is often broken in appearance as parts of it are 
 too finely cut, or the die was not rocked far enough. 
 In some cases this seems to have been remedied by 
 re-engraving this line, and there is a heavy line, 
 independent of the base lines of the triangles ex- 
 tending, (K) from rosette to rosette, (L)from the 
 lower rosette to the upper triangle, (M) from the 
 lower rosette to the middle of the upper triangle, 
 (N) from the lower rosette to the top of the upper 
 triangle, (O) from the lower rosette to the upper 
 block, (P) a light line extending from the lower 
 rosette to the upper block, (Q) a heavy lino extend- 
 ing from the middle of the lower block to the upper 
 triangle, (R) or from the middle of the lower trian- 
 gle to the upper rosette. Frequently there is a 
 light line (S) from the side of the triangle in the 
 corner to the adjacent block. The triangles are or- 
 dinarily shaded by horizontal parallel lines, and are 
 formed by a single fine line on the top and vertical 
 sides, while the curved side is double. But the 
 following variations occur : (T) the triangle has a 
 heavy side line, (U) a double side line, (V) a triple 
 side line, (W) is white or nearly so, the horizontal 
 line having disappeared. 
 
 Again it will be found that there are added lines 
 along the whole or part of either side line, making 
 these double, or even triple. Thus whether there 
 is a distinct line, as described, between the rosettes, 
 etc.. or not, if the next line be called the frame line, 
 there may be found varieties with an extra line out- 
 side the frame line, but (k) very near it, (1) farther 
 
102 
 
 from it, (ra) very heavy, the frame line being thin, 
 (n) the frame line split into two parts from the mid- 
 dle up, (o) frame line split into two parts from 
 chin up, (p) two extra side lines all the way, (q) 
 extra line from the level of the chin to the upper 
 rosette, (r) extra line from the level of the lips to 
 upper rosette, (s) from the level of the lips to the 
 centre of the rosette, (t) from the level of the nose 
 to the top of the triangle, (u) from the level of the 
 breast to the top of the triangle, (v) opposite the 
 bottom rosette. If there be added to these letters the 
 numerals I to express the left side, 2 the right when 
 the variations occur along the whole side, and 1 for 
 the top, 3 for the bottom on the left side, 2 for the 
 top, and 4 for the bottom on the right side, when 
 the variations occur only at the top or bottom, the 
 following table will facilitate investigation. 
 
 On the On the 
 
 L afthe T Specimens Showing *gg 
 
 Top Bottom Top Bottom 
 
 A 1 broad margin over 6 mm. and no line A 2 
 B 1 " " ver. line 6mm. from stamp B 2 
 
 C L " u " 2to3| " C 2 
 D 1 " " printer's imprint D 2 
 
 dot on or near the corner E 2 E 4 
 
 " " the end line, away from corner F 2 .F 2 
 
 above " G 2 G 2 
 
 " below " H 2 H 2 
 
 " outside the corner I 2 I 2 
 
 a 1 a 3 end line projecting beyond the corner a 2 a 4 
 
 b 1 b 3 - " " not touching " b 2 b 4 
 
 c 3 " u split or double c 4 
 
 d 1 d 3 side " projecting beyond " d 2 d 4 
 
103 
 
 e 1 e 3 " " not touching " e 2 e 4 
 
 f l f 3 " " ordinary distance from block f 2 f 4 
 
 gl g3 it U too f ar f rom ii g 2 g4 
 
 n l n 3 ti U toQ C l oge to h 2 n 4 
 
 i 1 i 3 " " touching the " i 2 i 4 
 
 j 1 j 3 " " connecting with the next stamp j 2 j 4 
 
 " " and another " " " J 2 
 
 K 1 heavy " from rosette to rosette K 2 
 
 L 1 " " " low. roset. to up'r triangle L 2 
 
 M 1 u " " lo. r. to mid. of " M 2 
 
 N 1 " " " '.' ' ; top of " 4t N 2 
 
 O 1 " ' u * " " ' " block O 2 ' 
 
 P 1 light u " " " - 4k P 2 
 
 Q 1 heavy" u mid. low. block to triangle Q 2 
 
 R 1 " " " " tri. to up. roset. K 2 
 
 S 1 S 2 fine " " triangle to adjoining blockS 2 S 4 
 
 T 1 T- triangle with heavy side line T 2 T 4 
 
 U 1 IP u extra " U- U 4 
 
 yi v 2 - " 2 " u V- 2 - V 4 
 
 W 1 W* " white or nearly so W- W^ 
 
 k 1 extra line, outside frame line near it k 2 
 
 ji u i u u far off 1- 
 
 m 1 heavy " " thin frame line m- 
 
 n 1 frame " split into 2 parts half way n- 
 
 n l u u 3/ " 
 
 u X4 
 
 p 1 two extra lines, continuous 
 
 q 1 extra line frame, lev. of chin to up'r roset. ... 
 
 r 1 " " " lips u 
 
 s 1 " 4 " " center roset. .... _[ 
 
 t 1 " " " nose, topoftrian. ..:. 
 
 u 1 " " " breast, " 
 
 v 1 " opposite the bottom rosette 
 
 All the variations mentioned in this table have been 
 found. It is scarcely possible that each of them ex- 
 ists separately, i. e. : on specimens that are in other 
 
304 
 
 respects normal. Many of them have been found 
 so, but most of them only in combination. The fol- 
 lowing may be mentioned: 
 
 A, B.C,D. Specimens showing broad margins with 
 no outer Hue, with outer line 6mm. from stamp, with 
 outer line about 3mm. from the stamp, or with printer's 
 imprint, have been found, both from the left and right 
 sides of the sheet, with all the other parts normal. These 
 would be, 
 
 J^i f 1 2 3 4 A 2 fl 2 3 4^ g 1 fl 2 3 4 J}2 fl 2 3 4 
 C l fl 2 3 4 ? C 2 f 1 2 3 4 , D 2 f 1 2 3 4 , D 2 f 1 2 3 4 , , 
 
 With the vertical line about 3 mm. from the stamp, 
 three corners only normal,the side line too near the lower 
 right block, a dot on the upper right corner, the right line 
 connected with the stamp below, and a fine line from 
 each of the upper triangles to the block above, which 
 would be O 2 f 1 2 3 h 4 E 2 j 4 S 2 4 . 
 
 And also with the vertical line about 3 mm. from 
 the stamp, all the corners normal, a heavy line ter- 
 minating the ground between the rosettes on the right, 
 both the triangles on the right connected with the 
 blocks next them, and an extra vertical line in the upper 
 right triangle, which would be C^ i L * a A K 3 - S 2 - A IP, 
 which will serve to show the character of the com- 
 binations in which these varieties may be found. 
 
 Varieties showing the dot, E to I, generally present 
 other varieties also. The following combinations may be 
 noted : 
 
 With the bottom line double, or rather split, three 
 of the triangles have fine connecting lines, c^ C A S 2 - & A . 
 
 With the right side prolongued, and continuous with 
 the side line of the stamp above or below, j 2 or j A . 
 
 With the right side line prolonged upwards, and con- 
 tinuous with the lower, but not with the upper stamp 
 and a second line 1mm. to left from stamp to stamp, J^. 
 
105 
 
 With the extra line outside the frame line on right 
 and near it. all the other parts being normal, the line of 
 the ground work not appearing as a separate line, k-. 
 
 With an extra line outside the frame line on right and 
 near it, a heavy line from rosette to rosette on the right, 
 giving the appearance of three parallel lines on that 
 side, a similar line from rosette to rosette on the left, 
 and a tine line from the upper right triangle to block, 
 k-K iJ -S-. 
 
 With the -same arrangement, but the heavy line on the 
 right of ground extends to the top of the upper triangle, 
 there is a fine line to the block, k- K 1 N- S-. 
 
 With an extra line outside the frame line on the right 
 but further from it. The left line touches the rosette, 
 and is very near the upper left block. The upper triangles 
 both have the extra vertical line, and the right triangles 
 both have the fine line connecting them with the adjacent 
 block, 1- hi U-L-S- 4 . 
 
 With the right frame line split into two parts in its 
 lower half. The upper right triangle has the extra ver- 
 tical line, and the fine line to upper block, n 2 U 2 S 2 . 
 
 With the extra line outside the left frame line, and a 
 distinct line between the left rosettes, the right line near 
 the corner blocks, k 1 K 1 h 2 4 . 
 
 With the same peculiarities, but frame line touches 
 the lower left corner, k 1 K 1 h 2 i 4 . 
 
 With two extra lines outside the left frame line, and a 
 heavy line between the left rosettes, so that the stamp 
 appears to have four lines on that side. The right frame 
 line runs from block to block, touching both triangles 
 and rosettes. There is a dot in the lower right corner, 
 and another to the left of it, p 1 S 1 i 2 4 E A F A . 
 
 With the extra line on the left very light, and a heavier 
 one outside, and the ground does not appear to end in a 
 line, m 1 . 
 
 With the extra Hue on the left the usual thickness, and 
 
106 
 
 the frame line heavier. The right frame line touches 
 all the parts on that side, I 1 P 4 . 
 
 With the frame line on the left split into two parts 
 from the level of the chin up, the inner touches the ro- 
 sette, the triangle and almost touches the block. The right 
 frame line is split into two parts in the lower half. Both 
 the right triangles have the liner line, and the upper the 
 extra vertical line, q 1 i 1 n 2 U 2 4 S 4 . 
 
 With the extra outside line from level of lips to 
 the upper rosette. All four triangles are connected with 
 the blocks, the upper right and lower left have the extra 
 vertical line, r 1 U 1 2 3 4 S 3 4 - 
 
 With extra outside line from level of the lips to the 
 level of the center of the rosette. The frame line is too 
 near the top on the left, the upper right triangle is con- 
 nected with the block, and has the extra vertical line, 
 the lower right triangle is also connected with the block, 
 s 1 h 1 S 2 4 U 2 . 
 
 With the extra left line from the level of the nose to 
 the top of the rosette, the upper right triangle connected 
 with the upper block, and with extra vertical line, t 1 
 S 2 U 2 . 
 
 With the extra line on the left from the level of the 
 breast to the top of the rosette, the frame line is too near 
 the upper left corner, and an extra vertical line in all the 
 triangles, u 1 i 1 U 1 2 3 4 . 
 
 With the extra line on the left opposite the bottom ro- 
 sette only. The two upper triangles are connected with 
 the blocks, and an extra line in the upper right one 
 v 1 S 1 2 U 2 . 
 
 With the left frame line heavj r , and too near to the 
 bottom block, a split runs off to left half way down. Both 
 sides appear to have a heavy line from rosette to rosette, 
 but the left one is irregular, all the triangles are con- 
 nected with the adjoining blocks, and all except the 
 lower right one have the extra vertical line, h'n^S 1 2 3 4 
 
107 
 
 In the above descriptions, no mention has been 
 made of those parts that" are in their proper ordin- 
 ary position. 
 
 These varieties are the leading ones, and are 
 probably more than enough to show the combin- 
 ations. Less conspicuous ones are numberless. 
 Owing to the scarcity of adhering specimens, 
 and the uncertainty as to how many plates 
 were actually employed, no attempt has been made 
 to reconstruct any plate. It is perhaps neces- 
 sary to repeat that the collection of any, except 
 perhaps the more marked varieties, is not advo- 
 cated. 
 
 The color of these stamps varies wonderfully, 
 every shade from pale to dark, with yellowish ver- 
 million. pink, red. and carmine may be found. Some 
 are undoubtedly changelings from accidental causes, 
 particularly those that run from brown and black 
 brown, to an almost jet black, which were at one 
 time much sought after. 
 
 UNPERFORATED FIVE CENTS. 
 
 The stamps are about l/i> mm. apart each way 
 on the sheet. All have the projection at the top 
 and bottom. Double and triple adhering speci- 
 mens may be found, but are rare. The imprint is 
 on the sides, \% mm. from the stamps. No speci- 
 mens have been found with vertical lines. 
 
 The color is generally dark, either a chestnut 
 brown, or with a stronger reddish cast. 
 
108 
 / 
 
 UNPERFORATED TEN CENTS. 
 
 The stamps are 2/^ mm. apart each way on the 
 sheet. The imprint is at about \% mm. from the 
 side rows. The few specimens with the vertical 
 lines examined, show it at 3 mm. from the stamps. 
 The color is a yellow-green, of which dark and 
 light impressions may readily be foii-id. A block of 
 four used, adhering 2 and 2, is possessed by Mr. 
 Sterling. 
 
 UNPERFORATED TWELVE CENTS. 
 
 The stamps are 1 mm. apart each way on the 
 sheet. The vertical line 2H mm. from the stamps. 
 No specimens with the imprint have come under the 
 notice of the author. The color is very uniform, 
 slightly greyish-black. Adhering specimens are 
 rare. A pair adhering by the sides, used, and a 
 block of four unused, are in Mr. Sterlings' collec- 
 tion, and the curious specimens divided diagonally, 
 on the original letters, in the same collection, have 
 already been mentioned. 
 
 UNPERFORATED TWENTY-FOUR CENTS. 
 
 The imprint is at the side, \% mm. from the 
 stamp. The stamps are 2mm. apart. The rarity of 
 specimens has prevented further examination. The 
 color of the specimens seen is lilac, with the red- 
 dish cast. 
 
109 
 
 ONE CENT "CARRIER," (FRANKLIN.) 
 
 This stamp was never issued perforated. The 
 imprint is 4 mm. from the side rows, and the stamps 
 are about 1 mm. apart. 
 
 ONE CENT "CARRIER," (EAGLE.) 
 
 This stamp was never issued perforated, and any 
 specimens so catalogued will be found to be the re. 
 prints. The printer's imprint is at the bottom or 
 top of the four centre rows in the sheet. As the 
 Department is accustomed to call the half sheets is- 
 sued "sheets," it is often difficult to know which is 
 meant. It has been stated that there are only 100 
 stamps on the plate. The imprint is 4 mm, from 
 the stamps, and the places where the stamps are to 
 be cut apart are indicated by single lines ruled hor- 
 izontally and vertically. 
 
XIX. 
 
 THE ISSUE OF 1857- 
 
 Without any change in the law, and, so far as is 
 known, without any announcement of the improve- 
 ment, on the 24th of February, 1857, the three cent 
 value of the type of 1851 was issued perforated, 
 and the other values of the series speedily followed 
 with the perforation, and so remained without addi- 
 tion until the middle of 1860. 
 
 ISSUE OP. 1857. 
 
 Same values, types and colors as the prior issue, 
 perforated with 15 holes in the space of two mille- 
 metres, 
 
 Plate impresion, in color, -on white paper, perfor- 
 ated 15. 
 
 1 cent, shades of indigo blue. 
 3 " " " red. 
 5 " " " brown. 
 10 " " " green. 
 
 12 " " '- black. 
 
 The report of the Postmaster General, dated De- 
 cember 1st, 1860, states that: 
 
Ill 
 
 " Larger denominations of postage stamps have been 
 adopted and introduced, especially intended for the pur- 
 pose of affording requisite facilities to prepay the post- 
 age on letters to foreign countries, and of removing all 
 excuse heretofore existing for paying such postages in 
 money. The new denominations are twenty-four cents, 
 thirty cents and ninety cents. The two latter have been 
 introduced since July 1st, last," i. e. since the com- 
 mencement of the new fiscal year. 
 
 ISSUE OF JUNE 15TH, 1860. 
 
 TWENTY-FOUR CENTS. The stamp described on 
 page 95 as prepared imperforated in 1856, but not 
 regularly issued in that condition, was now issued 
 perforated, 
 
 Plate impression, 18/2 by 25 mm,, in color, on 
 white paper, perforated 15. 
 
 1 24 cents, lilac. 
 
 ISSUE OF AUGUST 12TH, 1860. 
 
 THIRTY CENTS. Head of Benjamin Franklin, in 
 profile to the left, similar to that on the Carrier's 
 Stamp of September, 1851, on an oval disk with 
 hatched back-ground bounded by a colorless line 
 ornamented by a single fine colored line. A colored 
 back-ground fills out the rectangle and is ornamented 
 by a shield of the United States in each of the four 
 corners, the bottom of the shields pointed towards 
 the center, and the ground just behind them orna- 
 mented by colorless rays, with a foliated orna- 
 ment on each side of them. Between the ornaments 
 in colorless capitals, on the solid ground, above, in 
 two lines, "IT. S." and "Postage," below "30," on 
 
112 
 
 the left side " Thirty," and on the right side" Cents." 
 Plate impression, 20 by 24 mm., in color, on white 
 paper, perforated 15. 
 
 30 cents, orange. 
 
 ISSUE OF AUGUST 13TH, 1860. 
 
 NINETY CENTS. Bust of Washington, in General's 
 uniform, after Trumbal, faced three quarters to the 
 left, on closely hatched ground, appearing nearly 
 solid, square below, arched above, bordered by a 
 colorless line. Solid arched label above, inscribed 
 in colorless capitals, "T7. S. Postage" below, solid 
 straight label, inscribed in the same letters "Ninety 
 Cents." The ends of the upper label are curved in- 
 wards, those of the lower label outwards, and the 
 colorless line borders the ends and remaining side 
 of each. Outside a double colored line borders all, 
 forming foliated ornaments, etc. There is an add- 
 ed colored line at the top and bottom, and fine 
 lines shading the ornaments. 
 
 Plate impression, 18> by 24 mm., in color, on 
 white paper, perforated 15. 
 
 90 cents, deep indigo blue. 
 
 The twenty-four cents was required to prepay the 
 single rate of postage on letters to England, and 
 the thirty cents to prepay the single rate on letters 
 to Germany. The ninety cents does not seem to 
 have been required for any single rate. The con- 
 tract with the Bank Note Engravers, Toppan, Car- 
 penter and Co., expired on the 10th of June, 1861, 
 and all the stamps made b} T them were withdrawn 
 
113 
 
 from circulation, and ceased to be available for 
 postage, between August 1st, 1861, and January 
 1st 1862, as will appear from the circulars quoted, 
 relating to the issue of 1861. They have been re- 
 printed, differently perforated, and sold to collec- 
 tors by the department. (See chapter on reprints.) 
 
 OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 The one, three, five, ten and twelve cent values 
 were first made by perforating sheets from the origi- 
 nal plates, and later, certain changes were made 
 that require to be noticed. 
 
 ONE CENT, PERFORATED. 
 
 The first perforated sheets being from the same 
 plates as the unperf orated, the same observations 
 apply to them. It is to be noticed that these had 
 the fine colored line outside the labels at the top 
 and bottom. Owing to the nearness of the stamps 
 on the sheets the perforation generally cut into the 
 stamps, either at the top or bottom, and cut these 
 lines, but the remains will be found on the points 
 left between the holes. Careful search will secure 
 specimens in which both these lines are intact, though 
 they are somewhat rare. The vertical lines, print- 
 er's imprint, etc., are of course in the same posi- 
 tions, and the same varieties of finer or coarser lines 
 may be found. The color varies in the same de- 
 gree. The paper is apparently the same, with the 
 same tinting, from the imperfectly wiped plates. 
 
 In later specimens, however, the attempt was 
 
114 
 
 made to keep the perforations from impinging on 
 the printed portion. This was done- by remov- 
 ing the larger portion of the fine colored lines out- 
 side the labels, and with them, portions of the upper 
 and lower ornament 3. In many cases, they appear 
 to have been wiped off, and the ends are smudged. 
 In others, they are clear and distinct. A great 
 many varieties result, as a greater or less portion of 
 the lines or ornaments were removed. Some of them 
 are curious enough, in stamps that have always been 
 supposed to present no varieties. The fact being 
 pointed out, it is hardly worth while to attempt to 
 distinguish them. 
 
 The vertical lines and printer's imprints are in 
 the same positions. The stamps are still so near 
 together that evenly perforated specimens, i, e. ; 
 specimens in which the perforation does not cut 
 some portion of the stamp, are not easily found. 
 
 Two marked varieties may be noticed. In one, the 
 outer fine line is removed above the top label, while 
 that under the bottom is left intact. In the other, 
 this outer line is removed below the bottom label, 
 while it remains intact above the top label. Both 
 these variations are exceedingly uncommon and 
 appear to belong to the bottom and top rows of the 
 sheet respectively, though this has not been veri- 
 fied. The same observations may be repeated as 
 to variations in the thickness of lines, the color of 
 the paper and the impression. 
 
 Oddities. Specimen showing two rows of perfor- 
 ations at the top and bottom. Specimen without 
 the outer lines to labels, unperforated. 
 
115 
 
 THREE CENTS PERFORATED. 
 
 The first perforated sheets of the three cents 
 were from the same plate as the last unperforated 
 sheets, and consequently have the rectangular out- 
 side frame lines, not only at the sides, but at the 
 top and bottom as well. As the stamps measure 
 25 mm. vertically and are only 1 mm. apart, and 
 the horizontal rows of perforation are about 25 J 
 mm. from center to center of the holes vertically, 
 the perforations generally cut into the stamp and 
 partially obliterate these lines. As the stamps are 
 only 1 mm. apart at the sides, and are 19s mm. 
 wide, and the vertical rows of perforations are 20i 
 mm. from center to center of the holes horizontally 
 and the holes are nearly 1 mm. in diameter, the 
 side perforations also usualty cut into some part 
 of the stamp. It is therefore quite difficult to find 
 good specimens of this variety, and to distinguish 
 some of the minor varieties, as the corners are 
 generally imperfect. Specimens were found show- 
 ing the sheet cut along the colored vertical line, 
 and (X) perforated between this line and the 
 stamp, from either half of the sheet. New plates 
 were however, soon constructed. In one of these, 
 No. 24, the side lines are drawn on the plate from 
 the top to the bottom, and are about 19a mm. 
 apart. The fine outer lines at the top and bottom 
 are entirely omitted. The maker's imprint, kl Top- 
 pan, Carpenter & Co., Bank Note Engravers, 
 Phila., New York, Boston and Cincinnati,"!^ mm. 
 from the outer rows, is 68 mm. long. " No. 24 P," 
 
-116 
 
 is 4 mm. from the outer rows. The vertical center 
 line is 1% mm. from the stamp. The sheet meas- 
 ures 418 mm. from side to side, and 252i mm. 
 from top to bottom of the printed part. The pa- 
 per is 447 by 283 mm. The vertical rows of stamps 
 are Ik mm. apart, and the vertical rows of perfor- 
 ations nearly 21 mm. apart horizontally from cen- 
 ter to center of the holes. The last two rows 
 at the sides are a little further apart. The hori- 
 zontal rows of holes are 25i mm. apart vertically. 
 Most of the differences in the stamps on this 
 sheet arise from the fact that the central portion 
 is not always placed in the same position in regard 
 to the vertical lines. A few of the stamps show 
 dots in or near the corners. 
 
 In some the lines are too near some of the corn- 
 ers, in some too far off, and in others they touch 
 and even cut into the blocks. Some few show 
 double or partly double lines. 
 
 The whole sheet from plate 24, above mentioned, 
 does not contain all the varieties round, nor are 
 they arranged just in the same order that they ap- 
 pear in portions of other sheets examined. 
 
 All the varieties possible, considering merely the 
 position of the corners and side lines, would be 246. 
 So that each stamp on a sheet might be differ- 
 ent in this respect without showing them all, 
 
 In sheet 24 however, only 32 exist. There are 
 therefore, a number of each variety, as follows, by 
 the table previously given: 
 
117 - 
 
 hhhh ... 1 hiif 1 ifih ... . 2 fihh 5 
 
 hhhf 2 hifh 1 ifif 13 fiih 8 
 
 hhih 16 hfif 3 fhhh 2 fiii 
 
 hhif 
 
 20 
 
 ihih . 
 
 ...14 
 
 fhhi 
 
 1 
 
 f iif .. 
 
 9 
 
 hihh 
 hihi... 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 ihif.... 
 iiih ... 
 
 ...32 
 
 .... 7 
 
 fhhf 
 fhih 
 
 2 
 3 
 
 fihh ... 
 fihi 
 
 2 
 3 
 
 hiih .. 
 hiii .. 
 
 20 
 5 
 
 iiii .... 
 iiif ... 
 
 ...12 
 . 1 
 
 fhif 
 fhff.... 
 
 5 
 1 
 
 ffhf .. 
 ff if .... 
 
 1 
 ....2 
 
 The llth stamp in the first horizontal row, the 
 llth and 12th in the second row, the 13th in the 4th 
 row, and the 17th to 20th in the 10th row show an 
 extra line to the left of the left bottom rosette. V x . 
 
 In the 18th vertical row the left line actually 
 cuts through the left block in four specimens which 
 are marked as if it merely touched in the forego- 
 ing list. 
 
 The 14th and loth stamps in the tip row show 
 the dot. 
 
 The 13th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th stamps 
 in the upper row show the right vertical line not 
 only too far. g 2 g 4 , as marked, but very far from 
 the corner block. 
 
 The 9th stamp in the upper row has the double 
 left line. 
 
 The center stamps of this sheet are all of the 
 varieties marked hiih in the list, on the right half 
 of the sheet, and hhih or hhif, on the left half. 
 
 None of the more prominent varieties are to be 
 found on this sheet unless the 9th stamp in the 
 upper row may be considered as such. Loose 
 specimens from other plates show the vertical line 
 only % mm. from the stamps. Some of these are 
 
118 
 
 otherwise like those mentioned before, and hfhg, 
 gfff and ffhf from the left side, and hfhh, fhfg, 
 fgfg and ifig have also been noted. The above are 
 all cut at or nenr the vertical line, Some of the same 
 varieties exist perforated along this line, and higg 
 and fihh exist also so perforated. In loose speci- 
 mens have also been found, igig, ihih, if if, hhhf, 
 hhhi,hhfh, hhff,hhif,hfhh,hfif,hfig,hgig, hgif, hifi, 
 hiih, gfgh, gfgf, gfff, ghgh, gigi, ffff, fffh, ffhg, 
 fgfg, fghf, fghg, fgig, fhfh, figh, varieties not on 
 sheet from plate 24. 
 
 Passing now from these varieties dependent up- 
 on the nearness of the lines and corner blocks the 
 following more interesting variations may be found: 
 
 With the upper left corners too far from the 
 blocks, the others being ordinary; there is an ex- 
 tra line outside the frame line and close to it, at 
 the right, g : f 2 3 4 k 2 . 
 
 With the upper left corner too far from the block, 
 the lower left corner too near to the block, an ex- 
 tra line outside the frame line and close to it. 
 
 g l f 2 h 3 f _4 k 2 
 
 With the upper left corner too far from the block, 
 the others ordinary, the frame line light, the extra 
 line heavier. Numerous specimens showing the 
 frame line broken, those with it perfect are much 
 rarer, g 1 f 2 3 4 m 2 . 
 
 With the upper right corner very near the block, 
 all the others ordinary but the right frame line runs 
 only half way down, and into the ground work. 
 The extra line outside is the real side line, beginning 
 
119 
 
 oo far from the upper right corner, and running 
 down to the right position at the bottom (Y). Both 
 the triangles on the right have the fine line connect- 
 ing them with the adjacent blocks, and also the 
 extra vertical line, f 1 i 2 t 3 4 Y 2 S 2 4 U 2 4 . 
 
 With the side line on the right starting at the usual 
 distance from the block, and runing off to the right, 
 and ending half way down, at nearly twice the dist- 
 ance from the body of the stamps at which it start- 
 ed. A second line starts at the proper distance 
 from the stamp, and inside the other at about the 
 level of the lower point of the upper triangle, 
 and runs off to the right, down to the level of the 
 lower rosette. A third line starts at the proper 
 distance from the stamp, inside this at about the 
 middle of the stamp, and runs down straight, (Z) 
 g 1 f 2 i 3 f 4 S 123 Z 2 . 
 
 With the right line split about 2 way down, into 
 two or three parts, i 1 f 23 g 4 n 2 . 
 
 With an extra line on both sides, f 1 2 g 3 f 4 k 1 k 2 . 
 
 With an extra line outside the left frame line, but 
 far from it (almost the same distance as the frame 
 line is from the blocks), f 1 f 2 h 3 g 4 P. 
 
 With the frame line thin, often broken, and the 
 extra line heavy and further off. The outer line is 
 really the one drawn on the plate, and the inner 
 line probably put in afterwards. A number of dif- 
 fering specimens. Also one in which there is no 
 side line on the left except a very thin line from the 
 level of the chin down, and another from the mid- 
 dle of the lower triangle down, apparently an im- 
 
120 
 
 pression from a worn plate, the left margin is wide, 
 the perforation cutting into the next stamp, m 1 in 
 
 varieties. 
 
 With the left frame line split into two parts from 
 
 the level of the chin up, n 1 . 
 
 These variations, and a few others easily recog- 
 nized, not found in the imperf orate stamps add 
 to the table. 
 
 LEFT. RIGHT. 
 
 Top, Botom. 1P> Bottom 
 
 X 1 perforated along center line X 2 
 
 extra line inside half way Y 2 
 
 side line starts thrice Z 2 
 
 extra Hue opposite lower ^ of stamp w 4 
 
 " " % " x 4 
 
 " cen.ofroset. to cen. of stamp y 4 
 
 " lower block to upper " z 4 
 
 The color of all these stamps varies like the un- 
 perf orated greatly, and the same remarks concern- 
 ing it might be here repeated. 
 
 PERFORATED FIVE CENTS. 
 
 The stamps are 2i mm. apart between the sides 
 and li between the tops and bottoms ; the imprint 
 etc., as before. In these sheets the perforations 
 generally cut into the stamp. They were printed 
 in many varying shades of several colors ; dark 
 brown, dark black-brown, yellow brown, red brown, 
 and almost rose. 
 
 The second plate was slightly altered. The lit- 
 tle projection or salie at the top and bottom was 
 partially or wholly removed, forming the following 
 variations : 
 
121 
 5 cents perforated, projection at top and bottom. 
 
 ( t a 1 1 1 c t u 
 
 " no " " or " 
 
 The color is very variable, numerous shades of 
 dark black-brown, dark chestnut-brown, Drown, 
 and yellow-brown may be found. 
 
 PERFORATED TEN CENTS, 
 
 The stamps were apparently, a little further 
 apart in some sheets than in others, and the color 
 presents only shades of the yellow-green. A 
 specimen is shown perforated in two rows at the 
 sides. 
 
 PERFORATED TWELVE CENTS. 
 
 There seems to have been no change in this 
 value. An oddity is shown, showing two extra 
 lines at the right. 
 
 TWENTY-FOUR, THIRTY AND NINETY CENTS. 
 
 The plates for these values having been pre- 
 pared with a view to perforating, the stamps are 
 arranged about 1% mm. apart between the sides, 
 and IK mm. apart between the tops and bottoms. 
 There is very little difference to be noted in the 
 color beyond a dark and lighter shade of the orange 
 of the thirty cents, and of the dark blue of the ninety 
 cents. There are however, two shades of the lilac 
 of the twenty-four cents, a red and a blue cast. 
 
XX. 
 
 THE ISSUE OF 1861. 
 
 The reason for the introduction of this issue is 
 not to be found in any change in the law. The re- 
 port of the Postmaster General, dated on Decem- 
 ber 2d, 1861, states thai: 
 
 "The contract for the manufacture of postage .stamps 
 having expired on the 10th of June, 1861, a new one 
 was entered into with the National Bank Note Company 
 of New York, upon terms very advantageous to the De- 
 partment, from which there will result an annual saving 
 of more than thirty per cent, in the cost of the stamps. 
 In order to prevent the fraudulent use of the large 
 quantity of stamps remaining unaccounted for, in the 
 hands of postmasters in the disloyal States, it was 
 deemed advisable to change the design and the color of 
 those manufactured under the new contract, and also 
 to modify the design of the stamp upon the stamped 
 envelope, and to substitute as soon as possible the new 
 for the old issues. It was the design of the Department 
 that the distribution of the new stamps and envelopes 
 should commence on the lirst of August, but, from una- 
 voidable delays, that of the latter did not take place un- 
 til the 15th of that month. * * * Those of the old issue 
 have been exchanged and superseded. The old stamps 
 
123 
 
 on hand, and such as were received by exchange, at the 
 larger offices, have been to a great extent counted and 
 destroyed, and those at the smaller offices returned to 
 the Department." 
 
 The Act of the 27th Congress, Statute II, Chap- 
 ter 37, Section 14, approved March 3d, 1861, had 
 so qualified the Act of 1851 : 
 
 u As to require the ten cent rate of postage to be pre- 
 paid on letters in the mail, from any point in the United 
 States east of the Rocky Mountains to any State or Ter- 
 ritory on the Pacific, and from any State or Territory 
 on the Pacific to any point in the United States east of 
 the Rocky Mountains. And all drop letters shall be 
 prepaid by postage stamps." 
 
 Other sections also introduced minor changes in 
 the rates on printed matter, which it is not import- 
 ant to notice. 
 
 The denomination of the stamps of the new issue 
 therefore remained at first the same. 
 
 The circular letter from the Department to the 
 several postmasters, informing them of the change 
 is as follows : 
 
 POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT. 
 
 Finance Office 1861. 
 
 POSTMASTER, 
 
 Sir: You will receive herewith a supply of post- 
 age stamps which you will observe are of a new style, 
 differing both in design and color from those hitherto 
 used, and having the letters U.S. in the lower corners 
 of each stamp, and its respective denomination indicat- 
 ed by figures as well as letters. You will immediately 
 give public notice through the newpapers and other- 
 
124 
 
 wise, that you are prepared to exchange stamps of the 
 new style for an equivalent amount of the old issue, 
 during a period of six days from the date of the notice, 
 and that the latter will not thereafter be received in 
 payment of postage on letters sent from your office. 
 
 You will satisfy yourself by personal inspection that 
 stamps offered in exchange have not been used through 
 the mails or otherwise; and if in any case you have 
 good grounds for suspecting that stamps presented to 
 you for exchange, were sent from any of the disloyal 
 states, you will not receive them without due investiga- 
 tion. 
 
 Immediatly after the expiration of the above period of 
 six days, you will return to the Third Assistant Post- 
 master General all stamps of the old style in your pos- 
 session, including such as you may obtain by exchange, 
 placing them in a secure package, which must be care- 
 fully registered in the manner prescribed by Chapter 39, 
 of the Kegulations of this Department. 
 
 Be careful also to write legibly the name of your office 
 as well as that of your county and state. A strict com- 
 pliance with the foregoing instructions is absolutely 
 necessary, that you may not fail to obtain credit for the 
 amount of stamps returned. 
 
 Instead of sending stamps to the Department you can 
 if convenient, exchange them for new ones at some city 
 post office, where large supplies are to be found. It be- 
 ing impossible to supply all offices with new stamps at 
 once, you will deliver letters received from Kentucky, 
 Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Maryland and Penn- 
 sylvania, prepayed by stamps of the old issue, until Sep- 
 tember 10th, those from other loyal states east of the 
 Rocky Mountains until the first of October, and those from 
 the states of California and Oregon and from the Ter- 
 ritories of New Mexico, Utah, and Washington, until the 
 first of November, 1861. 
 
125 
 
 Your Obedient Servant, 
 
 A. N. ZEVELY, 
 Third Assistant Postmaster General. 
 
 A second issue of this circular merely extended 
 the dates September 10th, October 1st and Novem- 
 ber 1st, 1861 to November 1st, December 1st, 1861, 
 and January 1st, 1862, respectively. 
 
 ISSUE OF AUGUST 14TH, 1861. 
 
 The portraits upon the 8 types or values of this 
 issue seem to be copied from tne same pictures as 
 were those on the corresponding denominations of 
 the preceeding issue. The same values are repre- 
 sented, that is : 
 
 ONE CENT, Portrait of Benjamin Franklin, in 
 profile to the right, on an oval disk with engine 
 turned ground of interlaced colored lines on a 
 solid colored ground, framed round with interlaced 
 colorless lines of engine turned work on solid col- 
 ored ground, bordered by a colorless line with ex- 
 terior fine colored line. "?7. S. Postage" in color- 
 less ordinary capitals in a curved line following 
 the oval above, "One Cent" in the same letters 
 and reversed curve below. Corners of quarter 
 circles and two foliated ornaments. "7" and "7" 
 in the upper and "f/" and "$" in the lower cor- 
 ners, in ornamental colorless numerals and letters, 
 on a vertically lined ground, 
 
 Plate impression, 20 by 25imm.,in color, on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 1 Cent, pale and dark blue. 
 
126 
 
 THREE CENTS, Head of Washington, in profile to 
 left, upon engine turned ground with sinuous 
 frame of interlaced engine turned colorless lines 
 upon a solid colored ground, bordered by a color- 
 less line, with exterior fine colored line following 
 the curves of the ground. Above, 11 U. S." in a 
 straight line with " Postage " below it in an arched 
 line, and large numeral "<?" on each side. Below 
 the head "77*ree," in reversed curve with "Cents" 
 in double curve below and " U " and " S' ' at the sides 
 all in colorless capitals and numerals on the en- 
 gine turned frame and ground, the corner numerals 
 and letters ornamented. Corners and sides filled 
 out with foliated ornaments. 
 
 Plate impression, 19i by 25 mm., in color, on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 3 cents, shades of rose. 
 
 FIVE CENTS. Head of Jefferson, faced three 
 quarters to the left on an oval disk with rectangu- 
 lar hatched ground, bordered by a colorless line 
 with fine colored exterior line. Broad frame of 
 engine turned colorless lines on a solid ground, with 
 rounded corners, and curved outwards at top, bot- 
 tom and sides, bordered by a colorless line and a 
 fine colored line. Large "5" in upper corners, 
 and "U. S. Postage" in a double curve above the 
 oval, '''Five Cents" in a curved line following the 
 oval below, "U." in lower left, and "$." in lower 
 right corner, all in colorless letters upon the engine 
 turned work of frame. The corners are filled out 
 with foliated ornaments. 
 
127 
 
 Plate impression, 20 by 25i mm,, in color upon 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 5 cents, ocre, shades of brown. 
 
 TEN CENTS. Head of Washington, faced three 
 quarters to left, on a rectangularly hatched ground, 
 bordered by four bands, forming a sort of oval. 
 The bands are bordered all around by a colorless 
 and exterior fine colored line. The upper band is 
 inscribed "U. S. Postage," on the solid ground, 
 and the ends of the bands are rounded ; the lower 
 band is inscribed "Ten Cents" on the solid ground, 
 and the ends of the band are curved inwards ; the 
 side bands are of irregular shape, with the ends 
 rounded and bear four stars each, on a horizontally 
 lined ground. The rest of the stamp is composed 
 of colorless foliated ornaments, between colored 
 lines upon the solid ground, forming irregular 
 ovals in the corners, with a band between the up- 
 per ones, bearing five stars, ''10" and "10" in the 
 upper, "U." and "S." in the lower corners, on 
 horizontally lined ground, letters, numerals and 
 stars all colorless in colored outlines. 
 
 Plate impression, 20 by 24i mm., in color, on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 10 cents, green, yellew-green. 
 
 TWELVE CENTS. Head of Washington, similar 
 to the ten cents, on an oval disk, with rectangularly 
 hatched ground, bordered by a colorless line and 
 exterior fine colored line. Broad frame of engine 
 
128 
 
 turned colorless lines on a solid ground, with 
 rounded corners and waved edges, bordered by a 
 colorless line, and a fine colored line. The corn- 
 ers are filled out with loops on colored ground. 
 "12" and tl !2" set diagonally in the upper corn- 
 ers, "U. S. Postage" following the curve of the 
 oval above, "Twelve Cents" in double curve line 
 below, and "C7." and "S." in the lower corners. 
 The letters and numerals are colorless, with colored 
 outlines on the engine turned work of frame. 
 
 Plate impression, 19i by 24i mm., in color, on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 12 cents, black. 
 
 TWENTY-FOUR CENTS. Small portrait of Wash- 
 ington, faced three quarters to the right, on a rec- 
 tangularly hatched ground, surrounded by a fancy 
 lozenge-shaped frame of engine turned colorless 
 lines on solid colored ground, bordered by a color- 
 less line and exterior fine colored line. The upper 
 corners are filled out with foliated ornaments, con- 
 taining the numerals ii 24" and "24," set diagon- 
 ally with 3 colorless stars between. The lower 
 corners each contain a large colored star between 
 foliated ornaments, "f." on the left and "$." 
 on the right star; 11 U. S. Postage" above and 
 "Twenty-four Cents" below the head, near and fol- 
 lowing the outer curve of frame. The letters, num- 
 erals and ornaments are all colorless, but with col- 
 ored outlines. 
 
 Plate impression, 19iby24mm., in color, on 
 
129 
 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 24 cents, lilac. 
 
 THIRTY CENTS. Head of Benjamin Franklin, in 
 profile 10 left, on a circular disk with diagon- 
 ally hatched ground, 16i mm. in diameter, bord- 
 ered by a colorless line and exterior fine colored 
 line. A colorless line between two fine colored 
 lines, at about 2 mm. from the circle, with foliated 
 ends, forms a label above and below, the upper in- 
 scribed ' ' U. S. Postage,' ' the lower ' ' Thirty Cents,' ' 
 on lined ground, in colorless letters outlined with 
 color. Foliated ornaments without color, but col- 
 ored outlines form irregular spaces in the corners, 
 with "30" and "30" in the upper, "U." and "/S." 
 in the lower ones, in colorless letters outlined and 
 heavily shaded in color on a lined ground. 
 
 Plate impresion, 20 by 24 mm., in color, on white 
 paper, perforated 12. 
 
 30 cents, orange. 
 
 NINETY CENTS. Head of Washington, in Gener- 
 al's costume, after Trumbal's portrait, faced three 
 quarters to the left, on an oval disk, 13i by 17i 
 mm., with rectangularly hatched ground, bordered 
 by a colorless line and exterior colored line, sur- 
 rounded by a band forming a point above and below, 
 and bordered outside by a second colorless line and 
 an exterior colored line, and crossed by fine colored 
 lines. ".90" and " 90" on this band above, "Ninety 
 Cents" below in colorless letters with colored out- 
 
130 
 
 lines. Waved band with similar borders crossing the 
 former above, and inscribed " 7". S. Postage" in the 
 same letters. The lower corners are filled with foli- 
 ated ornaments upon which are "U." and "$." 
 in similar letters. 
 
 late impression, 19 by 24 mm., in color, on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 90 cents, indigo blue. 
 
 It will be noticed that the original contract un- 
 der which these stamps were first manufactured by 
 the National Bank Note Co., expired in 1865. On 
 its expiration a new contract was made with the 
 same company for a term of four years longer. 
 
 To preserve the history of the postal legislation 
 of the United States which effects the use of stamps, 
 the provisions of the Act of the XXXVII Congress, 
 Session III, Chapter 71, approved March 3d, 1863, 
 must be noted here, although they did not resu 1 
 in any change in the stamps in use, except the add- 
 ition of two new values : 
 
 Sec. 3. No mail matter shall be delivered until postage 
 is paid . 
 
 Sec. 13. The Postmaster General is authorized to estab- 
 lish branch offices for the sale of stamps, etc. 
 
 Sec. 17 Postage must be prepaid at the time of mail- 
 ing on domestic letters, transient printed mat- 
 ter and all other things not herein provided for. 
 
 Sec. 18. Daily, weekly, etc., publications must be pre- 
 paid quarterly in advance by the receiver. 
 
 Sec. 23. Drop letters will be charged 2 cents, to be pre- 
 paid by postage stamps, but no carrier's fee. 
 
 Sec. 32. The registration fee to be fixed by the Post- 
 
131 
 
 master General, but not to exceed in any case 20 
 cents. 
 
 In accordance with tbese last provisions however, 
 there were issued two additional values. 
 
 The report of the Postmaster General for the 
 year 1863, states that a two cent stamp had been 
 prepared and issued, principally to prepay the post- 
 age on drop letters, and the report for 1878, fixes 
 the date of issue at of the 1st of July, 1863. 
 
 ISSUE OF JULY IST, 1863. 
 (As additional to the series of 1861.) 
 
 Two CENTS. Very large head of Andrew Jack- 
 son, on an oval disk with rectangularly hatched 
 ground, bordered by a fine colorless line with an 
 exterior colored line; on a band above, similarly 
 bordered, and with parallel lined ground, 11 U. S; 
 Postage" in colorless capitals outlined and shaded; 
 on short bands, similarly constructed, below on the 
 left "Two," on the right" Cents." Foliated orna- 
 ments in the four corners, forming small solid cir- 
 cles, bearing the numeral "2" in the upper, and 
 colorless ovals bearing "?7," on the left, and "*S." 
 on the right, in irregular shaped colored letters. 
 
 Plate impression, 20 by 25 mm., in color, on white 
 paper, perforated 12. 
 
 2 cents, black. 
 
 The Postmaster General having fixed the regis- 
 tration fee at 15 cents, a stamp of that denomina- 
 tion was issued. 
 
132 
 
 ISSUE OF APRIL IST, 1866. 
 
 FIFTEEN CENTS. Bust of Abraham Lincoln, on 
 an oval disk I3i by 18mm. with rectangularly 
 hatched ground, borderded by a broad colorless line, 
 between two fine colored lines, and ornamented by 
 short horizontal colored lines. On the sides, Ro- 
 man fasces, without the ax, on each side. Above 
 on a scroll, bordered by a colorless line between 
 two fine colored lines', curved up and back to form 
 small ovals, and ending at the top in foliations and 
 inscribed on the band 11 U. S. Postage" in colorless 
 capitals, in the ovals tl !5" in colorless numerals; 
 below, a curved band following the outline of the 
 oval, similarly bordered, and inscribed in similar 
 letters "Ftft een Cents"; foliated ornaments forming 
 colored ovals in the corners, with "C7." in the left, 
 "/iS." in the right, in colorless capitals. 
 
 Plate impression, 19i by 25 mm., in color, on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 15 cents, black. 
 
 Issued originally for registered letters, this 
 stamp also served the next year, principally to pre- 
 pay the postage on letters to Belgium, Prussia, Hol- 
 land, Switzerland and the German Postal Union. 
 
 The entire series of 1861-63-66 was reprinted in 
 1874. 
 
 It may also be noticed, that the act of the XXXIX 
 Congress, Session I, Chapter 281, approved July 27, 
 1866, authorized the use in all post offices of weights 
 of the denomination of grams, 15 grams to equal 
 
133 
 
 one half ounce, and the postal laws to be applied 
 accordingly. 
 
 Also the Act of the XL Congress, Session I, Chap- 
 ter 246, Section 10 and 11, approved July 29th, 
 1868, provided penalties for re-using stamps that 
 had once paid postage, and authorized the sale of 
 stamps at a discount of five per cent to persons to sell 
 again as agents. 
 
 OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 The plates of this issue having been prepared 
 with a view of perforating, the stamps are placed 
 sufficiently far apart to allow a perforation, without 
 ordinarily cutting into the stamps. Occasionally 
 eccentricities may be found, which are the result of 
 accident. The sheets, as in the previous issue, con- 
 sist of 200 stamps, the central point is indicated by 
 three lines at the top and at the bottom, and the 
 sheets are cut apart on this line and distributed in 
 half sheets of 100, or ten stamps in ten rows. The 
 printer's imprint is generally to be found at the cen- 
 ter of the top and bottom of each half sheet, at about 
 4 mm. from the printed stamps, and consists of a 
 small colored label with a dotted edge, inscribed 
 "National Bank Note Co." preceded by "New 
 York," and followed by "City" in colored capitals. 
 The plate number also appears near this. 
 
 The ONE CENT varies in color from a pale blue 
 to a dark blue, generally of the shade known as ul- 
 tramarine. The paper is ordinarily white with a 
 
134 
 
 yellowish cast, but there are specimens which ap- 
 pear surfaced with the same ink as the stamp, 
 which is probably an accident from imperfect wip- . 
 ing of -the plates, and others the paper of which has a 
 pale pink cast, both on the front and back. 
 
 The Two CENTS varies from grey to black, with 
 occasional specimens partially tinted with the ink, 
 probably from the same cause as in the one cent. 
 
 Variety. Doubly perforated at the sides. 
 
 The THREE CENTS varies from a very faint rose to 
 a deep rose, with occasional specimens tinted as in 
 the other values, probably from the same cause. 
 Variety. Doubty perforated at sides. 
 
 " top and bottom. 
 
 There are also a few specimens known of a scar- 
 let tint. They resemble the ordinary stamps of this 
 value in all other particulars, and it does not ap- 
 pear to be settled whether they were ever used or 
 not. Proofs, both perforated and unperforated, ex- 
 ist in this shade, and the better opinion would seem 
 to be that all of this shade are proofs. It is claimed, 
 however, that a sheet, or part of a sheet .unused, 
 was picked up at the New York Post Office by a 
 collector. 
 
 Strips of ten stamps adhering, forming a vertical 
 row from the sheet, and showing a double perfora- 
 tion along the sides are also exhibited. 
 
 Unperforated specimens have been catalogued. 
 
 The FIVE CENTS was originally issued in a pale 
 yellow brown or ochre, but was changed in Septem- 
 ber to a darker brown, with a reddish cast, there is 
 
also a brown with a yellowish cast, another with a 
 blackish cast and a chestnut brown. It would ap- 
 pear that the latter is the true color composed of 
 red, yellow and black, and that the others result 
 from some improper mixing of these colors, by 
 which one or the other predominates. 
 Variety. Doubly perforated at the sides. 
 
 A "yellowish brown," meaning the brown with 
 a yellowish cast, has been chronicled unperforated. 
 
 The TEN CENTS is light and dark green. The 
 lighter shade is generally called a yellow-green, but 
 the two shades differ only in intensity. 
 
 The TWELVE AND FIFTEEN CENTS also vary from 
 grey to deep black. 
 
 The TWENTY-FOUR CENTS is violet, and pale or 
 dark lilac. 
 
 The THIRTY CENTS is of two shades of orange, and 
 an orange-brown. 
 
 The NINETY CENTS is faint deep blue and indigo 
 blue, 
 
 The number of the several values of these stamps 
 issued, without the grille is approximated as fol- 
 lows : it being not quite certain whether a few with 
 the grille were not issued prior to the dates to which 
 the enumeration is made. 
 
 1 cent 91,256,650 
 
 2 cents 254,265,050 
 
 3 cents , 1,847,559,100 
 
 5 cents .* 8,258,460 
 
 10 cents 28,872,780 
 
 12 cents ... 7,639,525 
 
136 
 
 15 cents 2,139,300 
 
 24 cents 10,238,650 
 
 30 cents 3,208,980 
 
 90 cents 337,770 
 
XXI. 
 
 THE ISSUE OF 1867-9. 
 
 The Act of the XXXIX Congress, Session I, 
 Chapter 114, Section 7, approved June 12th, 1866. 
 entitled an Act to amend the Postal Laws, had 
 provided among other things. 
 
 "Sec. 7. And be it further enacted : that whenever it 
 shall become expedient in the opinion of the Postmaster 
 General to substitute a different kind of postage stamps 
 for those now in use, he shall be, and is hereby author- 
 ized to modifv the existing contracts for the manufac- 
 ture of postage stamps, so as to allow the contractors a 
 sum sufficient to cover the increased expenses, if any, of 
 manufacturing stamps so substituted." 
 
 The Report for the Postmaster General for the 
 year ending June 30th, 1867, states that experi- 
 ments had been made in printing postage stamps 
 on an embossed paper, which appeared to offer a 
 fair guarantee against fraud ; that the tissues of the 
 paper were broken by the process, so that the ink 
 of the cancelling stamps penetrated the stamps in 
 such a manner as to render cleaning impossible ; 
 that the adhesiveness of the stamps was also in- 
 
138 
 
 creased, to say nothing of other advantages, which 
 recommend the invention. Some of these curious 
 experiments will be noticed in the chapter on Es- 
 says. The plan adopted was, however, to emboss 
 the stamp, after it was printed, with a series of 
 small square points, arranged in the form of a rec- 
 tangle, much in the same way that checks are some- 
 times treated to prevent alteration. This breaks 
 the tissues of the paper. The French collectors 
 call this a grille, or grating, which it resembles. 
 There were several varieties used on this issue, and 
 they were applied to the stamps then current, with- 
 out other change in the design, paper, color or gum. 
 
 ISSUE OF 1867 TO 1869, 
 
 The first variety was a grille covering the entire 
 stamp, adopted May 8th, 1867, and applied only 
 to the 
 
 3 cents, rose, perforated 12, grilled all over. 
 
 If this is examined with a glass on the face of 
 the stamp, there appear to be rows of slightly raised 
 squares, separated by depressed straight lines, with 
 a still more raised cross, formed by diagonal lines 
 running from corner to corner of the square. If 
 the back is examined, the straight lines appear 
 raised, the crosses depressed. In all specimens 
 examined, the embossing is very flat. 
 
 The second variety does not cover the entire 
 stamp, but shows a rectangle, measuring 13 by 16 
 mm., composed of 16 rows of 20 small squares 
 each. It was adopted August 8th, 1867, and was 
 
139 
 
 applied only to the 
 
 3 cents, rose, perforated 12, large grille. 
 
 Copies with this grille may be found in which one 
 side row or the other shows only half squares instead 
 of whole ones, also with some of the top or bot- 
 tom rows missing, wholly or partly. 
 Var. 12i by 16mm., 15i by 20 rows, 3c.,perf. 12. 
 12K " 15 " 15 by 18i " 3c 
 
 The appearance of this grille, examined on the 
 face, is just the reverse of the preceding, as the 
 straight lines are raised and the crosses depressed. 
 
 The third variety was a still smaller rectangle, 
 about 11 by 14 mm., composed of 14 rows of 17 
 small squares or parts of squares. The date is 
 January 8th, 1868. Numerous variations may be 
 found, It was applied only to the 
 
 1 cent, blue, perforated 12, medium grille. 
 
 2 " black " 12 
 , 3 " rose " 12 
 10 " green " 12 
 12 " black 12 
 15 " black 12 
 
 Var, Hi by 14imm.,15byl8 rows, 3c, rose, perf. 12. 
 11 by 14 mm. 
 
 14byl7i 
 
 " 3c " 
 
 14byl7 
 
 " 3c 
 
 14byl6t 
 
 " Ic blue 
 
 14byl6l 
 
 " 3c rose 
 
 14byl6| 
 
 " lOc green 
 
 14byl6| 
 
 44 12c black 
 
 14byl6i 
 
 44 2c 
 
 14bjl6i 
 
 4 3c rose 
 
-140 
 11 by 13 mm. 
 
 14byl6i 
 
 " 3c " 
 
 14byl6 
 
 " 3c " 
 
 14byl6i 
 
 " 3c " 
 
 13byl6i 
 
 3c " 
 
 13byl6i 
 
 " lOc green 
 
 mm. 
 
 Oddity. With 2 grilles touching on the same 
 stamp. 3 cents, rose, perforated 12. 
 
 Note. It is not uncommon to find parts of two 
 grilles on the same stamp at a distance from each 
 other, part of a grille being at the top and part at 
 the bottom, or part of a grille on each side. The 
 oddity noted presents two grilles touching by the 
 top and bottom, one a little farther to the left than 
 the other, making a strip of squares from the top 
 to the bottom of the stamp. 
 
 This medium grille if examined on the face is 
 quite different from the foregoing large grille. It 
 appears to be composed of raised lines between 
 the squares and depressed crosses in them. A 
 glass transforms these lines into rows of diamonds. 
 On the reverse it appears as if compossed of de- 
 pressed lines, between the squares, and raised 
 crosses in them. 
 
 Note. The other values so far as known, have not 
 been found with this grille. Up to May, 1868, on- 
 ly the values from 1 to 12 cents had been noted by 
 the stamp papers as having been found with any 
 grille. The 24 and 30 cents are chronicled with a 
 grille in the November, 1868, but the 90 cents was 
 not so noticed until much later, February, 1869, 
 
141 
 
 see American Journal of Philately). 
 
 The fourth and most common grille is a square 
 of 9 by 14 mm., composed of 12 rows of 16| 
 squares each. The date of its adoption is not 
 known. It was applied to the whole series. 
 
 1 cent, blue, perforated 12, small grille. 
 
 2 " black l 12 " 
 
 3 " rose " 12 " 
 5 " brown " 12 " 
 
 10 " green " 12 " 
 
 12 " black " 12 " 
 
 15 " black " 12 
 
 Nov. 1868, 24 " lilac 12 " 
 
 " 30 ' l orange " 12 " 
 
 Feb. 1869, 90 " blue " 12 
 
 Varieties. 9 by 14mm., 12 by 16i rows, lc., perf. 12, 
 " " " 3c ' 
 
 12 by 17 " 30c 
 
 OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 The colors are generally stronger than in those 
 without the grille. The majority of the specimens 
 of these stamps appear to have the surface of the 
 paper tinted slightly with the color of the stamps, 
 possibly from some imperfection in cleaning the 
 plates. A few values have been noted on pure 
 white paper. 
 
 1 cent, blue, small grille, perforated 12. 
 
 2 " black " " 12 
 10 " green " " 12 
 
142 
 
 The 3 cents, rose, small grille, unperforated, has 
 been noted, and 
 
 2 cents, black, grille, variety 4 c unperforated 
 
 3 " rose " ' 4^ at the 
 5 " brown " 4 t sides. 
 
 The reimpressions of these designs did not have 
 the grille. 
 
 The five cents was in use up to September, 1870. 
 
 Some specimens examined seem to indicate that 
 all these varieties of grille are occasionally to be 
 found reversed, i. e. they present the appearance on 
 the face that is usually to be seen on the back, and 
 vice versa. 
 
 Of these stamps with the grille, there were, is- 
 sued approximately the following numbers : 
 
 1 cent 9,638,600 
 
 2 cents 46,440,000 
 
 3 " 231,773,300 
 
 5 " 1,006,400 
 
 10 " 3,076,070 
 
 12 " 2,087,575 
 
 15 " 868,080 
 
 24 " 167,453 
 
 30 " 214,000 
 
 90 " 26,870 
 
 During the currency of these stamps, a new con- 
 tract was entered into with the same company. A 
 special despatch to the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, 
 dated Oct. 3rd, 1868 states : 
 
 " Postmaster General Kandall to-day accepted the 
 
143 
 
 proposal of the X ational Bank Note Company, of New 
 York, for furnishing stamps for four years at 25 
 cents per 1000. This includes everything required for 
 preparing the stamps for immediate use, gumming, per- 
 foration printing and preparing receipts. The contrac- 
 tors are also required to furnish new designs, at least 
 four of which must be printed in combination colors. 
 
 The number of the several values of these stamps 
 issued, with the grille is approximated as follows, 
 it being not quite certain whether a few without 
 the grille were not in stock at the dates from which 
 the enumeration is made. 
 
XXII. 
 
 THE ISSUE OF 1869. 
 
 The New York Evening Post of October 6th, 
 1868, also contains a notice of 
 
 " THE NEW CONTRACT FOR POSTAGE STAMPS. 
 
 In June last, Postmaster General Randall, advertised 
 for proposals for furnishing the Government with post- 
 age stamps for a term of years. The Committee of ex- 
 perts appointed for the purpose, decided in favor of the 
 National Bank Note Company, and on Saturday last, the 
 Postmaster General awarded the contract to that Com- 
 pany for a term of four years. We have been shown 
 proofs of the new stamps, and they reflect credit upon 
 the artistic taste of the Company." 
 
 Some of these proofs are then described. 
 
 "One of the characteristics of the stamps manufac- 
 tured by this Company is that the ink used prevents per- 
 sons \vashing, and using the stamps a second time. The 
 fiber in the centre of the stamp is broken completely, 
 and they adhere better, while the ink of cancellation 
 sinks into the paper. The engraving on these stamps 
 are remarkable copies of historical pictures, and bear the 
 microscopical examination." 
 
145 
 
 These are probably^ the only words of approba- 
 tion to be found in the daily press among the host 
 of comments upon these stamps, which by the terms 
 of the contract were to be ready on the first of Feb- 
 ruary, 1869. Messrs. Butler & Carpenter, of Phil- 
 adelphia, had claimed to be entitled to the award on 
 the ground that they had submitted a better bid than 
 the National Bank Note Co., which resulted in delay 
 and the appointment of the commission above men- 
 tioned. 
 
 However, in March, 1869, the greater part if not 
 all the values were printed and ready for issue, 
 but were distributed to the public only as the stock 
 of the old issue was exhausted. About the end of 
 April they began to appear, and even in September 
 only the 1,2,3 and 6 cents were to be obtained in 
 the larger post offices. Already the public de- 
 manded that they should be replaced, and this was 
 dune in April, 1870, As late as March, 1870, the 
 90 cents of the previous issue was on sale in some 
 of the offices. 
 
 This unfortunate issue was generally received 
 with approval by the Philatelic press. It is certain- 
 ly well engraved, and forms an interesting and 
 handsome series for the most part, and is an adorn- 
 ment to the collectors' album. But it is hardly so 
 well suited to the practical requirements of a post- 
 age stamp. It was announced that the series was 
 intended in some sort, to portray the history of the 
 Post Office in the United States, beginning with 
 Franklin, the Continental postmaster, and the post 
 
146 
 
 rider of the early days, followed by the locomotive 
 of a later day, and the Ocean Steamer carrying the 
 mails which had become so important a branch of 
 the postal service, the most important scenes in the 
 early history of the country, its triumphant arms, 
 and Washington its first and Lincoln its last Pres- 
 ident. But hardly had it been issued before its 
 doom was sealed. 
 
 In August the New York Tribune says : 
 
 "The greater part of the stamps sold at the Post 
 Office in this city are worthless, and have not sufficient 
 gum to make them stick to letters. One can be amused, or 
 become indignant, in watching people who buy stamps, 
 demanding a little mucilage from the clerk, in order to 
 fasten the stamp on their envelopes. It appears that 
 the invention of embossing which is continued in this 
 emission, while it spoils the stamps, does not increase 
 their adhesive properties as was pretended/' 
 
 Other papers pronounced the stamp too small. 
 The comic papers exhibited caricatures in which 
 the people were looking for their stamps in their 
 pocket books with powerful microscopes. 
 
 The Evening Telegram says : 
 
 "The new United States postage stamps have a very 
 un-American look." 
 
 The Evening Mail says : 
 
 "Our old postage stamps were really neat and pleasing 
 in appearance. They were National and American, as 
 they ought to have been. The head of Washington wa 
 venerable, and our three cent stamps were as perfect as 
 they well could be. So also the one cent stamp with the 
 head of Franklin was equally appropriate. There was 
 
147 
 
 a fitness of congruity in putting the head of the old, 
 thrifty economist, on the one cent stamp. Our youth 
 were reminded of the wise saws and sayings of %k Poor 
 Richard" and it taught them that if they learned to save 
 the cents, the dollars were more likely to take care of 
 themselves. But now think of the miserable, confused 
 looking thing, with its wretched printing, that the Post 
 Office has given us for the present three cent stamp. 
 It is neither historical, national, beautiful, nor anything 
 but a paltry evidence of the fact, that some engraver has 
 got paid or will get paid, for a job that ought never to have 
 been done. Can our authorities not let well enough 
 alone? 
 
 Canada, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, all have 
 railroad engines such as ours. What is there in a big 
 chimney on a railroad carriage to indicate the nation- 
 ality of our postal system. Aye, but there are words, 
 "United States Postage" on the stamp. Just so. We 
 remember to have seen a boy's drawing on a sheet of 
 paper, the words "this is a church" underneath, and 
 certainly the artistic performance needed the index, but 
 not more so than the new stamp requires a similar proc- 
 lamation to tell the world what it means. And then 
 again look at the printing of the word "-Postage." Can 
 our engravers do nothing better than that? We hope 
 that the contractors have been paid for their work. If 
 so, then let the post office folks give us back again our 
 old head of Washington, and save us from looking at 
 the contemptible thing that we are now getting in its 
 stead." 
 
 Another paper says : 
 
 "The present miserable experiments in blue, with a 
 meaningless legend, are to be recalled and something 
 new in red is to be substituted. The old heads of Wash- 
 ington, Jefferson, Jackson, Franklin and Lincoln are to 
 be restored. It is about time that some definite form 
 
148 
 
 and design of postage stamp should be adopted, so that 
 people may know to a certainty what mucilaged square 
 of paper will carry a letter to its designation, and what 
 not." 
 
 The New York Herald says : 
 
 "The old style of three cent postage stamps had there- 
 on a face of Washington, out of compliment to a good 
 man. It now has a railway scene to represent how Con- 
 gressmen make money. The two cent stamp represents 
 a man on horseback. This represents Booth's death 
 ride into Maryland. The one cent stamp should repre- 
 sent a cow with the favorite son of the Covington post- 
 master fast to her tail. This out of compliment to Grant. 
 
 An Eastern paper says : 
 
 "The Government introduced the present nondescript 
 things called postage stamps, for the purpose of fright- 
 ening counterfeiters." 
 
 And later the Herald says : 
 
 "Another attempt is to be made to give us decent post- 
 age stamps. We suppose it will fail, as so many have 
 hitherto. Our postal authorities try too much. If they 
 will only take the Italian or French stamp, and put 
 Washington's head in place of Victor Emanuel's, or 
 Napleon's, they cannot fail; but they will try some im- 
 provements and spoil all. 
 
 The post office department announced the issue 
 in the following circular : 
 
 POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT. 
 
 Finance Office, March 1st, 1869. 
 Sir: 
 
 At an early day, in the regular course of busi- 
 ness, the Department will issue to Postmasters stamps 
 
._ 149 
 
 of new designs. [See description annexed.] In the 
 proposed issue the six cent stamp is substituted for the 
 five cents. You are required to exhaust all of the pres- 
 ent style on hand, before supplying the public with the 
 new; and in no case will you be allowed to make ex- 
 changes for individuals, or to return stamps to the De- 
 partment to be exchanged. The stamps now in use are 
 not to be disregarded, but must be recognized in all 
 cases equally with the new ones. 
 
 Special attention is called to the fact that sheets of all 
 denominations below 15 cents contain 150 stamps. The 
 15 cents and all higher denominations, contain ] 00 stamps 
 on each sheet. This must be borne in mind to prevent 
 mistakes in counting, as in the present issue each de- 
 nomination has but 100 stamps to the sheet. Special re- 
 quests for the new style of stamps will be disregarded un- 
 til the stock of the present issue in possession of the De- 
 partment is exhausted. Due notice will be given of the 
 date of issue of any new design of stamped envelopes, 
 therefor all inquiries respecting them will be disregarded. 
 
 [Signed.] A. N. ZEVEKLY, 
 
 Third Assistant Postmaster General. 
 
 The description upon the other side requires to 
 be supplemented for collectors, but is incorporated 
 in those following. 
 
 ISSUE OF MARCH 19TH. 1869. 
 
 Composed of ten values each of a different type. 
 ONE CENT. Head of Franklin, in profile, look- 
 ing to the left, on a circular disk horizontally 
 lined, surrounded by a broad circle ornamented 
 with colorless pearls, bordered by a band of rayed 
 lines between fine white lines, with exterior fine col- 
 ored line, and divided into three labels by orna- 
 
150 
 
 ments at the sides and bottom. " U. S. Postage" at 
 the top; large numeral "1" in a small oval (sic) 
 with a border of colorless loops between the words 
 " One cent" at the bottom. Color. Roman ochre. 
 Corners plain without color. 
 
 Plate impression, circular, 20 by 20 mm., in color, 
 on white paper, perforated, 12, grilled and without 
 
 grille. 
 
 1 cent, Roman ochre. 
 
 Two CENTS. Post horse and rider facing to the 
 left, trees, fence, etc., in background, surrounded 
 by ornamental scroll work, "United States" in 
 small colored capitals on the ground above, a cur- 
 tain inscribed "Portage" in colorless capitals at the 
 top. "Two Cents" at the bottom on a ribbon with 
 large numeral "2" between the words, both in 
 outline shaded. "Color, light bronze." 
 
 Plate impression, 20 by 19mm., in color, on white 
 paper, perforated 12, grilled and without grille. 
 2 cents, yellow-brown, light and dark 
 chestnut-brown. 
 
 THREE CENTS. Locomotive heading to the right, 
 surrounded by ornamental scroll work, "United 
 States" in colored block capitals on a curved band, 
 ^Postage" in colorless capitals in a tablet beneath, 
 at top. "Three cents" in outline shaded block 
 capitals, in two scrolls at the bottom, with numeral 
 t; 3" in a shield (sic) between the words. Color, 
 Imperial ultramarine blue. 
 
 There is no shield as stated in the official de- 
 scription. 
 
151 
 
 Plate impression, 20 by 19 inm., in color, on white 
 paper, perforated 12, grilled and without grille. 
 3 cents blue. 
 
 Six CENTS. Head of Washington, three quarters 
 face looking to the right, on a ground of vertical and 
 horizontal lines, bordered by a solid broad colored 
 line, ornamented by 68 pearls. Spandrels check- 
 ered and bordered by colorless lines. Frame square, 
 composed of vertically lined squares in the upper 
 corners, with narrower horizontally lined label be- 
 tween, with a broad colored border, ornamented by 
 pearls and exterior colorless and colored line above. 
 The colored labels are narrower than the upper 
 squares at the the sides, and are bordered by col- 
 orless pearls and an interior white line, an exterior 
 colorless and fine colored line. Horizontally lined 
 label across the entire bottom, widened at the ends 
 to correspond with the upper squares, with exterior 
 colorless and colored line. "U. S." in upper left 
 and right corners of frame respectively. The word 
 "Postage" in upper bar of frame, "Six Cents" in 
 lower, the numeral 6 between the words, and 
 "United States" on each side. Color, ultramarine. 
 
 Plate impression, 20 by 20 mm. , square, in color, on 
 white paper, perforated 12, grilled and possibly 
 without grille. 
 
 6 cents blue. 
 
 TEN CENTS. Shield of the United States on 
 which is resting an eagle with outspread wings, 
 looking to the left. "United States" in small col- 
 
152 
 
 ored capitals with " Postage" in large outline cap- 
 itals, shaded in a second line beneath, in the upper 
 section of the shield, numeral 10 in lower. The 
 words "Ten Cents" in scroll at the bottom in out- 
 line shaded capitals. The whole design surrounded 
 by thirteen stars arranged in a semicircle, (sic) 
 color, orange. The background is rayed behind 
 the eagle and the semicircle of stars are upon this 
 only, the background behind the shield is of 
 clouds, there is no frame. 
 
 Plate impression, 19 by 18 mm., in color, on white 
 paper, perforated 12 and grilled, possibly also 
 without grille. 
 
 10 cents orange. 
 
 TWELVE CENTS. Ocean Steam ship, headed to 
 left in horizontal oval, surrounded by ornamented 
 scroll work. In a double tablet with arched top on 
 horizontally lined ground, and colored capitals in a 
 curved line," United States" and '" Postage" in out- 
 line capitals on a solid ground. On three scrolls in 
 outline capitals and numerals shaded, "Twelve 
 Cents" at the bottom, with numeral 12 between the 
 words. Color, malori green. 
 
 Plate impression, 20 by 19 mm., in color, on white 
 paper, slightly surfaced green, perforated 12 and 
 grilled, possibly also without grille. 
 12 cents, green. 
 
153 
 
 FIFTEEN* CENTS. Microscopic reproduction of 
 the large picture, in the Capitol at Washington, of 
 the "Landing of Columbus, "in an oblong rectangle 
 20 by 10 mm., with rounded upper corners, sur- 
 rounded at a little distance by a single colored line. 
 Ornamental and scroll work at top and bottom on 
 a ground ruled horizontally inside and vertically out- 
 side of the scrolls, the whole surrounded by a color- 
 less and fine colored line. On a colorless tablet, in 
 Gothic capitals,"?/. S." ; in a curved line of outline 
 capitals on the ground, ^Postage" at top. Fifteen 
 cents at bottom, with numerals "15" underneath in 
 outline colorless capitals, on the ground. Colors : 
 picture, Prussian blue, scroll and ornamental work 
 pale Indian red. 
 
 Plate impression, 21M by 21K mm., in color on 
 white paper, perforated 12, grilled and not grilled. 
 The paper is more or less surfaced with blue. 
 15 cents blue and brown. 
 
 NOTE. There are two varieties of this stamp, de- 
 pending on the type, and an error, the latter was 
 however never circulated. The line of the frame, 
 above the picture, is curved up on the left hand, be- 
 ginning under the O, and on the right hand begin- 
 ning under the G, in what is called the O. G. curve, 
 till the two meet in a point. In the ordinary vari- 
 ety there are two fine lines within the space left 
 for the picture, which along the whole top, includ- 
 ing the curved corners and this central double 
 curve, are united in a heavy line and at about la a 
 millimeter from the center line on each side, curve 
 
154 
 
 down, as well as up, to a point, forming a diamond. 
 On the sides and bottom within this line, there is a 
 shading of fine diagonal lines. When the picture 
 is exactly in position, which is rare, the colored 
 line surrounding it falls between these fine lines, 
 and on the heavy curved line, just touching the lower 
 part of the diamond. 
 
 In the rarer variety, the two fine lines, the broad top 
 line, and the bottom of the diamond are all omitted, 
 the entire space is either empty or shows one, two or 
 three horizontal lines across the top of the space, 
 and three or four across the bottom, with a row of 
 short horizontal lines at the sides. When the pict- 
 ure is in proper place there is an almost blank space 
 at the top, and apparently a white line surrounding 
 the picture. When it is misplaced the colored 
 lines described can be seen and there appear to 
 have been several varieties, as there were more or 
 less of them. 
 
 Tlie error is not as is sometimes supposed an er- 
 ror of printing, but in the plate. Two plates, one 
 for each color, had to be used. Originally, there 
 were 150 stamps as in the smaller values, (See 
 circular of March 1st, 1869 above cited) but upon 
 the plate for printing the picture, it is said one pict- 
 ure was reversed, and the error once discovered, 
 the plate was cut down to print onl}- 100 stamps as 
 stated in the circular. It is probable that no copies 
 with the error were ever circulated. 
 
 TWEXTY-FOUR CENTS. Microscopic reproduct- 
 ion of the large picture at the Capitol, of the "Sign- 
 
155 
 
 ing of the Declaration of Independence" forming 
 an oblong rectangle 20 by 10mm., with all four cor- 
 ners cut off diagonally, surrounded by a fine color- 
 ed line at a little distance. Ornamental scroll work 
 at top and bottom on a lined ground. A line of 
 pearls on a colored line, between a colorless and 
 colored line, forms the frame for the picture. In 
 block capitals "7. "and "." surrounded by ovals at 
 upper left and right corners respectively, the word 
 "Postage" between the two, in a carved line of out- 
 line capitals, shaded on the background. ^Tiventy- 
 f our Cents" in scrolls at bottom, with numeral "24" 
 beneath in outline letters shaded. Colors : the pict- 
 ure, purple lake, scroll and ornamental work, light 
 malori green. Just beneath the picture in small 
 colored numerals, "1776," 
 
 Plate impression, 21% by 22 mm., in color on white 
 paper, perforated 12, grilled and not grilled. 
 
 24 cents, purple and green. 
 
 NOTE. There is the same error of this stamp"re- 
 versed picture" stated to be from the same cause, a 
 defect in the plate as for the 15 cents, and, the same 
 remarks appty. 
 
 THIRTY CENTS. Eagle facing to left, with out- 
 spread wings, resting on shield with flags grouped on 
 either side. The words ^United States Postage" 
 in upper section of shield. The numeral "30" in 
 lower. The words " Thirty Cents" across the bottom, 
 with three stars arranged in a semi-circle at top of 
 the design. Colors: Eagle and Shield, carmine, 
 flags blue. Except for the change of numerals and 
 
150 
 
 words of value, the omission of the scroll, and 
 the substitution of the two flags on each side for 
 the clouds, the design, though not the drawing of 
 this stamp is identical with the ten cents. "Thir- 
 ty cents" is however in block letters, the T Y C E 
 in outline, the rest shaded. 
 
 Plate impression, 21)4 by 22mm.. in color, on 
 white paper, slightly tinted with pink, perforated 
 12, grilled and not grilled. 
 
 30 cents, carmine and blue. 
 
 Error. There is also an error of this stamp in 
 which the flags are reversed. It is also stated to 
 be an error on the plate, but may be only an error 
 in printing. 
 
 NINETY CENTS. Portrait of Lincoln in an oval, 
 looking to the right, surrounded by ornamental 
 scrollwork, numerals "90" at each of the upper 
 corners, set diagonally in outline, and shaded on 
 vertically lined ground. On a label with rayed 
 ground, edged by a colorless and colored line, in 
 outline capitals shaded. il U. S. Postage" at top of 
 oval. '''Ninety" and "cents" on scrolls at the lower left 
 and right corners of oval respectively, set diagon- 
 ally and in colored capitals. In outline gothic cap- 
 itals "U" and "8" at the lower left and right cor- 
 ners of the stamp respectively. Colors : portrait 
 black, surrounding ornamental and scroll work, 
 carmine. It may be well to add that the portrait is 
 three quarters face, on a square hatched ground, 
 and a single colored line in same color surrounds 
 the oval at a little distance. The space left in the 
 
157 
 
 frame for the picture is bordered by fine short 
 horizontal lines, which show when the picture is 
 not properly placed. 
 
 Plate impression, 2lMby21^ mm. square, in two 
 colors, on white paper, slightly surfaced pink, per- 
 forated 12, grilled and not grilled. 
 
 90 cents, black and carmine. 
 
 The grille in this series is a square 9 by 9j mm. 
 composed of 1H rows of 12 smaller squares each, 
 apparently separated by raised lines crossing each 
 other at right angles, each little square divided by 
 depressed diagonals also, as if produced by forcing 
 a series of pyramids set close together, but not 
 touching, into the face of the stamp. Seen from 
 the reverse, the dividing lines are depressed and 
 the squares stand up like pyramids, with ragged 
 edges showing the broken fibre of the paper. 
 
 The numbers of the several values of this issue is 
 approximated as follows : 
 
 1 cent, 24,988,100 
 
 2 cents, 114,058,000 
 
 3 cents 530,346,800 
 
 6 cents, 6,363,700 
 
 10 cents, 5,770,130 
 
 12 cents, 4,088,875 
 
 15 cents, - 2,360,740 
 
 24 cents, 414,325 
 
 30 cents 513,180 
 
 90 cents, 77,650 
 
XXIII. 
 
 THE ISSUE OF 1870. 
 
 In the report of the Postmaster General for; the 
 year ending the 30th of June, 1870, under date of 
 Nov. loth, 1870, he says : 
 
 The adhesive postage stamps adopted by my prede- 
 cessor in 1869, having failed to give satisfaction to the 
 public, on account of their small size, their unshapely 
 form, the inappropriations of their designs, the difficul- 
 ty of cancelling them effectually, and the inferior qual- 
 ity of gum used in their manufacture, I found it neces- 
 sary in April last, to issue new stamps of larger size, su- 
 perior quality of gum and new designs. As the contract 
 then in force, contained a provision that the stamps 
 should be changed, and new designs and plates furnish- 
 ed at the pleasure of the Postmaster General, without ad- 
 ditional cost to the department, I decided to substitute 
 an entire new series, one-third larger in size, and to a- 
 dopt for designs the heads, in profile, of distinguished de- 
 ceased Americans. This style was deemed the most el- 
 igible, because it not only afforded the best opportunity 
 for the exercise of the highest grade of artistic skill in 
 composition and execution, but also appeared to be the 
 most difficult to counterfeit. The designs were selected 
 from marble busts of acknowledged excellence, as fol- 
 
159 
 
 lows: One cent, Franklin, after Rubricht; two cents, 
 Jackson, after Powers; three cents, Washington, after 
 Houdou ; six cents, Lincoln, after Volk ; ten cents, Jeff- 
 erson, after Powers' statue; twelve cents, Clay, after 
 Hart; fifteen cents, Webster, after Clevenger; twenty- 
 four cents, Scott, after Coffee; thirty cents, Hamilton, 
 after Cerrachi; ninty cents, Commodore O. H. Perry, 
 profile bust, after Walcott ? s statue. The stamps were 
 completed and issues of them began in April last. The 
 superior gum with which they are coated is not the least 
 of the advantages derived from the change. 
 
 Upon the conclusion of the postal treaty with the 
 North German Confederation, fixing the single letter 
 rate by direct steamers at seven cents, to take effect the 
 1st of July last, a stamp of that denomination was adopt- 
 ed, and the profile bust of the late Edwin M. Stanton 
 selected for the design. This has been completed in a 
 satisfactory manner, but owing to the temporary discon- 
 tinuance of the direct mail steamship service to North 
 Germany, it has not yet been issued to postmasters. 
 
 It may not be uninteresting to remark that the 
 following stamps were adapted among other uses, 
 to the payment of the rates under postal treaties as 
 follows ; 
 
 6 cents, England, Dec, 3d, 1869 ; Sandwich Is- 
 
 lands, May 5th, 1870; British Colum- 
 bia, July 15th, 1870 ; Germany, March 
 31st, 1871. 
 
 7 cents, Germany, April 7th, 1870; Denmark, 
 
 Dec. 1st 1871. 
 10 cent, Italy, Feb. 8th, 1870; Belgium, March 
 
 1st, 1870; Switzerland, April 13, 1870; 
 
 Salvador, Oct. 5th, 1870. 
 12 cents, British Honduras, August llth, 1869'; 
 
160 
 
 New Zealand, Oct. 5th, 1870, 
 15 cents, Brazil, May 9th, 1870. 
 The series being ready for issue, was announced 
 to the various Postmasters in the following : 
 
 CIRCULAR TO POSTMASTERS. 
 
 POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, 
 Office of Third Assistant Postmaster General. 
 
 April 9th, 1870. 
 New Series of Postage Stamps. 
 
 At an early date in the regular course of business, the 
 Department will issue to Postmasters, postage stamps 
 of a new design. [See description annexed.] 
 
 You are required to exhaust all of the present style on 
 hand before supplying the public with the new; and in 
 no case will you be allowed to make exchanges for in- 
 dividuals or to return stamps to the Department to be 
 exchanged. 
 
 The stamps now in use are not to be disregarded, but 
 must be recognized in all cases equally with the new 
 ones. The stamps known as the series of 1861, of which 
 a few are supposed to be yet outstanding, are also to be 
 recognized. Those issued prior to the commencement 
 of the war of the Rebellion were long since declared to 
 be valueless. 
 
 Special attention is called to the fact that each sheet, of 
 all denominations of the new series, contains but 100 
 stamps. This must be borne in mind to prevent mis- 
 takes in counting, as in the present issue some of the de- 
 nominations have 150 stamps to the sheet. 
 
 Special requests for the new style of stamps will be 
 disregarded until the stock of the present issue, in poses- 
 ion of the Department, is exhausted. [-**** re _ 
 latiug-to envelopes to be issued to conform * * * * ] 
 
 [Signed] Wm. H. Terrell, 
 
 Third Assistant Postmaster General. 
 
101 
 
 [ The "description annexed" is on the other side 
 and is merety a list of values, the bust from which 
 the portrait was copied, the color, etc., exactly fol- 
 lowing that in the extract from the Postmaster Gen- 
 erals report above.] The exact date of issue is 
 fixed by the Postmaster General's report, as May, 
 
 1870. 
 
 ISSUE OF MAY, 1870. 
 
 Composed of ten values as follows ; 
 
 ONE CENT. Bust of Benj. Franklin, in profile to 
 the left, after Rubricht, on an oval disk, lined hori- 
 zontally and obliquely, bordered by a broad color- 
 less line and exterior colored fine line. Outside of 
 this a series of colorless curved lines, bordered by 
 fine colored lines, and foliated at the corners on a 
 ground of parallel vertical colored lines, completes 
 the rectangle. There is no enclosing colored line 
 at top, or bottom. Short horizontal colored lines 
 form the shadows of the oval and ornaments. The 
 upper corners are formed by a line curved round 
 from the oval and terminating in a large ball, 
 a second line curving round from this and con- 
 tinued along the top, ending in two foliations 
 with a small leaf-shaped dash beyond. There 
 is a large ball at the intersection of these lines in 
 the corner of the stamp. A slightly curved line 
 continues down from the corner, forming the sides. 
 The lower corner being formed by a curved line 
 starting in a dot, curving upward and round, and 
 terminating inside the side lines in a large foliation 
 with three bails above it. The bottom is formed of 
 
162 
 
 a waved line. These are all distinct and plain color- 
 less lines between fine colored lines, and about 
 the width of the line surrounding the oval. 
 
 The ornaments in the corners have shadows be- 
 neath, and on the inner edges, and the side lines 
 have shadows on the outer edges, formed of short 
 horizontal lines. The oval has heavy shadows sim- 
 ilarly formed. The vertical lines of the background 
 are fine, and of even width throughout. Above the 
 oval, a thin colorless line, bordered by a fine colored 
 line, within and without, parallel with the oval, but 
 curved round at the ends to meet it, forms a label 
 inscribed in outline capitals, il U. S. Postage," 
 shaded without on a rectangularly hatched ground. 
 Below the oval a large outline pearled numeral "1" 
 shaded without, divides the lower border line, and 
 a similar line parallel to the border line, but ter- 
 minated at each end by a ball, forms a label in- 
 scribed in outline capitals "One Cent" shaded out- 
 side on a rectangularly hatched ground. Above this 
 label are three small white pearls on each side of the 
 numeral. 
 
 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 hor- 
 izontally and doubly obliquely, bordered by abroad 
 white line and fine exterior colored line, the whole 
 super-imposed on a shield, with ground of vertical 
 colored lines, and bordered by a very fine colored 
 
163 
 
 exterior line. The shield is curved in at the top, 
 corners diagonal, sides curved in and then out, bot- 
 tom rounded and rests on a background of horizon- 
 tal colored lines. There are no exterior lines on 
 the sicjes. Below the oval, a large outline numeral 
 4 '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 color- 
 ed lines, extends nearly to the outer edge of the 
 stamp, and is inscribed, 11 U. S. Postage" in outline 
 colorless capitals, shaded outside on a rectangularly 
 hatched ground. The shadows of the shield are 
 made by short vertical lines, those of the oval by 
 short horizontal lines. The shield is ornamented 
 by fine laurel leaves on each side, just above the 
 lower label. 
 
 Plate impression, 19>2by 25mm. , in color, on white 
 paper, perforated 12. 
 
 2 cents, velvet brown. 
 
 THREE CENTS. Bust of Geo. Washington, after 
 Houdon, in profile to left, on oval disk with horizon- 
 tally lined ground, and occasional diagonal lat- 
 ticed hatchings, bordered by a broad colorless line 
 with exterior fine colored line, resting on a shield 
 with vertically lined ground, on a background of hor- 
 izontal lines, with a border line on the right side but 
 none on the left. Above the oval, a band bord- 
 ered by a colorless line, with a ball on each end 
 and three little foliations above on each side, all 
 
164 
 
 edged by a fine colored line inscribed 11 U. S. Post- 
 age," in outline capitals, shaded outside on a hori- 
 zontally lined ground. Below the oval a large num- 
 eral ; '3," shaded outside, divides a ribbon bord- 
 ered by a colored line, and inscribed in similar 
 capitals, "Three Cents" on a ground of short verti- 
 cal lines. The shadows of the oval are made by 
 short colored horizontal lines, and those of the shield 
 by vertical lines, 
 
 Plate impression, 19Kby25 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 hori- 
 zontally and doubly lined obliquely, bordered by a 
 colorless line. On a depressed panel, lined hor- 
 izontally, 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 
 tl 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" di- 
 vided 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 de- 
 pressed panel are made by vertical colored lines, and 
 those of the upper and lower labels are made by hori- 
 
105 
 
 zontal colored lines. 
 
 Plate impression, 19iby25 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 horizon- 
 tally, and obliquely from right to left, bordered by a 
 colorless line with exterior colored line, on a shield 
 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 ed- 
 ged by a colored exterior line, curved round from the 
 oval line at the ends, and then parallel with it, hav- 
 ing 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 let- 
 ters "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, 19-2by25 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 be- 
 tween two fine colored lines, surrounded by labels 
 
166 
 
 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 t;p and bottom. The outer edges represent- 
 ing a chamfer are horizontally lined. A little dis- 
 tance from the edge, a series of diagonal lines be- 
 tween two parallel lines, represent a beveled edge, 
 making the parts within appear higher. The up- 
 per label is inscribed tl U. S. Postage," in outline 
 capitals, doubly shaded outside, on a ground of 
 horizontal lines. The lower label is inscribed, 
 "Tivelve 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 pro- 
 file to the left, after Clevenger, on an oval disk, 
 very closely lined horizontally and obliquely, bord- 
 ered by a colorless line, on a vertically lined back- 
 ground, 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, 
 
-1G7 
 
 square at the ends with a ball beyond, inscribed on 
 a horizontally lined ground in colorless capitals, 
 outlined by colored lines and shaded without, "7. 
 S. Postage." Below the oval is a similarly formed 
 label with pointed ends, inscribed in the same letters 
 on horizontally lined ground, ^Fifteen Cents " divid- 
 ed by large pearled numerals "15." 
 
 Plate impression, 19/s 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 color- 
 less line with exterior colored line, on a rectangular 
 background of horizontal lines. Above and follow- 
 ing the line of the oval are thirteen five pointed stars, 
 two at each end plain, and one letter of the inscrip- 
 tion "U. S. Postage" in cplored block capitals in 
 each of the others. Above these and parallel to the 
 oval is a colorless line between colored lines, divid- 
 ed and curving into two balls 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 arrange- 
 ment 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 
 
1GS 
 
 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 col- 
 orless line with outer colored line, on a shield shaped 
 panel vertically lined, the edges beveled and ob- 
 liquely lined, resting on a background of horizon- 
 tal 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 shield are indicated by short horizontal 
 lines ; those of the shield by vertical lines. Across 
 the curved top of the shield is a colorless line bord- 
 ered by outside colored .lines. Across the top of 
 the shield in a double curve of outline capitals, 
 shaded outside, li U. S. Postage.'' Below the oval, 
 a small shield, outlined by a colorless line between 
 colored lines, bears the outlined numerals " 30," 
 shaded outside on ground of horizontal lines, divid- 
 ing a ribbon outlined by colored lines, inscribed 
 "Thirty Cents" in colored spurred capitals, on a 
 ground of vertical lines. 
 
 Plate impression, 19 Yz by 25 mm., in color, on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 30 cents, black. 
 
16!) 
 
 NINETY CENTS. Bust of Com. O. H. Perry, in 
 profile to left, after Wolcutt, on an oval disk bord- 
 ered 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 
 11 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 col- 
 ored 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/i>by25 mm., in color on 
 white paper, perforated 12, 
 
 90 cents, carmine. 
 
 ISSUE OF JULY 1870. 
 
 SEVEN CENTS. Bust of Secretary Edwin M. Stan- 
 ton, in profile to left, on an oval disk, closety 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 ter- 
 minated 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 hor- 
 
-170 
 
 izontal lines. The labels are inscribed in outline 
 capitals, shaded outside on a hatched ground, the 
 upper, il U. S. Postage," the lower, 4 '/Seven Cents," 
 ivided by a large outline numeral t; 7," doubly 
 shaded outside. 
 
 Plate impression, 19i b}^ 25 mm., in color r on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 7 cents, vermillion. 
 
 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 how- 
 ever, and on the face it appears to be composed of hor- 
 izontal rows of depressed diamonds, divided by al- 
 ernate rows of smaller raised diamonds, with deep- 
 epressed lines along the sides of the latter. On 
 he reverse, the appearance is of rows of squares 
 ivided by depressed lines, with little raised crosses 
 in each square. By these specimens it has also 
 been determined, that there were at least two dis- 
 tinct sizes of grille. 
 
 The first measures 10? by 12i mm., composed of 
 13 by 15i 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 8i by lOi mm., and 
 is composed of 10 by 13 rows of squares. Perfect 
 specimens of the 1, 2, 3 and 7 cents so grilled 
 
171 
 
 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 measure- 
 ment, 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. 
 10i by 12i mm., or 13 by 17 rows. 
 10 " 12 " " 13 " 15 " 
 9 " 111 " " 12 " 15 " 
 9 " 11 " " 11 " 14 " 
 81 " 10 " " 11 " 13 " 
 
 These all now bear a deep yellow or brown gum. 
 The colors are very uniform. 
 
 As stated by the passage 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 
 
1 72 
 
 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 2i mm. 
 apart, and there are no perforations between them. 
 The vertical rows of perforation are 22i mm. apart 
 horizontally. The horizontal rows 27| mm. apart 
 vertically, but the upper and lower rows are some- 
 times 28 i and sometimes 29i 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 cen- 
 ter cut line is selected, and the perforations care- 
 fully cut off ,specimens can be made that have a much 
 larger margin than the ordinary perforated stamps, 
 and might easily pass as unperf orated, This may 
 not account for all the unperf orated specimens, 
 some of w x hich may be the result of accident, but 
 all the values of this series and the following may 
 be so made unperf orated, and have been so cata- 
 logued. 
 
 The number of these stamps issued with grille, 
 is estimated as follows : 
 
 1 cent, 95,127,100. 
 
 2 cents, 208,375,550. 
 
 3 962,467,790. 
 
 6 " 21,600,900, 
 
 7 " 2.070.800. 
 
173- 
 
 10 cents 8,509,280. 
 
 12 " 2,857,975. 
 
 15 " 4,299,220. 
 
 24 " 637,450. 
 
 30 " 711,430. 
 
 90 " 165,180. 
 
 ISSUE WITHOUT GRILLE (1873?) 
 
 The use of the grille was finally abandoned alto- 
 gether. The first notice of this change appeared 
 in the stamp papers of February, 1873. They were 
 made by the same company, and are in all respects 
 the same, except the embossing. 
 
 1 cent, imperial ultramarine, perforated 12. 
 
 2 cents, velvet brown 
 
 3 " milorigreen 
 
 6 " cochineal 
 
 7 " vermilion 
 
 10 " chocolate : 
 
 12 " purple 
 
 15 " orange 
 
 24 " pure purple 
 
 30 " black 
 
 90 " carmine " 
 
 The colors do not vary materially from those of 
 the grilled series, but ihere are two quite distinct 
 shades of the twelve cents, a blackish purple and 
 a brownish tint. 
 
174 
 
 ISSUE OF 1873. 
 
 In accordance with the provisions of the general 
 law, before the expiration of the contract with the 
 National Bank Note Company, the Postmaster Gen- 
 eral advertised in the daily papers, in December, 
 1872, that he would receive bids for furnishing the 
 Department with postage stamps from the 1st of 
 May, 1873, to the 1st of May, 1877. This contract, as 
 well as the subsequent one which terminated the 1st 
 of July, 188 J, was awarded to the Continental Bank 
 Note Company, of New York. The dies and plates, 
 by the terms of the contract with the National 
 Bank Note Company, were the property of the Gov- 
 ernment, and were turned over to the new contract- 
 ors, who continued to print the stamps from the 
 same plates, until they were worn out, and theoret- 
 ically in the same colors. As new plates were re- 
 quired from time to time, they were made from the 
 original dies, but bore the imprint of the new con- 
 tractor, which resembles the first one described as 
 used by the National Company, but reads ''Printed 
 by the" in the first line, "Continental Bank Note 
 Co., New York," in the second line. This imprint 
 probably, was not put upon one of the values above 
 15 cents. In fact the 30 and 90 cents sent out 
 just before, and for some years after the expiration 
 of the second contract awarded to this Company, 
 bore the second named imprint of the National 
 Bank Note Company. 
 
 Specimens are found which show the heavier bord- 
 er lines and shadows of the different parts of the 
 
175 
 
 design, the fine lines of the background, of the tab- 
 lets, and sometimes of the shields, being invisible to 
 the eye, though more or less of them can generally 
 be traced with a glass. These collectors have des- 
 ignated as "plain frames," as they appear to be 
 without color. They are, really, defective impres- 
 sions either from worn plates, when the plates made 
 by the National Bank Note Company, were giving 
 out in 1873, or from the poor results of the process 
 of printing adopted, as is claimed by the Postmaster 
 General. 
 
 But similar varieties have certainly appeared, 
 and for like causes, at other times. Collectors of 
 curiosities will find : 
 
 1 cent plain frame, perforated 12. 
 
 2 cents " 
 
 O>> > 5 5 > J 5 
 
 6 " " . " 
 
 -| f\ 5 J J > J >> 
 
 The stamps from the plates with the imprint of 
 this Company, now bear on the back a white gum, 
 and not e brownish, used by the National Bank 
 Note Company, which will help to distinguish im- 
 pressions made by them from the old plates. The 
 colors, however, are not identical, and will further 
 serve to distinguish them. There may be excep- 
 tions, but ordinarily the ONE CENT is a pure indigo, 
 without the red or ultramarine cast, of those print- 
 ed previously, whether lighter or deeper impres- 
 sions are chosen. 
 
 The Two CENTS has also lost its reddish tone, 
 
176^- 
 
 and is a dull brown, with a tendency to blackish- 
 brown, whether lighter or deeper in shade. 
 
 The THREE CENTS is of a duller and generally a 
 pale shade. 
 
 The Six CENTS is much lighter and is a washy 
 pink. 
 
 The SEVEN CENTS is a more j^ellowish vermilion. 
 
 The TEN CENTS approaches very nearly to the 
 original shade of the two cents, but is a little more 
 of a blackish brown, very unlike the delicate original 
 shade. The oval and face lines are dark and 
 heavy. 
 
 The FIFTEEN CENTS is a much paler orange. 
 The higher values, TWENTY-FOUR, THIRTY and NINE- 
 TY CENTS, have a thinner tone than the deep rich col- 
 or of the former Company's work. 
 
 In the meantime, the following changes were 
 announced in a circular to postmasters. 
 
 POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, 
 
 Office of the Third Assistant Postmaster General, 
 Division of Stamps, Stamped Envelopes & Postal Cards. 
 
 Washington, D. C., June 21st, 1 875. 
 The Department is prepared to commence the issue 
 of postage stamps of the denomination of five (5) cents 
 to meet the new letter rate of postage, under the treaty 
 of Berne, to the following countries, viz : 
 
 '[Here follow the names of all countries that had 
 then joined the Postal Union, to which five cents 
 was the rate.] 
 
 The new five cent stamp is designed from a bust of 
 Gen Zackary Taylor in full face, and printed in dark 
 
blue color. The chaiiges in foreign postages will render 
 unnecessary the further use of the 7, 12 and 24 cent 
 stamps and stamped envelopes, and they will according- 
 ly be discontinued. 
 
 In order to avoid the liability to mistake caused by 
 the near similarity in color between the two cent and 
 ten cent stamp, the former will in future be printed in 
 vermilion, the color of the discontinued seven cent 
 stamp. 
 
 [Here follows directions to use up the stock of 
 the discontinued stamps and envelopes, whenever 
 they can be utilized.] 
 
 [Signed.] E. M. BARBER, 
 
 Third Assistant Postmaster General. 
 
 ISSUE OF JULY IST, 1875, 
 
 Two CENTS. Same design, and from the same die 
 and plate as the previous brown impression, the color 
 only changed. 
 
 Plate impression, 19> by 25 mm., in color, on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 2 cents, vermilion, 
 
 ISSUE OF OCTOBER OTH, 1875. 
 
 One of the New York daily papers in April, 1882, 
 speaking of the new five cent stamp (Garfield) 
 about to be issued, says : The history of the cur- 
 rent five cent stamp with Taylor's portrait is as fol- 
 lows: 
 
 The rates for international postage had been decided 
 upon as 5 cents, the United States series of postage 
 stamps had not such a value. Mr. Jewell, the Postmast- 
 er General at the time, suggested to President Grant 
 
178 
 
 the propriety of having his portrait on the new stamp 
 of the required value. Gen. Grant did not agree with 
 his Cabinet officer. Finally, he suggested that if Mr. 
 Jewell would insist upon consulting his wishes, he (Gen. 
 Grant) would be well pleased if the portrait of old Zack 
 Taylor, with whom he served in the Mexican war, could 
 be used on the new stamp. Instead of instructing the 
 then contractors to prepare a portrait of Gen. Taylor, 
 which would be in harmony with the other stamps of 
 the series, Mr, Jewell found in the Bureau of Engraving 
 and Printing, a portrait of Taylor, which had been used 
 on the old tobacco strip series. This portrait was trans- 
 mogrified into the five cent stamp. It was badly en- 
 graved and of wretched color. 
 
 ISSUE OF OCTOBER 5th, 1875. 
 
 FIVE CENTS. Bust of General Zachary Taylor, 
 full face, on an oval disk lined horizontally and 
 obliquely, the horizontal lines growing closer and 
 closer towards the top, surrounded by a colorless 
 line with outer colored line, and resting on a shield, 
 vertically lined, and bordered by an exterior colored 
 ine, all on a background of colored horizontal 
 lines, the shadows of short horizontal lines. Above 
 the oval is a label, bordered by a colorless line be- 
 tween fine colored lines, and curved round and di- 
 vided at the ends, the outer part terminating in a 
 ball, horizontally lined and inscribed 11 U. S. Post- 
 age," in outline capitals shaded without. Below the 
 oval is a ribbon, bordered by a colored line, and 
 inscribed ''Five Cents," the words divided by a 
 large numeral 5, all in outline capitals, shaded with- 
 out on a ground of short vertical lines. 
 
179 
 
 Plate impression, 19i by 25 mm., in color, on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 5 cents, dark blue. 
 
 The stamp is identical with the two and ten cent 
 values, with the value changed, and the portrait of 
 Taylor from the six ounce tobacco stamp of the "se- 
 ries of 1871," placed in the medallion. 
 
 Both the two cent, vermilion and the five cent 
 blue, bear the imprint "Printed by The Conibin- 
 ental Bank Note Company," which also prepared 
 the tobacco stamp in question. 
 
 These two stamps have been chronicled as having 
 been issued grilled. The error crept into the 
 French edition of this work likewise, but they were 
 at least never so issued for circulation. 
 
 All the values as issued by this company have 
 likewise been chronicled as unperforated. If they 
 are not accounted for as indicated under the re- 
 marks made on page 172, they are the result of 
 accident. 
 
 In many cases indistinct dots can be seen where 
 the perforating machine failed to do its work Such 
 specimens are curious but do not require more than 
 mention. 
 
 Before the second contract with the Continental 
 Bank Note Co. expired, it was consolidated with 
 the American Bank Note Co. under, the name of 
 the American Bank Note Company, and new plates 
 began to appear with the imprint of this company, 
 in large colored block capitals, shaded by a colored 
 line parallel to the letters and an outside row of 
 
180 
 
 lighter horizontal lines. 
 
 The one, two, three, five and ten are found with 
 this imprint, without material change. The seven, 
 twelve and twenty-four cent having long been re- 
 tired are not to be looked for with this imprint, and 
 the fifteen, thirty and ninety cents at this time were 
 still printed from the plates, with the imprint of the 
 Continental Bank Note Co. 
 
 The gum has the white shade and the colors are 
 the same as used by that company. 
 
 The one cent of the dull indigo blue. 
 
 The two cents has a misty look. 
 
 The three cents inclines to a blue-green. 
 
 The five cents has heavier lines and is a darker 
 blue. 
 
 The ten cents returns to the light appearance of 
 the original of 1870 but is of the yellow-brown 
 shade. 
 
 1 ISSUE OF APRIL lOm, 1882. 
 
 With the letting of the contract for another term 
 in June, 1881, the American Bank Note Company 
 again secured the contract. 
 
 Soon after the death of President Garfield, it was 
 proposed that his portrait should be placed on 
 the five cent stamp used for foreign postage, 
 and the stamp printed in mourning, as was said to 
 have been done with the fifteen cent stamp, then used 
 for foreign postage, after the death of President 
 Lincoln. The stamp with the head of Tay- 
 lor, it was said had been hurridly gotten up, and 
 did not correspond with the rest of the series. By 
 
181 - 
 
 direction of Postmaster General James, the Amer- 
 ican Bank Note Co. therefore prepared the new 
 stamp, after a photograph of President Garfield. 
 Mrs. Garfield was consulted, and proofs in various 
 colors were, it is said, submitted to her. Instead 
 of black, she finally selected a Vandyke brown. 
 The first proofs were in black, and at the request of 
 Mrs. Garfield it is stated, the Postmaster General 
 sent one of them, mounted on card and placed in a 
 frame of silver, surrounded by a second frame of 
 gold, on a background of purple velvet, and pro- 
 tected by a glass in an ebony frame, to Her Maj- 
 esty, the Queen of England. 
 
 From the correspondence columns of the daily 
 papers, we learn that the Department received the 
 first invoice of these stamps at Washington, the 7th 
 of February, 1882, and that it was expected to be- 
 gin the issue tbe 1st of March, foil: wing. Mr. 
 Durbin obtained some copies which he used on St. 
 Valentines day. But the stumps were not distri- 
 buted from the offices until the 10th of April, 1882 
 and were then sold only as the supply of the old 
 ones was exhausted. This is the date officially 
 given by the report of Postmaster General for the 
 year, and the same date is also given by the New 
 York papers. The description given by the Post- 
 master General it is not necessary to repeat. 
 
 ISSUE OF APRIL K)TH, 1882. 
 
 FIVE CENTS. Portrait in profile to the left, of 
 President Garfield, in an oval disk 16 by 20 mm., 
 
1S2 
 
 lined horizontally and obliquely, and bordered by 
 a line of colorless pearls on a broad colored band, 
 resting on a shield lined horizontally, and bordered 
 by a colored line, very heavy on the right side and 
 at the bottom, and an exterior fine colorless line at 
 the bottom and sides, all on a back ground of hori- 
 zontal lines bordered at the sides by a terminal line 
 of color. The shield is square at the top, of the 
 width of the stamp, with perpendicular sides not 
 quite so far apart, the corners being slanted back, 
 and is pointed at the bottom which is formed of 
 two diagonal lines. A large solid six pointed star, 
 bordered by a colorless line and exterior colored 
 line covers the lower point of the shield and a part 
 of the pearled border, and bears a large colorless 
 numeral "5." On each side of this a ribbon indi- 
 cated by a colored line, inscribed on left "Five," 
 on right "Cents," in outline capitals, on a ground 
 of short vertical lines. On the background of the 
 stamp, beneath all, " U. S. Postage" in colored 
 block letters, shaded on the left and top by color- 
 less lines. 
 
 Plate impression, 19K by 25 mm., in color, on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 5 cents, dark chocolate. 
 
 ISSUE or NOVEMBER, 1882. 
 
 Without any notice to the postmasters or the 
 public, new plates were made by the American 
 Bank Note Company, and slight changes were 
 made in the engraving. These began to appear in 
 
183 
 
 November, 1882, and may be found in the one 
 three, six and ten cent values. 
 
 ONE CENT. The vertical lines of the background 
 are thickened in the upper half and so nearly touch, 
 that the ground now appears solid and in fact from 
 the running of the ink, sometimes really is solid. 
 The curved ornamental lines in the upper corners 
 and the balls are now shaded with one or more in- 
 terior colored lines, instead of being plain. The 
 exterior shading of horizontal lines is omitted here, 
 at the ends of the upper labels, and also outside 
 of the side lines, and is very faint under the lower 
 ornaments and label. 
 
 (a) The first impressions of this altered plate 
 are in an ashey blue and, the upper ornaments are 
 rendered indistinct by the interior lines. There is 
 a whitish space, like a reflection beneath the bust. 
 
 (b) Later impressions in 1886, show the upper 
 ornaments more distinctly white, and shaded out- 
 side again by lines parallel to their curves. A 
 heavy shadow now appears under the bust, the 
 ground being almost solid where it falls. The color 
 by daylight is again slightly of the ultramarine cast, 
 but differing only slightty from the ashey hue by 
 gaslight. 
 
 (c) Later impressions in 1887, show the return 
 to the heavy upper ornaments, but their exterior 
 shading remains as in (b). The ground work of 
 the oval is uniform and there is no light or dark 
 shadow under the bust. The ultramarine is of a 
 more pronounced cast by daylight. 
 
184 
 
 Two CENTS. There seems to have been no change 
 beyond that already mentioned, as the design was 
 soon changed. 
 
 THREE CENTS. The altered die beside the other 
 appears quite different, but a close examination is 
 necessary to determine the differences at first. 
 Once detected, they are very apparent. The lines 
 of ground of the oval are heavier. The cross lines 
 can still be seen with the glass, and the part behind 
 the head is now crossed by vertical lines also. The 
 shadows of the upper ornaments are now solid, and 
 the horizontal lines cannot be detected. The shad- 
 ows of the oval are also solid, and about half as 
 broad as in the other die. The horizontal lines can 
 be seen by the glass, but are very light. This is the 
 most conspicuous difference. The vertical shadow 
 lines under the lower label are omitted. The shield 
 in the old die has a ground of horizontal lines on 
 the right side, with an outside vertical border line, 
 and two fine vertical lines on the horizontal lines 
 form the shadow of the shield. The altered die 
 has the three vertical lines, but the horizontal lines 
 are omitted to the point where the bottom line be- 
 gins. The color is a blue-green, not yellow-green 
 as before. 
 
 Six CENTS. The ground work of the oval, is 
 practically solid or mottled, that of the panel nearly 
 so. The border line cannot be distinguished from 
 the ground, while in the original issue, not only is 
 the border line distinct, but in the "sallie" the fine 
 vertical shadow lines can be counted inside, and on 
 
185 
 
 the right side three, very close together, and four 
 lines besides these between the panel and the edge, 
 counting the outside line. In the new, none of 
 these shadows exist, and there are only three lines 
 between the panel and the edge, including the out- 
 side line. In the old, on the right side, there are 
 fourteen lines in the frame above and below the 
 projection. In the new there are thirteen above, 
 and eleven below. The color is a brick red, neither 
 the cochineal or pink previously used. 
 
 TEN CENTS. The frame lines have all been 
 strengthened as well as those of the background, 
 so that the entire stamp is more uniform in engrav- 
 ing and color, but has entirely lost its light look. 
 The edges no longer fade away, but stand out sharp 
 from the paper. It is apparent to the eye that the 
 space between the oval and the shield, is reduced 
 one-third its width. There are only four vertical 
 lines between the line of the shield and the line of 
 the oval at their nearest point on the left, or six 
 lines in all; in the originals, there were five lines, 
 or seven in all. Beneath the ribbon containing the 
 value in the old stamps, the horizontal lines of the 
 background are scarcely visible, the vertical shade 
 lines being conspicious. In the new the horizontal 
 lines are strong and clear. 
 
 (ct) The earliest impressions are in rouddy yel- 
 low brown, quite uniform all over the stamp. 
 
 (6) Later impressions, in 1886, are in a clearer 
 shade of yellow-brown, and the light on the face 
 has been increased, much improving the effect. 
 
186 - 
 
 (c) An odd purple-brown shade appeared in 
 
 1886. 
 (cZ) A dark black-brown shade is now, 1887, in 
 
 use. 
 
 THE ISSUE OF OCTOBER, 1883. 
 
 The Act of the 47th Congress, Session II, Chap- 
 ter 92, approved March 3d, 1883, provided that: 
 
 "Upon all matter of the 1st class [as defined by chap- 
 ter 180 of the laws of Congress, approved March 3d, 
 1879, entitled: An Act, etc.] postage shall be charged 
 on and after the first day of October, A. D. 1883, at the 
 rate of two cents for each half ounce or fraction thereof, 
 and all acts so far as they fix a different rate of postage 
 than herein provided upon said first class matter, are to 
 that extent hereby repealed. 1 ' 
 
 The report of the Third Assistant Postmaster 
 General under date of November 8th, 18s3, says: 
 
 "Soon after the passage of the Act of March 3d, 1883, 
 preparations were begun to carry the new law into ef- 
 fect. The change left the 3 cent denomination of postage 
 stamps of little utility, it no longer representing the sin- 
 gle rate ot postage on any class of matter, and it was 
 determined to discontinue its issue. As the public 
 would have undoubtedly regarded with disfavor, the 
 dropping of Washington from portraits, forming the dis- 
 tinguishing feature in the series of postage stamps, it 
 was decided to replace the old 2 cent stamp by a new 
 one bearing the profile of the first president, thus restor- 
 ing it to its old place on the stamp in most general use. 
 It was also decided to issue a new stamp of the value of 
 four cents, a denomination not previously in use. and 
 designed to cover two rates of letter postage. The por- 
 trait of Jackson, formerly on the 2 cent stamp, was 
 
187 
 
 transferred to this new (four cent) stamp. The follow- 
 ing is a brief description of the new stamp : 
 
 Two CENT STAMP. 
 
 An oblong shield, slightly shouldered on the upper 
 square, the lower lines terminating in a point. Within 
 this shieid is an oval containing a profile bust of George 
 Washington engraved in line, surrounded by a ribbon 
 ending with small scrolls bearing the legend "United 
 States Postage," in white letters. From each end of 
 the scrolls a chain of pearls completes the outlines of 
 the oval. A prominent white-faced figure "2" laps over 
 the lower centre point of the oval and shield, dividing 
 the words '"Two Cents." The whole is enclosed in a 
 dark upright square to give relief to the device. The 
 stamp is printed in dark red. 
 
 FOUR CENT STAMP. 
 
 Over an oval containing a bust of Andrew Jackson in 
 profile, is a ribbon with the legend "United States Post- 
 age," in white letters. A string of pearls forms round 
 the lower half of the oval and unites the two ends of 
 the ribbon. At the lower part of the oval, on either 
 side, appears the figure "4," and under that the words 
 'Four Cents," with a star on each side, all engraved in 
 white faced letters. The whole device is inclosed in 
 an upright oblong tablet. The stamp is printed in 
 green. 
 
 It is worthy of notice that these are the first postage 
 stamps ever bearing the words "United States Postage" 
 in full, the name of the country being abbreviated to 
 "U. S," on all other stamps * * * Postmasters 
 were notified by circular of the coining change of post- 
 age, and intrusted to make their requisitions for 3 cent 
 stamps and envelopes sufficient only for carefully esti- 
 mated needs to the 1st October. * * * * The issue 
 
188 
 
 of the new 2 cent and 4 cent stamped envelopes was 
 commenced on the 1st September, and of the 2 and 4 
 cent adhesive stamps on the loth September; and they 
 were so generally distributed by the 1st October that the 
 change of postage was attended with but little incon- 
 venience for want of the necessary stamps." 
 
 The circular issued to postmasters read as fol- 
 lows: 
 
 POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, 
 Office of Third Assistant Postmaster General, 
 Washington, D. <?., July 18th, 1883. 
 
 On and after the first day of October, 1883, the rate of 
 postage on domestic mail matter of the first class, will 
 be reduced from three cents per half ounce, or fraction 
 thereof, as provided by Act of Congress, approved March 
 3d, 1883. 
 
 The department has adopted a new design for the two 
 cent stamp. 
 
 The head of Washington, in profile from Houdon's 
 bust, placed on a plain tablet. Above the oval, sur- 
 rounding the head, are the words "United States Post- 
 age," and underneath the tablet are the words " Two 
 Cents." The stamp will be printed in metallic red. 
 The engraved stamp on the 2 cent envelope will also 
 bear the head of Washington. 
 
 A four cent denomination of postage stamps and 
 stamped envelopes, to cover double postage under the 
 new rate, will also be issued. 
 
 The design embraces the head of Jackson, similar to 
 that on the present 2 cent stamp and envelope. No 
 change will be made in the postage due stamps. 
 
 The same 3 cent stamps and stamped envelopes of 
 the present design, will continue to be valid after the 1st 
 of October, and must be accepted in payment of post- 
 age whenever offered in appropriate amounts. 
 
 The drop letter rate of postage will remain the same 
 as now. A. D. HAZEN, 
 
 Third Assistant Postmaster General. 
 
180 
 
 ISSUE OF SEPTEMBER 15TH, 1883. 
 
 Two CENTS. Bust of General Washington, in 
 profile to the left, after Houdon, on an oval disk, 
 lined horizontally and doubly diagonally, bordered 
 by a colorless line, surrounded by a solid colored 
 band, ornamented in the lower two-thirds with a 
 row of white pearls, the upper third broadened 
 into a label, edged outside by a colorless line, with 
 outside colored line, the ends curved round into a 
 hook, the whole resting on a shield shaped tablet, 
 corresponding to that of the last three cents, hori- 
 zontally lined and edged by a colored line, very 
 heavy on the right and bottom, with an outside 
 colorless line, the whole on a rectangular background 
 of horizontal lines, very close together below, and 
 farther apart above. There are no shadows except 
 a, few vertical lines beneath the projecting part of 
 the top parts of the shield. 
 
 The label above the oval is inscribed "United 
 States Postage ," in full colorless capitals, on the 
 solid ground. A large colorless numeral outlined 
 in color and doubly shaded outside, obscures the 
 point of the shield and the pearled and colorless 
 border of the oval, dividing the words ''Two Cents" 
 in full colorless capitals on the background, so 
 shaded as to be on a solid colored ground. 
 
 Plate impression, 19>a by 25 mm., in color, on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 2 cents, metallic red. 
 
 FOUR CENTS. Bust of Andrew Jackson, in pro- 
 
190 
 
 file to left, after Powers, in an oval disk, horizon- 
 tally lined, very closely at the top, and doubly 
 diagonally bordered by a colorless line, twice as 
 wide as that in the last two cents, surrounded by a 
 solid colored band, ornamented with pearls below, 
 and broadened above into a label, bordered above 
 and at the ends by a colorless line, and inscribed 
 '"'United States Postage," just as in the two cents, 
 the whole resting on a rectangular tablet, with hori- 
 zontally lined ground, crossed by vertical lines be- 
 low the oval, and bordered by a vertical colorless 
 line on the right and above the oval on the left, 
 with mitered or bevelled edge, represented by five 
 colored lines parallel with the top, bottom and 
 sides, the right, upper third of the left, and bottom 
 bevel crossed by short colored lines at right angles. 
 On the ground below the oval, which is nearly solid 
 color, in colorless capitals, "Four Cents," between 
 colored five pointed stars. Large colorless numeral 
 "4" on each side, above the stars and end letters 
 of the value. 
 
 Plate impression, 19/lj by 25 mm., in color, on 
 white paper, slightly surfaced with green, perfor- 
 ated 12. 
 
 4 cents, blue green. 
 
 The arrangement of the plates, printer's imprint, 
 plate number, etc., is the same as before, for both 
 of the new stamps. 
 
 The report of 1883 also proposed that the 3 and 
 6 cent stamps should be called in, redeemed and 
 destroyed. Nothing seems to have been done 
 about it however, until Frank Hatton, Postmaster 
 
101 
 
 General, issued an order, dated December 1st, 1884, 
 that the three and six cents of all issues with the 
 exceptions following, should be exchanged by post- 
 masters for other values. 
 
 'Especial care must be taken not to redeem post- 
 age stamps issued prior to 1861, as such stamps were 
 long since declared obsolete and valueless for postage. 
 Xo six cent stamps were issued prior to 1861. The three 
 cent issued before that time bears the head of Washing- 
 ton, and is printed In red. In a straight line at the top- 
 are the words "U. S. Postage," and at the bottom, the 
 words "Three Cents." The figure 3 does not appear on 
 the stamps, as it does upon all subsequent issues of that 
 denomination. Stamps answering to this description,, 
 must in all cases be refused." 
 
 On the 14th of January, 1885, Postmaster Gen- 
 eral Frank Hatton, by order No. 75, appointed a 
 committee of three to proceed among other things 
 to the stamp manufactory at New York, and effect- 
 ually cancel all the plates, except one working plate 
 of each denomination, of the issues of 1847, of 1851, 
 including the two carrier stamps, of 1861, of 186& 
 newspaper and periodicals, of 1869, of the 3, 5, Tay- 
 lor, 7, 12 and 24 cents of 1870, 3 and 9 cent news- 
 paper and periodical of 1874, and of all the Depart- 
 ment stamps. 
 
 "One plate of each kind and denomination of postage 
 stamp reserved as above, and the dies and rolls from 
 w r hich they have been produced, together with all the 
 cancelled plates, to be inventoried, waxed and carefully 
 boxed and sealed, and placed in the vault of the stamp 
 manufactory, in the custody and under the control of 
 the agent.'' 
 
192 
 
 The committee were also to cancel any worn out 
 and unserviceable plates of the current series, and 
 to count and destroy the official stamps remaining 
 in the vaults of the American Bank Note Company, 
 of all denominations and Departments, numbering 
 17, 024, 588, of the 3 and 9 cent newspaper and peri- 
 odical stamps of 1874, numbering 324,990, and of 
 the 7, 12, and 24 cent stamps of the 1870 issue, 
 numbering 1,414,300, a grand total of 18,763,878 
 stamps. On the 24th of February, the committee 
 reported that they had carried out the order. 
 
 A. D. Hazen, Third Assistant Postmaster Gen- 
 eral, who recommended this holocaust, says : 
 
 'I haveexcepted from this recommendation the 3 cent 
 stamps of the current series, of which there are 135,800 
 in the vault, for the reason that though their general 
 issue has been discontinued, occasional calls are made 
 for them by some of the larger offices.'* 
 
 The reports show further that from January 1st, 
 to June 30, 1886, 1,094,200 three cent stamps were 
 actually issued. During the same period, 201,600 
 six cent stamps were also issued, while 645,950 
 thirty cent stamps, and only 29,620 ninety cent 
 stamps were issued. As a matter of fact therefore 
 these values, though retired from general issue, 
 are more in demand than the two higher values 
 retained, nearly 2 to 1, as between the 3 and 30 
 cents, 50 to 1 as between the 3 and 90 cents, or 9 
 to 1 as between the 6 and 90 cents, and that too 
 when the general public is unaware that these 
 values can be obtained at all. 
 
- 193 
 
 CONTRACT FOR 1885-89. 
 
 The contract for the manufacture of adhesive 
 stamps between the Department and the American 
 Bank Note Company, expiring on the 30th of June, 
 1885, sealed proposals were invited by public ad- 
 vertisement of March 30th, 1885, for a new con- 
 tract for four years from July 1st, 1885. The im- 
 portant features of the new contract to be noticed 
 here, are^m, that a definite standard of paper to 
 be used for printing the stamps, made by an im- 
 proved formula, was for the first time required, all 
 other contracts having provided that the paper 
 should be equal to a sample only; and second, that 
 all ordinary postage stamps should be printed 
 wholly by machinery run by steam power. "The 
 two previous centracts, 1877 to 1881, and 1881 to 
 1885, expressly stipulated that the printing should 
 be done on hand roller presses, the use of steam 
 presses under the contract immediately preceeding 
 the same, 1873 to 1877, which was silent as to the 
 mode of printing, having resulted in extremely un- 
 satisfactory work." 
 
 The act of the 48th Congress, Session II, Chap- 
 ter 342, approved March 30th, 1885, provides: 
 
 "That upon all matter of the first class, as defined by 
 chapter 180 of the laws of Congress, approved March 3d, 
 1879, entitled: An Act, etc., and by that act declared 
 subject to postage at the rate of three cents for each 
 half ounce or fraction thereof, and reduced by act of 
 March 3d, 1883, to two cents for each ounce or fraction 
 thereof, postage shall be charged, on and after the first 
 
194 
 
 day of July, 1885, at the rate of two cents for each ounce 
 or fraction thereof; and drop letters shall be mailed at 
 the rate of two cents per ounce or fraction thereof, in- 
 cluding delivery at letter carrier offices, and one cent 
 for each ounce or fraction thereof where free delivery by 
 carriers is not established." 
 
 It was claimed that the improvments in machin- 
 ery had produced steam presses that could produce 
 better word than the hand presses, at less cost. 
 Bids were taken for stamps printed entirely by 
 hand, partly by hand and partly by steam, entirely 
 by steam ; the last two with or without an option 
 reserved to the Postmaster General, to require the 
 work to be done by hand roller presses. The 
 Treasury Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the 
 Franklin Bank Note Co., and the American Bank 
 Note Co., were the only bidders. The latter again 
 secured the contract to print the ordinary stamps, 
 by steam power entirely, and the newspaper, post- 
 age due and special delivery stamps by hand roller 
 presses. For the latter of these they are paid $18 
 per 1000, for the postage due $8.49 per 1000, and 
 for the steam printed stamps $6.99 per thousand. 
 For these latter the Government paid $9.19 under 
 the previous contract up to 1885, $9.98 up to 1881, 
 and $14,99 up to 1877. 
 
 The following is the number of stamps of the 
 issue of 1870 as it is called without the grille. 
 1 cent, old plate, blue, 1,748,378,900 
 
 1 " altered " " 1,872,063,600 
 
 2 cents, old " brown 176,830,300 
 
 2 " " " vermilion 661,829,150 
 
195 
 
 2 il new " red-brown 4,370,788,300 
 
 3 " old 4,986,505,600 
 
 3 " altered " 629,537,100 
 
 5 " Jackson 80,3cO,500 
 
 5 ' Garfield 14,454,640 
 
 6 " old plate 76,726,850 
 
 6 " altered " 8,013,300 
 
 7 " 3,349,100 
 
 10 " old 79,126,690 
 
 10 " altered < ; 81,307,910 
 
 12 " 3,272,125 
 
 15 " 16,136,380 
 
 24 * 716,975 
 
 30 " 6,134,410 
 
 DO ' 436,150 
 
 The paper provided for in this contract is the 
 soft porous paper, which according to Mr. Sterling 
 was introduced in 1883. It is not stiff and hard 
 like the previous paper, and seems to have been 
 adopted about the time of the change in the dies> 
 the fall 1882. All the values employed since are 
 to be found on it. It may be noted that the fifteen 
 and thirty cents on this paper are with the imprint 
 of the American Company. The fifteen is again a 
 deep orange and the thirty a full black. 
 
 ISSUE OF 1883, ETC. 
 
 Same colors, values and designs, soft porous pa- 
 per, perforated 12. 
 
 1 cent, ultramarine blue. 
 
 2 cents, red-brown. 
 
196 
 
 o ce 
 4 
 5 
 
 ats, green. 
 ' dark green. 
 ' " brown. 
 
 6 
 
 ' ( ( ; ' 
 
 10 
 
 ' brown. 
 
 12 
 30 
 
 : orange. 
 ' black. 
 
 90 
 
 ' carmine. 
 
 ISSUE OF JUNE 15xH, 1887. 
 The following circular explains itself : 
 
 POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT. 
 Office of the Postmaster General. 
 
 Washington, D. <7., May 23d, 1887. 
 
 On or about the 15th of June, 1S87, the Department 
 will begin the issue of a new design of the ordinary one 
 cent postage stamp, of which the following is a descrip- 
 tion : The center of the stamp consists of a profile bust of 
 Benjamin Franklin (after the original by Caracci), look- 
 ing to the left, in an oval disk, with shaded background, 
 the lower portion of the oval being bordered with pearls 
 and the upper portion with a curved frame, containing 
 in small white letters, the words, "United States Postage" 
 The whole is engraved in line upon a shield shaped 
 tablet, with a truncated pyramidal base, bearing on it the 
 words "one" and "cent," on either side of the figure "1." 
 The color of the stamp is ultramarine blue, and its general 
 appearance is somewhat similar to that of the stamp 
 now in use. 
 
 Before ordering supplies of the new stamps, postmast- 
 ers will be expected to exhaust their stock of the old, 
 which will continue to be valid. Under no circum- 
 stances are the old stamps to be sent to the Department 
 for redemption or exchange 
 
 WILLIAM T. VILAS, 
 
 H. E. HAKKIS, Postmaster General. 
 
 Third Assist. P. M. General. 
 
197 
 
 ISSUE OF JUNE 15th, 1887. 
 
 ONE CENT. Head of Benjamin Franklin, in pro- 
 file to the left, after Carraci, on an oval disk lined 
 horizontally and doubly diagonally, the upper third 
 bordered by a label, the lower two thirds by a 
 broad soild colored line, ornamented with colorless 
 pearls increasing in size from top to bottom, with a 
 colorless line outside this, shaded by another heav}^ 
 colored line. The label is of solid color, between 
 two colorless lines, the upper one curved round the 
 ends, forming a hook and edged outside by a fine 
 colored line, and is inscribed in white capitals simi- 
 lar to the two cents last described, "United States 
 Postage." The whole is on a horizontally lined 
 shield shaped tablet, the top similar to that of the 
 two cents, but with a small point in the centre of 
 the top and the diagonals shorter. The bottom is 
 curved at the corners, then curved back up and 
 round, and spreads out into the lower part of a 
 "truncated pyramid," It is edged with a heavy 
 colored line on the right and bottom, with a heavy 
 colored line on the left and top. On the truncated 
 base is a large pearled outlined colorless numeral 
 "1," dividing the border of the oval and the words 
 "One Cent," in outline colorless capitals. The 
 rectangle is filled out with horizontal lines at the 
 sides of the shield and vertical line at the top. 
 
 Plate impression, 20 by 25K mm,, in color, on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 1 cent, ultramarine blue. 
 
XXIV. 
 
 POSTAGE DUE STAMPS. 
 
 From the adoption of compulsory prepayment 
 up to 1879, various regulations had been made 
 from time to time regarding insufficiently paid let- 
 ters, in order to relieve the Dead Letter Office as 
 far as possible, and yet enforce the prepa3^ment 
 of all mail matter. Nevertheless mistakes contin- 
 ued to be made and the practice of forwarding all 
 letters upon which one full rate was paid, and col- 
 lecting the balance of the receiver had finally been 
 adopted, the amount to be collected being written 
 or stamped upon the letter. From this practice 
 abuses arose, and by the Act of the XLV Congress, 
 Section III, Chapter 180, Section 26, approved 
 March 3d, 1879, it was enacted: 
 
 'That all mail matter of the first class upon which one 
 full rate of postage has been prepaid shall be forwarded 
 vto its destination charged with the unpaid rate, to be 
 collected on delivery, but postmasters before delivering 
 .the same, or any article of mail matter upon which pre- 
 payment in full has not been made, shall affix, or cause 
 to be affixed, and,'cancelled as ordinary stamps are can- 
 
199 
 
 Celled, one or more stamps equivalent in value to the 
 amount of postage due on such article of mail matter, 
 which stamps shall be of such special design as the 
 Postmaster General shall prescribe, and which shall in 
 no case be sold by any postmaster or received by him in 
 prepayment of postage," etc. 
 
 Sec. 27. "That any postmaster or other person en- 
 gaged in the postal service who shall collect and fail to 
 account for the postage due upon any article of mail 
 matter which he may deliver without having previously 
 affixed and cancelled such stamp as herein before pro- 
 vided shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and on 
 conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of fifty 
 dollars/' 
 
 Shortly after the passage of this Act the follow- 
 ing circular was addressed to all postmasters : 
 
 Form No. 3288. 
 SPECIAL STAMP FOR POSTAGE DUE. 
 
 POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT 
 
 Office of the Third AssistantPostmaster General. 
 Division of Stamps, Stamped Envelopes and Postal Cards. 
 
 Washington, D. C. May 5th 187 9. 
 
 By Sections 26 and 27 of the Act of Congress, making 
 appropriations for the service of the Post Office Depart- 
 ment for the year ending June 30th, 1880, and for other 
 purposes "approved March 3d, 1879, it is made the duty 
 of postmasters to affix to all mail matter that has ar- 
 rived at destination without full payment of postage, 
 and before delivery of the same, an amount of stamps 
 equal to the postage due, the stamps to be of such spec- 
 ial design as the Postmaster General may direct. 
 
 To avoid any confusion in the accounts of Postmast- 
 ers with the Auditor, and 011 account of the length of the 
 time necessary to prepare for the change contemplated 
 
200 
 
 by the above sections in the mode of collecting and ac- 
 counting for short paid postage, it has been decided to 
 have the same go into practical operation on the 1st of 
 July next. 
 
 The Department however, will begin issuing sometime 
 during the present month, in anticipation of the wants 
 of postmasters, special stamps for the collection of 
 postage due of the denomination of 1, 2, 3 and 5 cents, 
 and of the following general description : 
 
 A large figure, representing the denomination is placed 
 in the center of the stamp, and is surrounded by an oval 
 of very delicate lathe work. On the upper border of 
 this oval, the words "Postage Due" are printed in white 
 letters ; in the lower border is the denomination, in let- 
 ters of the same kind ; on either side of the oval are the 
 letters "U. S." in a small white shield. Around the ov- 
 al is a form of complex character, described upon an ob- 
 long tablet. The general design is the same for all the 
 stamps, the only difference being in the figures and let- 
 tering for the several denominations. The color is the 
 same, a reddish brown. 
 
 These stamps are intended, exclusively for the collec- 
 tion of postage due on matter arriving at destination 
 through the mails, and are to be used in combination, 
 whereever required to cover unusual amounts of postage. 
 They are to be cancelled in the customary way after 
 being attached to mail matter, are never to be sold or re- 
 ceived by Postmasters for prepayment of postage. 
 Postmasters must distinctly understand, that these 
 stamps are not to be used until July 1st, 1879. 
 
 A supply of these will be sent at first to all post 
 offices in advance of requisitions from postmasters, and 
 charged to their account; but afterwards they must be 
 ordered on blank forms (No. 3285) to be furnished by 
 the First Assistant Postmaster General. With the first 
 supply of stamps, however, blank requisitions for future 
 
201 
 
 use will be enclosed. 
 
 The stamps will be accounted for to the auditor the 
 same as other stamps, and will enter into the monthly 
 reports of stamps, etc., received, sold and on hand, 
 required by the regulations, to be made by postmasters 
 at Presidential offices, to the Third Assistant Post- 
 master General. 
 
 On the next page of this circular will be found the 
 sections of the new postal law and regulations relating 
 to the above described stamps, which are published in 
 advance for the information and guidance of post- 
 masters. ,The distinguishing numbers of the sections 
 cannot now be given, but the instructions are here 
 printed in the same order in which they will appear in 
 the forthcoming volume of the new postal regulations. 
 
 A. D. HAZEN, 
 Third Assistant Postmaster General. 
 
 ISSUE OF MAY 9iH, 1879. 
 For use from and after July 1st, 1879. 
 
 Large colorless numeral, 10 mm. high, represent- 
 ing the value, ornamented and shaded, on an oval 
 disk, 17 by 13K mm., with colored ground orna- 
 mented by colorless geometric lathe work, bordered 
 by a solid colored band beween two heavy colorless 
 lines and an exterior fine colored line, interrupted 
 by small white shields on the sides bearing 11 U." 
 on the left, "$." on the right, in fancy colored 
 capitals. The band is inscribed in white capitals, 
 above, * 'Postage Due," below with the value in full 
 letters, the whole on a tablet with vertically lined 
 ground, with an irregular outline colorless line bor- 
 dered by an extensive fine colored line, and a double 
 
202 
 
 rectangular frame, the interior formed by paral- 
 lel, diagonal curved lines, and the exterior by 
 vertical short lines at top and bottom, horizontal 
 ones at sides, indicating a bevel. 
 
 Plate impression, 20 by 25 mm., in color, on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 1 cent, reddish brown. 
 
 2 cents, " 
 
 3 " " 
 5 " " 
 
 The report of the Postmaster General dated Dec- 
 ember, 1879, states: 
 
 "Under a provision in the act of Congress, approved 
 March 3d 1879, authorizing a change in the mode of col- 
 lecting postage due, on matter arriving at destination 
 through the mails, the Department began issuing 
 on the 9th of May, special stamps, called postage due 
 stamps, of the denominations of 1, 2, 3 and 5 cents, and 
 subsequently of the additional denominations of 10, 30, 
 and 50 cents. Before the first of July, every office in the 
 country was provided with a supply of these stamps, 
 and the new system of collecting short paid postage is 
 now fairly in operation." 
 
 ISSUE OF AUGUST, 1879. 
 
 Stamps of the same design, but there being 
 two figures, the numerals are smaller. 
 
 Plate impression, in color on white paper, perfo- 
 rated 12. 
 
 10 cents, reddish brown. 
 30 " " 
 
 50 " " 
 
203 
 
 The number of these stamps issued from Ma} r , 
 1879, to June 30th, 1885, was: 
 
 1 cent, 25,328,525 
 
 2 cents, 30,534,425 
 
 3 ' ' 3 1 , 146 ,230 
 
 5 " 5,029,435 
 
 10 " 6,105,175 
 
 30 " 169,078 
 
 50 " v 93,490 
 
 OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 There are two quite distinct shades of the red- 
 brown in which these stamps are printed, the earl- 
 ier issues being of a brown that shows hardly a 
 trace of red, while those printed under the 1885 
 contract are of the shade of the current two cent 
 postage stamp. 
 
XXV. 
 
 SPECIAL DELIVERY STAMP. 
 
 The history of the introduction and usage of 
 these stamps is contained in the following extracts 
 from two circulars, both dated at Post Office De- 
 partment, Office of the Postmaster General, Wash- 
 ington, D. C., August llth, 1885, and signed by 
 William F. Vilas, Postmaster General. The first 
 directed to postmasters reads as follows : 
 
 " SIR: On the first of October, 1885, you are directed 
 to establish at your office, a system for special delivery 
 of letters, in accordance with sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 of 
 the Act making appropriation for the postal service for 
 the current fiscal year (XLVIII Congress, Session II, 
 Chapter 342, approved March 3d, 1885,) which are as 
 follows : 
 
 SECTION 3. That a special stamp of the face valua- 
 tion of 10 cents may be provided and issued, whenever 
 deemed advisable or expedient, in such form and bear- 
 ing such device as may meet the approval of the Post- 
 master General, which when attached to a letter, in 
 addition to the lawful postage thereon, the delivery of 
 which is to be at a free delivery office, or at any city, 
 town or village containing a population of 4,000 or over, 
 
205 
 
 according to the Federal census, shall be regarded as 
 entitling such letter to immediate delivery within the 
 carrier limit of any free delivery office which may be 
 designated by the Postmaster General as a special de- 
 livery office, or within one mile of the post office at any 
 other office coming within the provisions of this section 
 which may in like manner be designated as a special 
 delivery office." 
 
 SECTION 4 provides for immediate delivery between 
 the hours of 7 A. M. and midnight. 
 
 SECTION 5 provides for the employment of special 
 messengers and, 
 
 SECTION 6 the mode of paying them. The rest of 
 this circular gives the details of the service which it is 
 not necessary to repeat here. 
 
 The second circular after reciting the provisions 
 of Section 3, of the Act of March 3d, 1885, and 
 that it has been decided to introduce the system 
 on the first day of October, at all the post offices 
 permitted by the law ; contains a description of 
 the stamp prepared to carry out the law, which 
 with some additions is as follows : 
 
 SPECIAL DELIVERY STAMP. 
 ISSUE OF OCTOBER IST, 1885. 
 
 A line engraving on steel, oblong in form ; di- 
 mensions ^-| by 1-fg inches, color dark blue. De- 
 sign : on the left in an arched panel, 10 by 15 
 mm., a mail messenger boy on a run, faced to the 
 right on a hatched back-ground, and surrounded 
 above by the words " United States," in curved 
 line of colorless capitals. On the right an oblong 
 
206 
 
 tablet, ornamented with a wreath of oak on the left, 
 and laurel on the right, surrounding the words, 
 '''Secures Immediate Delivery At a special De- 
 livery Office," in six lines of white capitals on a 
 solid ground. The ground of the tablet above is 
 composed of light vertical lines with colorless bor- 
 der. Across the top of the tablet, but above it, is 
 the legend, ^Special Postal delivery " and at the 
 bottom the words, "Ten cents," separated by a 
 shield bearing the numeral "70." The entire 
 ground of the stamp is composed of fine vertical 
 lines except the edges, which are so contrived as 
 to appear bevelled. 
 
 Plate impression, 21 by 27 mm., in color on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 10 cents, dark blue. 
 
 "They are to be sold by Postmasters to any required 
 amount, and to any person who may apply for them, but 
 they can be used only for the purpose of securing the 
 immediate delivery of letters.'" 
 
 About a year ago, after the system was inaugu- 
 rated at carrier offices there was a further change 
 in the law, and the system was further extended as 
 is shown by the following extracts from three circu- 
 lars, all dated August 10th, 1886, from the office 
 of the Postmaster General, Washington, D. C., 
 signed by William F. Vilas, Postmaster General. The 
 first is addressed to Postmasters at carrier offices, 
 the second to all other postmasters, and the third 
 to the public. The following from the first circu- 
 lar: 
 
207 
 
 "By the Act of August 4th. 1886, Congress has authorized 
 the exteution of the special delivery system to all post- 
 offices and to all raailable matter. The Act is as follows, 
 namely : 
 
 'That every article of mailable matter upon which the 
 special stamp, provided for by Section 3 of the act en- 
 titled : an Act, etc., shall be duly affixed, shall be entitled 
 to immediate'delivery according to said act, within the 
 carrier limit of any free delivery office, and within one 
 mile of any other post office which the Postmaster Gen- 
 eral shall at any time designate as a special delivery 
 office." 
 
 From the second circular only this is of interest : 
 
 "No change will be made in the general style of the 
 special delivery stamp now in use. The following is its 
 description: (same as in the original circular). The 
 words 'Secures immediate delivery at a special delivery 
 office,' will however, be changed to read: 'Secures 
 immediate delivery at any post office.' But as stamps 
 with the former words are now in the hands of the post- 
 masters and the public, their use will continue until the 
 present supply shall be exhausted." 
 
 From the third cirular only this is to be noticed : 
 
 "The attention of the public is invited to the fact that 
 under a recent Act of Congress the special delivery sys- 
 tem heretofore in effect in cities and towns having a 
 population of 4,000 and upwards, has been extended to 
 all post offices in the United States, to take effect on and 
 after October 1st, 1886. The privileges of this system 
 have also been extended to all classes of mail matter." 
 
 The remainder of these circulars are devoted to 
 directions to postmasters at the two classes of of- 
 fices, and to the public. 
 
208 
 
 These stamps are printed in sheets of 100, and 
 distributed in half sheets of 50, the center of the 
 sheets being marked as usual by an arrow head. 
 There are consequently 10 stamps in a row, and 
 10 rows in the whole sheet. The makers imprint 
 appears four times on the sheet, above and below 
 the center row of each half sheet, and the plate num- 
 ber is also four times repeated on the sheet. 
 
 3,699,560 special delivery stamps were issued up 
 to June 30th, 1886. 
 
XXVI. 
 
 NEWSPAPER AND PERIODICAL STAMPS. 
 
 ISSUE OF 1865. 
 
 The newspaper stamps issued by the United 
 States Post Office Department do not correspond 
 in their usage very nearty to the stamps de- 
 nominated newpaper stamps in other countries. 
 The series under review had a very limited 
 and peculiar use. While the dissemination 
 of learning and information had always been fos- 
 tered in every way by the Acts of Congress, and 
 the distribution of newpapers and periodicals had 
 always been undertaken by the post office at rates 
 that did not pay for the expense of the service, in 
 the intention of encouraging these publications, the 
 Department always found a great rival in the express 
 companies, which, having conformed their rules to 
 the exigencies of business, were enabled to deliver 
 newspapers and periodicals from the trains to the 
 agents and dealers always hours, sometimes days be- 
 fore those sent by the mails reached their destina- 
 
210 
 
 tion, as these were sent to the post office and there 
 assorted, some to be delivered locally and others 
 to be made up again into the new mail for further 
 transportation, while those sent by the express 
 companies being transferred at the depot, often fin- 
 ished their journey before the mails could be made 
 up and started* 
 
 This service assisted the express companies in 
 those violations of the postal laws which each year 
 the Postmaster General called to the attention of 
 Congress, and Congress endeavored to reach by 
 new laws. The government got the expensive 
 service, the express companies the paying business 
 partly because of their more liberal rates, but par- 
 ticularly because of their more expeditious service. 
 
 The attempt was therefore made to so frame the 
 law that the post office might successfully compete 
 for the carriage of newspapers. The Act of the 
 XXXVII Congress, III Session, Chapter 71, Sec- 
 tion 38, approved the 3rd of March, 1863, reads: 
 
 " And be it further enacted that the Postmaster Gen- 
 eral may, from time to time, provide by order the rates 
 and terms upon which route agents may receive and de- 
 liver, at the mail car or steamer, packages of newspapers 
 and periodicals, delivered to them for that purpose by 
 the publishers or any news agent in charge thereof, and 
 not received from or designed for delivery at any post 
 office." 
 
 Under this act for some time payment was made in 
 money, but the report of the Postmaster General 
 dated November 15th, 1865, states: 
 
 "New stamps have been adopted of the denominations 
 
211 
 
 of 5, 10, arid 25 ceuts for prepaying postage oil packages 
 of newspapers forwarded by publishers or news dealers 
 under the authority of law, whereby a revenue will be 
 secured, hitherto lost to the Department." 
 
 In the report of the Postmaster General for 1878, 
 the date of this issue is stated to have been April 
 1st, 1865. In the accounts of the number of 
 stamps issued in each quarter it appears, however, 
 that the first issue was in the quarter between June 
 30th and September 30th, 1865. 
 
 The stamps were of very large dimensions, and 
 the figures conspicuous. A package adorned with 
 the requisite number was mailed on the train and 
 it could easily be seen that it was duly stamped. 
 The stamps were ordinarily if not always, cancelled 
 by smearing them with ink, with a brush, and not 
 with hand stamps, and the packages were thrown 
 out of the cars to the agents waiting at each station 
 to receive them, and were often torn open by the 
 agent at the depot and distributed to his customers 
 there. Thus the delay that sending them to the 
 post office for distribution would have caused, was 
 avoided. 
 
 ISSUE OF APRIL IST, 1865. 
 
 FIVE CENTS. Large bust of Washington in pro- 
 file, faced to the right, indicated by, colorless 
 curved lines, on a round medallion of straight hor- 
 izontal lines, 28 mm. in diameter, surrounded by 
 a circular band of curved interlaced colorless lines, 
 all on a colored ground, a smaller circular disk, 11 
 
212 
 
 mm. in diameter, interrupting this band on each 
 side displays a large "V," in color on a horizontally 
 lined ground. Above on a solid ground of color, 
 but ornamented by interlaced colorless lines in col- 
 orless letters, "J7. S." and "Postage," in a second 
 curved line ; below the head on a solid curved label 
 covering a portion of the 'circular band in large col- 
 orless capitals, li Five Cents" ; below this again, the 
 ground is ornamented by several colorless lines 
 upon which appear in colored capitals, "Newspa- 
 pers," a colored label with "and" ; in colorless capi- 
 tals "Periodicals" ; below this again, in two lines 
 of colorless capitals on the colored ground, "Sec. 
 18, Act of Congress approved March 3d, 1863." 
 In each upper corner is a large colorless nnmeral 
 "5." About all is a frame of 3 colorless lines, or- 
 namented at the corners. The words " National 
 Bank Note Company, New York," in small color- 
 less capitals appear between the lower colorless 
 lines, The colored ground extends between the 
 stamps which were perforated. 
 
 Plate impression, 55 by 98 mm., in color on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 5 cents, dark blue. 
 
 Note. 20,140 of this value were issued. 
 
 TEN Cents, Similar design, but with the profile 
 of Franklin in an oval, the side letters "X," the 
 label "Ten Cents," the upper numerals "10," set 
 at an angle. 
 
 Plate impression, 55 by 98 mm., in color on 
 
213 
 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 10 cents, green. 
 Note. 215,600 of this value were issued. 
 
 TwEXTY-FivE CENTS. Similar design, but with the 
 profile of Lincoln, faced to the left, in a rectangle 
 with corners cut off. "25" in figures instead of 
 numerals at the side, on the label "Twenty Five 
 Cents," the upper numerals "25" set at an angle. 
 
 Plate impression, 55 by 98 mm., in color, on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 25 cents, vermilion. 
 
 Note. 31,488 of this value were issued. 
 
 In 1868-9 there were issued 35,420 more of the 
 five cent value, but these were improved by having 
 the broad colored border removed till only a fine 
 colored line remained outside the colorless frame. 
 
 Plate impression, 51? by 95 mm., in color on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 5 cents, dark blue, white border. 
 
 The Postmaster General's Report for 1869 states 
 that the use of these stamps ceased about the 1st 
 of February, 1869. They were used principly at 
 Chicago, 111., and Milwaukee, Wis. Reprints were 
 made of all of them except the 5 cents with white 
 border, with the other early issues in 1874. 
 
 There was a very wide margin of some 65 mm. 
 at the top and bottom of the sheet, the manufact- 
 urers imprint appearing at the top and bottom in 
 colored letters on a small white label let into the 
 colored ground. It is not known how many stamps 
 
214 
 formed a sheet. 
 
 NEWSPAPER AND PERIODICAL STAMPS. 
 
 ISSUE OF 1874. 
 
 Notwithstanding the very liberal provisions of 
 all the laws regarding postage on printed matter, 
 and particularly those of this Act of March 3rd, 
 1863, we find the Postmaster General in his report 
 of November loth, 1869, complaining that the De- 
 partment was largely defrauded of its revenues by 
 abuses rendered possible by the provisions of that 
 Act, and suggesting that : 
 
 "For this mischief there is but one adequate remedy, 
 and that is to require prepayment on all printed matter. 
 A due regard to the convenience of the publishers of 
 newspapers would require that postage on newspapers 
 should be charged according to the weight of packages, 
 and that such packages should when suspected, be liable 
 to be opened and searched, and penalties provided if 
 they were found to contain improper matter." 
 
 Nothing seems to have resulted from his recom- 
 mendations, however. The inconveniences of the 
 system led to calling the attention of Congress 
 to the matter again in the Report of the Post- 
 master General, in 1873. He says : 
 
 "In my report for 1869, I had the honor to suggest a 
 plan for the prepayment of postage on newspapers and 
 other matter of the second class by weight of packages 
 rather than by the present system, which requires the 
 manipulation of each particular paper, and allows the 
 payment of postage at either the mailing office, or the 
 office of delivery. A careful revision of the subject con- 
 
215 
 
 firms me in the opinion, that the postage on all such mat- 
 ter should be collected in advance at the mailing office. 
 * * * No stamps are used for the payment of such pos- 
 tage ; and the Department is compelled to accept in full 
 satisfaction whatever sums of money postmasters choose 
 to charge against themselves. So execrably bad is this 
 system, that postal officers of high standing have estimat- 
 ed that not more than one-third of the postage properly 
 chargeable on newspapers is accounted for and paid 
 over. Furthermore, disputes are continually arising, as 
 to whether the sheets they transmit, come within the 
 meaning of the term newspapers. * * I respectfully sub- 
 mit the following plan for the prepayment of postage on 
 newspapers of the second class, and urge its adoption. 
 Let all publishers, their business managers or agents, be 
 required at the beginning of every quarter, to state un- 
 der oath the number of papers of a certain name, they 
 will send by mail during the quarter, and pay the post- 
 age thereon in advance. On the other hand, postmast- 
 ers to make return of all newspapers, with partic- 
 ulars, mailed to regular subscribers. No stamps would 
 be required. Every paper answering to the description 
 would be forwarded. No manipulation of each paper 
 would be required, and the saving to publishers in time 
 and labor, would, it is thought, be greater than the 
 amount paid for postage, while the saving to the Depart- 
 ment, would justify a reduction of 40 per cent in the 
 rates, on this class of matter. Periodicals to come 
 under the same law." 
 
 The result of the deliberations upon this sugges- 
 tion, was the passage by Congress of the following 
 law: 
 
 XLIII Congress, Statute I, Chapter 456, approved June 
 23rd, 1874, Section 5. That on and after the first day of 
 January, 1875, all newspapers and periodical publica- 
 
216 
 
 tions mailed from a known. office of publication or news 
 agency and addressed to regular " subscribers or news 
 agents shall be charged the following rates : 
 
 On newspapers and periodical publications issued 
 weekly and more frequently than once a week, two 
 cents for each pound or fraction thereof, and on those 
 issued less frequently than once a week three cents for 
 each pound or fraction thereof, provided that nothing 
 in this Act shall be held to change or amend Section 
 99 of the Act entitled : An Act to Tevise, consolidate and 
 amend the statutes relating to the Post Office Depart- 
 ment, approved June 8th, 1872. 
 
 SEC. 6. That on and after the first day of January, 
 1875, upon the receipt of such newspapers and period- 
 ical publications at the office of mailing, they shall be 
 weighed in bulk, and postage paid thereon by a special 
 adhesive stamp ; to be devised and furnished by the 
 Postmaster General, which shall be affixed to such mat- 
 ter or to the sack containing the same; or upon a mem- 
 orandum of such mailing, or otherwise as the Postmaster 
 General may from time to time provide by regulation, 
 etc. etc." 
 
 The report of the Postmaster General also states 
 Nov. 14th 1874, that being confined to these three 
 modes of collecting this postage, 
 
 **It was deemed best to recommend the adoption of the 
 system of prepayment by postage stamps 'affixed to a 
 memorandum of mailing' or in other words, to a stub in 
 a book retained by the postmaster at the mailing office; 
 a receipt, showing the weight of matter and the amount 
 paid, being given by the postmaster to the person 
 mailing the same; the stamps affixed to the stub, to be 
 cancelled by a cutting punch, thus preventing their 
 reuse. * * * The Postmaster General having approved 
 the recommendations, a series of stamps have been de- 
 
-217 
 
 vised of twenty four denominations, by means of which 
 any sum which is a multiple of either the two or three 
 cent rate, from two cents to seventy-two dollars, can. be 
 made by the use of not more than five stamps." 
 
 In the report dated November 15th, 1875, we 
 find the following observations and descriptions of 
 this issue which will further explain the mode of 
 using them, which seems to be little understood, 
 except by publishers and post office officials. 
 
 1 'On the first day of January 1875, the new law, re- 
 quiring prepayment of postage by stamps, on all news- 
 papers and periodicals sent from a known office of pub- 
 lication, to regular subscribers through the mails, went 
 into operation. The system inaugurated to carry the 
 law into effect, was approved in October, 1874 and has 
 been found by experience to be admirably adapted to the 
 purposes for which it was devised. No complaints of a- 
 buses on the part of publishers or postmasters, have been 
 received at this office during the nine months, that have 
 elapsed since the law went into effect. Indeed, it has 
 worked so well in all its details, and has given such gen- 
 eral satisfaction, that the idea of returning to the old sys- 
 tem, or materially modifying the new one, ought not to 
 be entertained. 
 
 Previous to the time when this law began to operate, 
 no stamps were required for the payment of postage on 
 newspapers sent to regular subscribers, as the postage 
 was collected in money quarterly, at the office of delivery. 
 Last year there were 35,000 post offices at which news- 
 paper postage was collected, while under the present 
 true system of the absolute prepayment of all postage, 
 the whole amount is collected at about 3,400 offices, the 
 latter representing the number of places in the United 
 States at which newspapers and periodicals are mailed. 
 
 The papers for subscribers living outside of the coun- 
 
218 
 
 ty in which they are published, are made up in bulk at 
 the publication office, carried to the post office and there 
 weighed. The postage is computed on the whole issue, 
 the proper amount in stamps handed to the postmaster, 
 who gives the publisher a receipt as evidence of payment, 
 and on the stubs of the receipt book he affixes and can- 
 cels the stamps which correspond in value, with the 
 sum mentioned in the receipt. Thus one transaction is 
 all that is required in paying the postage upon a single 
 issue of any regular publication. The stubs with their 
 cancelled stamps, are kept in the post office as vouchers 
 for the postage paid. In no case are the stamps affixed 
 to the papers or packages that pass through the mails. 
 
 These stamps are twenty-four in number and were pre- 
 pared by the Continental Bank Note Company, of New 
 York, from designs selected in October, 1874." Else- 
 where it is stated that the distribution to postmasters 
 began December llth, 1874. "The denominations 
 are as follows, viz : 2 cents, 3 cents, 4 cents 6 cents, 
 8 cents, 9 cents, 10 cents, 12 cents, 24 cents, 36 
 cents, 48 cents, 60 cents, 72 cents, 84 cents, 96 cents, $1,92 
 cents, $3, $6, $9, $12, $24, $36, $48 and $60. These 
 denominations were found to be necessary, in order that 
 payment might be made on any given quantity from one 
 pound to one ton, at both the two and three cent rate, 
 with the use of not to exceed live stamps in any trans- 
 action. 
 
 No description of these stamps having been given in 
 any official form, I may be pardoned for presenting here- 
 with a detailed description of them, in order that it may 
 be printed, and be permanently preserved in the records 
 of the department." 
 
 Two CENTS TO TEN CENTS, inclusive, emblemati- 
 cal figure of America, looking to the right and mod- 
 eled after Crawford's statue surmounting the dome 
 of the- capitol. The left hand rests on a shield, 
 
219 
 
 and holds a wreath ; the right rests on a sword. 
 The head is adorned with a head dress consisting 
 of a coronet of stars, surmounted by an eagle's 
 head and plumes. The background is horizontally 
 lined and in parts diagonally also. The vignette 
 stands in an arched frame, composed of vertical 
 lines ; and on either side of this frame, and at the 
 top are slabs containing the inscriptions (the upper 
 in colored letters on horizontally lined ground, the 
 others in colorless block capitals, the sides upon 
 vertically lined ground), ' ' Newspapers" and "Per- 
 iodicals" (at the sides), lt U. S. Postage" (at top). 
 At the bottom are shaded outline block letters, re- 
 presenting the value, which is also indicated by 
 large outlined figures shaded on the face, in the 
 upper corners, on foliated scrolls. The lower cor- 
 ners are ornamented with shields. The color of 
 these stamps is black. 
 
 TWELVE CENTS TO NINETY-SIX CENTS, inclusive. 
 Vignette of Astraea or Justice, in niche, bordered 
 by a colorless line curved at the top, holding in her 
 right hand the balance, and resting with her left on 
 a shield bearing the United States coat of arms. 
 The figure is full robed, mailed and girdled as to the 
 upper part and helmeted. Surmounting the helmet 
 is an eagle with out-stretched wings on a background 
 horizontically and diagonally lined. Figures repre- 
 senting values in shaded numerals on shields, in 
 the upper corners ; values also in sunken letters be- 
 low, on solid labels bordered by a colorless and col- 
 ored line, richly ornamented. Inscriptions, tl Newspa- 
 
220 
 
 pers" " Periodicals," on side and at top in shaded 
 outlined capitals on vertically lined ground. Color, 
 pink. 
 
 ONE DOLLAR AND NINTY-TWO CENTS. Vignette 
 of Ceres, Goddess of Agriculture, in curved niche, 
 bordered by a colorless line and a vertically lined 
 frame. She holds in her left hand an ear of corn, 
 her right holding a wreath, rests against the hip. 
 The figure faced to the front and is clad in full 
 flowing robes. "C7. S. Postage" at the top, other 
 inscriptions, "Newspapers," ^Periodicals," in italic 
 capitals shaded on the face and outside, on obel- 
 isks at either side, resting on the lower slab, which 
 is in solid color, containing value, ^One dollar 
 and ninety-two cents," in two lines of white capitals. 
 Value also in figures, $lj 9 ^ 2 7F in upper corners. Col- 
 or, deep brown. 
 
 THREE DOLLARS. Goddess of Victory in curved 
 niche, full-robed, girdled with sword to the left, 
 and mantle thrown over shoulders. The right hand 
 is stretched forward, holding a wreath ; the left rests 
 on a shield. Outline figures of value, l -$3" on octa- 
 gons in upper corners, value below in letters on 
 either side of a large outline figure "-3" on a shield. 
 Inscriptions, " Newspapers," ^Periodicals," in col- 
 orless capitals, in solid labels on either side, and 
 "C7. S. Postage" on lined ground above. The 
 niche and labels are all edged with colorless lines. 
 The background is vertically lined. Color, ver- 
 milion. 
 
 Six DOLLARS. Clio, the Muse of History in curved 
 
221 - 
 
 niche, bordered by colorless line, on horizontally 
 lined ground, full robed the toga thrown over the 
 left shoulder. In her right hand she holds a stylus, 
 in the left a tablet. Outline colorless figures of 
 value, "$6" in upper corners, surrounded by curved 
 ornaments. Inscriptions, " Newspapers," ^Periodi- 
 cals," in white shaded letters on the sides, and 
 above "U. S. Postage" in dark letters, value, "Six 
 Dollars" in outline colorless letters in label, on ver- 
 tically lined ground. Color, light blue. 
 
 NINE DOLLARS, Minerva, the Goddess of Wis- 
 dom, full robed, in curved niche, bordered by a 
 colorless line with horizontally and diagonally lined 
 ground. The left hand is placed across her breast, 
 holding a portion of her toga ; the right is grasping 
 a spear. Figures of value "$#" in upper corners, 
 in foliated ornaments. Inscriptions, "Newspapers," 
 "Periodicals," on sides in outline colorless and 
 shaded italics, and above in small colored letters, 
 on the lined ground, " U. S. Postage." Value, "Nine 
 Dollars," also in letters shaded on the face, below 
 on scroll. Beneath is a large "9" in curved foli- 
 ated ornaments. Color, orange. 
 
 TWELVE DOLLARS. Vesta, Goddess of the Fire- 
 side, full robed in curved niche, with horizontally 
 lined ground, and bordered by a colorless line. The 
 left hand lifts her drapery ; the right holds a burn- 
 ing lamp, Figures of value, "$12" in upper corners 
 on tablets. Value, " Twelve Dollars" also in color- 
 less letters on beaded frame beneath. Inscriptions, 
 " Newspapers," "Periodicals," on solid (sic), italic 
 
222 
 
 letters on sides, and "U.S. Postage" in small white 
 letters above. Frame of vertical lines. Color, rich 
 green. 
 
 TWENTY-FOUR DOLLARS. Goddess of Peace in curved 
 niche, bordered by a colorless line, and on horizon- 
 tally lined ground, a half naked figure leaning 
 against a broken column. She holds in her right hand 
 an olive branch, while her left grasps three arrows. 
 The value, "Twenty-four Dollars" is in colorless 
 letters beneath, on a solid tablet ; also in figures 
 "$24" in ornamented curves in upper corners. In- 
 scriptions, "U. S. Postage" in white shaded letters 
 above, and "Newspapers," "Periodicals" on the 
 sides between which latter and each upper corner 
 is a sixpointed star. The back ground is vertical- 
 ly lined. The ornaments bordered by a colorless 
 line. Color, purplish shade. 
 
 THIRTY-SIX DOLLARS. Figure representing Com- 
 merce, in full garments, in curved niche, bordered 
 by a colorless line with hatched background. She 
 holds in her left hand the caducens, the winged rod 
 of Mercu~y, in her right a miniature ship. Figures 
 of value, "$36" in the upper corners and "Thirty-six 
 Dollars" in ornamented capitals below, in two lines. 
 Inscriptions, " Newspapers," "Periodicals," also 
 in ornamented capitals on sides and "U. S> Post- 
 age" in colorless capitals above. The frame is 
 vertically lined. Color, dull red. 
 
 FORTY-EIGHT DOLLARS. Hebe, the Goddess of 
 Youth, partly draped in curved niche with colorless 
 border and horizontally lined ground. The right 
 
223 
 
 hand bolds a cup, which she is offering to the eagle 
 around whose neck is thrown her left arm. Shaded 
 figures of value, "$48" on shields in the upper cor- 
 ners, the word ''-Postage" between in colorless capi- 
 tals on solid label. The value, "Forty-eight Dollars 1 ' 
 also in colorless letters below on solid ground, in 
 curved ornaments. The letters tl U." and "S." in 
 colorless circles between the corners and side in- 
 scriptions, " Newspapers ," "Periodicals," the lat- 
 ter being in colorless letters on solid curved labels. 
 Frame vertically lined. Color, light brown, 
 
 SIXTY DOLLARS. Vignette of an Indian Maiden, 
 standing in a rectangular frame. She is robed 
 from her waist downward. Her right arm is ex- 
 tended, while her left hangs by her side. The 
 background is a landscape. Trees and vines to the 
 left, and wigwams to the right in the distance, bor- 
 dered by a colorless line between fine colored lines. 
 Figures of value, "$W on shields in the upper 
 corners. Value, ^ Sixty Dollars" also in white let- 
 ters on solid tablets below. Inscriptions, tl Ne-ws- 
 papers," ^Periodicals," in white on solid labels on 
 the sides. li U. S." in colorless capitals on the 
 ground, and " Postage" on a band in colored letters 
 above. Ground vertically lined. Color, rich pur- 
 ple. 
 
 POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT. 
 Office of the Third Assistant Postmaster General. 
 Division of Postage Stamps, Stamped Env. & Post Cards. 
 
 Washington D. C., April 25, 1879. 
 The attention of Postmasters is hereby called to the 
 
224 
 
 fact, that on and after the first of May proximo, under 
 the act of March 3d, 1879, matter of the second class, 
 commonly known as newspaper and periodical matter, 
 will be entitled to pass through the mail, at a uniform 
 rate of 2 cents per pound. Care will betaken not to col- 
 lect payment on such matter, at 'more than that rate. 
 The same general regulations concerning the collection 
 of newspaper postage, as -have been heretofore promul- 
 gated will remain in force, and the same books and blanks 
 together with the newspaper and periodical stamps, 
 that are now outstanding will continue to be used. In 
 future, however, the issue of the three and nine cents 
 denominations of newspaper and periodical stamps, will 
 be discontinued. * * * * 
 
 A. D. HAZEN, 
 Third Assistant Postmaster General. 
 
 Act of the XLV Congress, Session III, Chapter 
 180, approved March 3rd, 1879. Sections 10 and 
 14 merely change the classification to a uniform 
 one at the rate of two cents per pound. 
 
 The Act of the XL VI II Congress, Session II, 
 Chapter 342, approved March 3rd, 1885, provides 
 as stated in Order No. 109 of the Postmaster Gen- 
 eral, dated April 24th, 1885, "That all publications 
 of the second classs, * * * shall on and after July 
 1st, 1885, be entitled to transmission through the 
 mails at one cent a pound or fraction thereof. * * * 
 To provide for wants that may arise from this 
 change in the rate of second class postage, the De- 
 partment has decided to issue a newspaper and per- 
 iodical stamp of the denomination of one cent, the 
 design and color of which will be the same as those 
 of the present series of newspaper and periodical 
 
225 
 
 stamps of the denomination of from 2 to 10 cents. 
 Stamps of this new denomination will be ready for 
 issue "by the 1st of June, after which all postmast- 
 ers needing them will make requisition for suitable 
 supplies." 
 
 NEWSPAPER AND PERIODICAL STAMPS. 
 SERIES OF 1875 1885, 
 
 Plate impression, 24 by 35 mm., in color on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 June 1st, 1885, 1 cent, black, 
 Jan, 1st, 1875, 3 cents, " to April 25th, 1879. 
 
 q u u " tt tt 
 
 o u 
 
 4. " '< 
 
 6 " " 
 
 8 " " 
 
 10 " " 
 
 12 " carmine, 
 
 24 " " 
 
 36 " u 
 
 48 " 
 
 60 " " 
 
 72 " 
 
 84 " 
 
 96 a " 
 
 1 dollar 92 " deep brown 
 3 dollars vermilion 
 
 6 " light blue 
 
 9 u orange 
 
226 
 
 12 dollars rich green 
 
 24 u purplish slate 
 
 36 " dull red 
 
 48 u light brown 
 
 60 " rich purple 
 
 These stamps were not reprinted in 1874, but 
 samples ungummed and surcharged "specimen" 
 were sold to collectors. 
 
 OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 A slight change in the regulations now prohibits 
 postmasters from selling these stamps even to pub- 
 lishers but the money is received and the requisite 
 amount in stamps placed upon the stubs and can- 
 celled. The amount sold and the amount used in 
 an office should now correspond. The stubs are 
 sent periodically to Washington with the accounts, 
 compared and destroyed. Used specimens and 
 even unused specimens are likely to grow rare in 
 collections. 
 
XXVII. 
 
 OFFICIAL STAMPS. 
 
 A thorough understanding of the use of these 
 stamps will best be obtained by a brief reveiw of 
 the system it for a time supplanted, which was 
 briefly designated as the "Franking Privilege." 
 As early as the 1st Session of the Second Congress 
 the necessity and propriety of providing for the 
 carriage of official correspondence and the corres- 
 pondence of Government officers and Members of 
 Congress upon public business was recognized, 
 and Chapter 7, Section 19, approved February 1st, 
 1792, of the Acts of that Sessions provided: 
 
 " That the following letters and packets and no others 
 shall be received and conveyed by post, free of postage 
 under such restrictions as are hereinafter provided, that 
 is to say : all letters and packages to or from the President 
 or Vice-President of the United States, and all letters 
 and packages not exceeding 2 ounces in weight, to or 
 from any member of the Senate or House of Representa- 
 tives, the Secretary of the Senate, or Clerk of the House 
 of Representatives, during their actual attendance in any 
 session of Congress, and twenty days after such session, 
 all letters to and from the Secretary of the Treasury and 
 
228 
 
 his assistant; Comptroller, Register and Auditor of the 
 Treasury, Treasurer, Secretary of State, Secretary of 
 War, the Committee for settling accounts between the 
 United States and individual States, the Postmaster Gen- 
 eral and his assistant. Provided that no person shall 
 frank or enclose any letter or packet other than his own, 
 but any public letter or packet from the department of 
 the Treasuay may be franked by the Secretary of the 
 Treasury,or the assistant Secretary, or by the Comptroller, 
 Register, Auditor or Treasurer, and that each person be- 
 fore named shall deliver to the post office, every letter or 
 packet enclosed to him, which may be directed to any 
 other person, noting the place from whence it comes by 
 post, and the usual postage shall be charged thereon." 
 
 By various acts of Congress this privilege 
 was gradually extended to various persons in 
 the employ of the Government until, in 1869, the 
 Postmaster General stated in his report that fully 
 31,933 persons were authorized by the laws to en- 
 joy this privilege. 
 
 As early as 1836, Congress appropriated the sum 
 of $700,000 to pay the post office department for 
 this carriage of official correspondence. The 
 abuses became enormous. Signatures with hand 
 stamps were even recognized. All sorts of favors 
 were extended by persons having the privilege, to 
 their friends. In 1869 the annual expense to the 
 department of this free matter was estimated at 
 $5,000,000. To remedy this abuse, which had the 
 effect of preventing^ proper reduction of postal 
 rates to the general public, as the expenses of the 
 Department, including the expense of carrying offi- 
 cial matter so-called, greatly exceeded its annual 
 
220 
 
 revenue, there was but one remedy the passage 
 of an act abolishing the franking privilege and pro- 
 viding by appropriation for carrying the accessary 
 government dispatches. The Act of the XLII 
 Congress, Session III, Chapter 82, approved the 
 27th of January, 1873, accordingly provided 
 
 " That the franking privilege be hereby abol- 
 ished from and after the first day of July, Ano Domini 
 1S73, and that henceforth all official correspondence of 
 whatever nature, and other mailable matter sent from 
 or addressed to any officer of the government or per- 
 son now authorized to frank such matter, shall be 
 chargeable with the same rates of postage as may be 
 lawfully imposed upon like matter sent by, or addressed 
 to other persons. Provided that no compensation or 
 allowance shall be now or hereafter made to Senators 
 or Members and Delegates of the House of Representa- 
 tives on account of postage." 
 
 The Act of the XLII Congress, Session III, 
 Chapter 228, approved March 3, 1873, after appro- 
 priating so much as should be necessary of a cer- 
 tain sum for the purchase of postage stamps for 
 each department, continues. 
 
 "That the Postmaster General shall cause to be pre- 
 pared a special stamp or stamped envelope to be used 
 only for official mail matter for each of the executive 
 departments, and said stamp and stamped envelope 
 shall be supplied by proper officer of said departments 
 to all persons under its direction requiring the same for 
 official use, and all appropriations for postage heretofore 
 made shall no longer be available for said purpose, and 
 all said stamps and stamped envelopes shall be sold or 
 furnished to said several departments or clerks only at 
 
230 
 
 the price for which stamps and stamped envelopes of 
 like value are sold at the several post offices." 
 
 In the report of the Postmaster General for the 
 year ending June 30, 1873, it is stated that 
 
 "The several Acts for the repeal of the franking priv- 
 ilege became operative on the first of July last. The 
 results of the first quarter of the current year are highly 
 satisfactory and more fully verified the predictions of 
 the friends of the repeal. * * * Section 4 of the Act of 
 March 3rd, 1873, making it the duty of the Postmaster 
 General to provide official stamps and stamped envel- 
 opes for the several Executive Departments, has been 
 strictly complied with. The stamps and envelopes furn- 
 ished have been executed in the highest style of art and 
 will compare favorably with those of any other country. 
 From July 1st to September 30th of the current year the 
 following varieties, numbers and values were issued: 
 
 To whom issued. D'm 
 The Executive Dep't 
 The State Dep't 
 The Treasury Dep't 
 The War Dep't 
 The Navy Dep't 
 The Post Office Dep't 
 The Interior Dep't 
 The Dep't of Justice 
 The Dep't of Agriculture, 
 
 Making a total of 
 
 lat'n. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Value. 
 
 5 
 
 5,150 
 
 200.00 
 
 14 
 
 60,495 
 
 20,749.70 
 
 11 
 
 7,842,500 
 
 407,000.00 
 
 11 
 
 446,500 
 
 17,689.00 
 
 11 
 
 247,230 
 
 12,239.00 
 
 10 
 
 10,054,660 
 
 354,535.00 
 
 10 
 
 1,058,475 
 
 59,171,00 
 
 10 
 
 65,400 
 
 3,900.00 
 
 9 
 
 275,000 
 
 20,730,00 
 
 91 20,055,410 896,213.70 
 
 The stamps for the Departments other than the Post 
 Office do not differ materially from those for sale to the 
 public except that each Department has its own distinc- 
 tive color and legend. The colors are: For the Ex- 
 ecutive, carmine; State Department, green; Treasury, 
 
231 
 
 velvet-brown ; War, cochineal red ; Navy, blue ; Post 
 Office, black; Interior, vermilion; Department of Jus- 
 tice, purple; and Department of Agriculture, straw 
 color. 
 
 In the stamps for the Post Office Department the 
 medallion head gives place to a numeral representing 
 the value with the words "Post Office Department" 
 above and the denomination expressed in words below. 
 All the official stamps correspond in denomination with 
 those issued for the public, except in the case of the 
 State Department, for which four of higher value were 
 made for dispatch bags. These four are of the deno- 
 minations of $2, $5, $10, and $20, respectively, are of 
 large size and printed in two colors, and bear a profile 
 bust of the late Secretary Seward." 
 
 Elsewhere the Postmaster General states that the 
 stamps were ready the 24th of May, for use the 1st 
 of July, 1873. The following circular was accord- 
 ingly issued to postmasters. 
 
 OFFICIAL POSTAGE STAMPS AND STAMPED ENVELOPES. 
 [ Circular to postmasters.] 
 
 POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT. 
 
 Office of the Third Assistant Postmaster General. 
 Division of Postage Stamps, Stamped Env. & Post Cards. 
 
 Washington, D. <?., May 15th, 1873. 
 The Franking Privilege having been abolished, to 
 take effect on the first day of July, 1873, the Postmaster 
 General is required by law to provide postage stamps 
 or stamped envelopes of special design for each of the 
 several Executive Departments of the Government for 
 the prepayment of postage on official matter passing 
 through the mails. 
 
 DESCRIPTION. 
 
 In place of the heads on the regular stamps, the offi- 
 cial stamps adopted for the Post Office Department have 
 
232 
 
 conspicuous figures (numerals) to represent the denom- 
 ination, with the word "Official" above, and the word 
 "Stamp" below. 
 
 'These printed in black, and resting on an oval shaped 
 background, render the stamps especially distinctive, 
 and leave no good excuse for confounding them with 
 the other stamps. To further distinguish them, the 
 name of the Department is printed across the top in lieu 
 of the words "U. S. Postage.-' There is also a slight 
 difference in the ornamentation of the border. 
 
 In design, the official stamps for the other Depart- 
 ments do not differ materially from those issued for sale 
 to the public, the profile busts are retained but each 
 stamp has at the top the name of the particular Depart- 
 ment for which it is provided. Other changes appear- 
 ing in the border need not be specified. 
 
 The stamps for each Department have their own dis- 
 tinctive color, as follows: For the Executive, carmine; 
 State Department, green ; Treasury Department, velvet- 
 brown ; War Department, chocineal red ; Navy Depart- 
 ment, blue; Interior Department, vermilion; Depart- 
 ment of Justice, purple ; Department of Agriculture, 
 straw ; and for the Post Office Department, black. 
 
 The official stamps will correspond in denomination 
 with the regular stamps except that for the State De- 
 partment there will be four addional denominations, 
 viz: two, five, ten and twenty dollars respectively. 
 These additional stamps are designed from a profile 
 bust of the late Hon. William H, Seward, and are of 
 double size and printed in two colors. 
 
 OFFICIAL STAMPS FOR POSTMASTERS. 
 Postmasters at all offices will be furnished with the 
 official stamps of this Department in suitable denomin- 
 ations and amounts as far as they can be supplied. The 
 Department will excercise its own discretion in filling 
 requisitions, and will send only in such denominations 
 
233 
 
 and amounts, as the needs of an office may seem to re- 
 quire. The less important offices, say those at which 
 the money order system has not been established, will 
 need only three cent stamps, but comparatively few of- 
 fices will require stamps above the denomination of six 
 cents. The higher denominations will be supplied to a 
 few of the larger offices only. Postmasters will combine 
 stamps of the most convenient denominations at hand 
 to meet emergencies for which they may have no single 
 stamp exactly filling the rate required," 
 
 ******* 
 
 EDWARD W. BARBER, 
 
 Third Assistant Postmaster General. 
 
 ISSUE OF July 1st, 1873, 
 
 The several denominations for all the departments 
 have certain characteristics that are common to all 
 stamps of that value, which may as well be stated 
 once for all, to avoid repetition. 
 
 With the exception of those of the post office 
 department, the head is the same as that on the or- 
 dinary stamp of the same value then current. 
 
 The value is expressed in numerals and words 
 beneath the oval in the same numerals, letters and 
 scrolls as on the ordinary stamps of the same value, 
 except that in those for the Post Office Department 
 the numerals in the 1, 12 and 30 cents and the let- 
 ters in all are a trifle smaller. 
 
 The ONE CENT has the head of Franklin in an oval 
 as described, the large "7" dividing "One Cent" 
 on a band bordered by heavy white lines as 
 described, but the ornament across the ends is 
 omitted except in that for the Executive and Agri- 
 
234 
 
 culture, and is lessened in that for the Interior. 
 
 The Two CENTS has the head of Jackson as 
 described, the large numeral "2" dividing il Two 
 Cents" upon a scroll with white border as described, 
 the ends of the scroll are, however, differently ar- 
 ranged to accommodate parts of the design. 
 
 The THREE CENTS has the head of Washington as 
 described, the large "3" dividing the words 
 "Three Cents" upon a scroll as described. 
 
 The Six CENTS has the head of Lincoln, the large 
 "6" dividing the words "Six Cents" upon a scroll 
 with colorless borders as described. 
 
 The SEVEN CENTS has the head of Stanton, the 
 large "7" dividing the words "Seven Cents" upon 
 a label following the oval and bordered by the white 
 line between two colored lines and ending in a 
 curve and ball as described. 
 
 The TEN CENTS has the head of Jefferson, the 
 large Ii 10" dividing the words "Ten Cents" upon 
 a colorless bordered scroll as described. 
 
 The TWELVE CENTS has the head of Cla}^, the 
 large numerals "72" dividing the words " Twelve 
 Cents" in block letters following the oval bounded 
 by the white line between two colored lines and 
 curved back as described. 
 
 The FIFTEEN CENTS has the head of Webster, the 
 large numerals Li 15" dividing the words " Fifteen 
 Cents" upon a label bordered as described. 
 
 The TWENTY-FOUR CENTS has the head of Scott, 
 no numerals below, the words il Twenty-four" and 
 "Cents" upon two labels and iji block letters as 
 
235 
 
 described. In that for the Department of Agricul- 
 ture the upper label is changed into a scroll with 
 large ends curved backwards, then forwards and 
 then downwards. 
 
 The THIRTY CENTS has the head of Hamilton, 
 the large numerals "30" on the shield dividing the 
 words "Thirty Cents" in colored letters on the 
 scroll as described. 
 
 The NINETY CENTS has the head of Perry, the 
 large numerals "90" dividing the words "Ninety 
 Cents" in block letters on a label bordered as de- 
 scribed, but the ends have a small curve inward 
 in those for the Post Office Department, are square 
 in those for the Interior and Navy Departments, 
 are curved inwards in that for the War Depart- 
 ment, are terminated by curves forming a point in 
 that for the Department of Justice, and are square 
 with a projecting small half circle in those for the 
 Treasury and State Departments. 
 EXECUTIVE. 
 
 The oval containing the bust, the scroll or label 
 and numeral are all placed upon a back-ground of 
 vertical parallel lines so disposed as to produce the 
 stripes of the shield or flag. Above and following 
 the oval a solid colored label inscribed in colorless 
 capitals, " Executive," and bounded by a white 
 and exterior colored line terminating in a foliated 
 ornament against the oval ; foliated ornaments in 
 the corners forming small white circles enclosing 
 "U." and "$." on rectangularly hatched disks. 
 
 Plate Impression 19 by 25 mm. in color on white 
 
236 
 
 paper, perforated 12. 
 
 1 cent carmine, 6,800 issued. 
 
 2 cents " 9,100 
 
 3 " " 23,500 " 
 6 " " 5,500 " 
 
 10 " " 5,150 " 
 
 DEPARTMENT OF STATE. 
 
 The oval containing the bust, the scroll or label 
 and numeral are all placed upon a ground of par- 
 allel vertical lines. At the top these are crossed 
 by horizontal lines at about 1 mm. from the edge 
 over a space of equal width, so as to form a darker 
 band and thus form a double frame half way down 
 where the darker frame terminates on each side in a 
 round ball, except in the 12 cents, which has the 
 dark frame all the way round. In the values with 
 scrolls "C7" on the left, "S" on the right above the 
 ends of the scrolls in large white letters shaded 
 outside. In the values with labels the same letters 
 in the corners below the ends of the labels, also 
 colorless, except in the 15 cents, in which they are 
 crossed by parallel horizontal lines. Above the 
 ovals li Dep't of State," in similar capitals, large at 
 the sides and gradually decreasing towards the 
 center. Above these a fine curved colorless line 
 between colored lines, the lower heavily shaded ; 
 beneath the letters a white ornament terminating on 
 each side in a fleur de lis, and shaded by colored 
 lines. 
 
 Plate impression 19 by 25 mm., in color, on 
 
237 
 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 1 cent green, 31,800 issued. 
 
 2 cents green, 41,800 " 
 
 3 " 109,200 " 
 
 6 82,100 " 
 
 7 37,800 " 
 10 64,900 
 
 12 " 20,800 " 
 
 15 " 22,800 
 
 24 " 13,800 
 
 30 " 20,100 
 
 90 " 6,043 
 
 To these are added the four higher values of larger 
 size. These have a large profile head of Wm. 
 H. Seward, facing to the left, on a hatched ground 
 forming an oval disk, with a ground of fine par- 
 allel lines all printed in black. The lines are 
 arranged to form a panelled triangle in the upper 
 corners, the lines being horizontal and light in the 
 borders and thickened to form the darker panels 
 which contain a foliated ornament. On a broad 
 colorless, curved label, with rounded ends, ^De- 
 partment of" in outline Roman capitals shaded at 
 top by curved parallel colored lines, a series of 
 curved parallel colored lines filling the lower part 
 of the label. Beneath this, in outlined pearled 
 capitals, following the label and shaded outside, 
 "State." At the sides bunches of rods tied above 
 and below with crossed bands with "7. S. A." in 
 colorless letters below each. Across the bottom a 
 hatched label with colorless borders inscribed in 
 colorless letters shaded outside with the value. 
 
- 238 
 
 Plate impression 25 by 39 mm., in color, on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 Two dollars, black and green, 3,508 issued. 
 
 Five " ;t " 363 " 
 
 Ten " " " 363 " 
 
 Twenty " 363 " 
 
 TREASURY DEPARTMENT. 
 
 The oval containing the portraits, the scrolls or 
 labels and large numerals are placed on a back- 
 ground of vertical parallel lines arranged to form a 
 drapery with fringes, cords and tassels, and a 
 panel similar to the State Department stamps. At 
 the top a label indicated by a colorless line curved 
 up at the ends and terminating above in foliated 
 ornaments, is inscribed "Treasury" in the same 
 letters as the other official stamps with "C7. S." 
 beneath the left end and li Dept." beneath the 
 right end. 
 
 Plate impression 19 J by 25 mm,, in color, on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 1 cent velvet-brown, 2,900,000 issued. 
 
 2 cents '* 2,484,500 " 
 
 3 " " 11,250,000 " 
 
 6 " " 4,105,000 " 
 
 7 " " 220,000 " 
 10 " " 1,291,500 " 
 12 " " 783,000 
 
 15 " " 663,000 
 
 24 " " . 100,000 " 
 
 30 ' " 456,500 
 
 90 " " 312,500 " 
 
239 
 
 The shades of these stamps vary somewhat in 
 depth, some specimens having a spotted appear- 
 ance as if the ink did not work well. 
 WAR DEPARTMENT. 
 
 The oval containing the bust, the scrolls or labels 
 and numerals are placed on a back ground of 
 parallel vertical lines above and below, horizontal 
 on the sides. In the upper corners "C7." on the 
 left, "#." on the right. A curved solid label bor- 
 dered by a cord, cuts off the upper corners and 
 is inscribed on the left tl War" on right "Dept." 
 in the usual capitals. The lines of the sides 
 are arranged to show the stripes of the flag. A 
 shield on each side above the scrolls or beneath 
 the labels. 
 
 Plate impression 19 by 25 mm., in color, on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 1 cent cochineal red, 3,301.230 issued. 
 
 2 cents 1,867,160 " 
 
 3 " " 5,393,137 " 
 
 6 " 3,584,813 
 
 7 " -55,728 " 
 10 " " 342,152 
 
 12 " " 792,070 " 
 
 15 " " 284,960 " 
 
 24 " 201,025 
 
 30 " 336,641 " 
 
 90 " 48,172 
 
 The shades of these stamps vary somewhat in 
 
 intensity, some being much lighter and some 
 
 darker than ordinary. 
 
240 
 
 NAVY DEPARTMENT. 
 
 The ovals containing the busts, the labels or 
 scrolls and large numerals are placed on a ground 
 of vertical parallel lines. A large, six-pointed star 
 in each upper corner, and a smaller one on each 
 side. A cable runs round the sides and top. The 
 words "Navy" on the left and ^Dept." on the 
 right in the usual capitals across the upper corners 
 and a losenge with "U." on the left and "S." on 
 the right shaded in the lower corners and placed 
 diagonally above the scrolls or below the labels. 
 
 Plate impression 19 by 25 mm., in color, on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 1 cent, ultramarine-blue. 
 
 2 cents 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 10 
 12 
 15 
 24 
 30 
 90 
 
 106,800 issued. 
 201,300 
 580,700 
 234,800 
 16000 
 
 61,300 
 37,500 
 26,000 
 29,600 
 11.270 
 
 POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT. 
 
 The oval as before stated contains a large nu- 
 meral of value instead of the head with the word 
 '* Official" above and " Stamp" below, on a plain 
 colorless ground. Same labels or scrolls and 
 numerals rather smaller below as in the stamps of 
 other departments, with small circular disks bearing 
 11 U." and "S." on the left and right above the 
 
241 
 
 scrolls or under the labels. In the 1, 6, 10, 30 
 and 90 cents these small disks are shaded by 
 vertical lines, in the other values by diagonal lines, 
 and the letters are filled, with horizontal lines. 
 Around the top of the oval a solid colored label 
 bordered by colorless lines and inscribed li Post 
 Office Department." There is a small circle with 
 four horizontal lines, and shaded outside in each 
 upper corner, all on a ground of parallel vertical 
 lines. 
 
 Plate impression 19 1 by 25 mm,, in color, on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 1 cent black, 1,114,250 issued. 
 
 2 cents u 894,600 
 
 3 " " 6,479,700 
 
 6 " " 3,306,800 " 
 
 10 " " 182,450 " 
 
 12 " " 298,780 
 
 15 " u ' 109,285 " 
 
 24 u " 87,625 
 
 30 " " 133,255 " 
 
 90 " " 65,200 u 
 
 Two complete series of these stamps may be 
 found, the one on white paper, the other having 
 the surface tinted with the ink of the stamp, also 
 intermediate or partly tinted specimens, showing 
 that the tinting probably results from imperfect 
 wiping of the plates. 
 
 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, 
 The ovals containing the heads, the scrolls, labels 
 
242 
 
 and large numerals are placed on a ground of 
 vertically ruled lines, crossed in parts to form 
 heavy shadows and showing stripes at the sides, 
 small shields above the ends of the scrolls and 
 below the ends of the labels, bearing the "U." and 
 U S," lined and shaded. A large, six-pointed star 
 in the upper corners. A broad, colorless band 
 doubly curved and following in part the outline of 
 the oval above, inscribed in lined and shaded 
 Roman capitals, "Dept. of the Interior." 
 
 Plate impression 19 J by 25 mm., in color, on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 1 cent vermilion, 394,800 issued. 
 
 2 cents " 1,414,400 " 
 
 3 " " 5,255,300 
 6 " u 1,722,500 
 
 10 " " 284,550 " 
 
 12 " 359,850 
 
 15 " " 257,100 
 
 24 " " 134,125 
 
 30 " " 138,300 
 
 90 " " 64.377 
 
 DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 
 
 The ovals containing the heads, bands, scrolls 
 and large numerals are placed on a ground of ver- 
 tically ruled lines. Six pointed stars with the 
 letters "U." and "S." above the ends of the scrolls 
 or under the ends of the labels. Diagonally in 
 small capitals in the upper left corner, "Dept." in 
 the right "of" and in larger capitals following the 
 line of the oval, "Justice 1 ' all in outline Roman 
 
- '243 
 
 capitals heavily shaded, on the ground without 
 bands. The oval, stars, scrolls, etc., are also 
 heavily shaded. 
 
 Plate impression 19 by 25 mm., in color, on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 1 cent, purple, 25,000 issued. 
 
 2 cents, " 26,900 " 
 
 3 " " 182,000 
 6 " " 84,000 " 
 
 10 " u 20,500 " 
 
 12 " " 26,800 
 
 15 " " 12,800 " 
 
 24 " " 12,800 " 
 
 30 u " 8,600 " 
 
 90 " " 3,200 
 
 The color varies very slightly in intensity. 
 
 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
 * The ovals containing the heads, bands scrolls and 
 large numerals are placed upon a ground of verti- 
 cally ruled lines, showing stripes at the sides. A 
 solid label curved with the oval above bounded by a 
 colorless line and rounded at the ends, is inscribed 
 "Agriculture" in outlined capitals. In small simi- 
 lar capitals in the upper left corner, "Dept. of ' in 
 two lines. In the upper right corner in monogram, 
 "(7. S." 
 
 Plate impression, 19 J by 25 mm., in color, on 
 white paper; perforated 12. 
 
 1 cent, straw, 95,415 issued. 
 
 2 cents " 230,150 u 
 
 3 " -' 435,050 
 
244 
 
 6 cents, straw, 120,000 issued. 
 
 10 " ' 95,265 " 
 
 12 " u 51,265 
 
 15 " " 54,050 
 
 24 " " 60,265 
 
 80 " " 82,265 
 
 By the appropriation acts each year from the 
 Act of the 22 June, 1874, a certain amount was 
 annually appropriated to each Department for the 
 purchase from the Post Office Department of such 
 of these official stamps as were necessary for the 
 use of the Department and its subordinate officers. 
 By the 9th Section of the Act of the XLIVth 
 Congress, Session I, Chapter 287, approved the loth 
 of August. 1876, it was enacted. 
 
 "That the Secretaries respectively of the Departments 
 of State, Treasury, War, Navy and Interior and the At- 
 torney General are authorized to make requisition upon 
 the Postmaster General for the necessary amount of 
 postage stamps for the use of their Departments not 
 exceeding the amount stated in the estimates submitted 
 to Congress, and upon presentation of proper vouchers 
 therefore at the Treasury, the amount thereof shall be 
 credited to the appropriation for the Post Office Depart- 
 ment for the same fiscal year." 
 
 This was the beginning of an entire change in 
 the method of crediting the Post Office Department 
 for work done in carrying official correspondence. 
 
 By the Act of XLIVth Congress, Session II, Chap- 
 ter 103, approved March 30, 1877, the law was modi- 
 fied in the following terms : 
 
 Sec. 5. "That it shall be lawful to transmit through 
 
245 
 
 the mail, free of postage any letters, packages or other 
 matter relating exclusively to the business of the Gov- 
 ernment of the United States : Provided that every such 
 letter or package to entitle it to pass free shall bear over 
 the words "Official Business" an endorsement, showing 
 also the name of the Department, aud if from a bureau 
 or office, the names of the Department and bureau or of- 
 fice, as the case may be, whence transmitted. And if 
 any person shall make use of any such official envelope 
 to avoid the payment of postage on his private letter* 
 package or other matter in the mail, the person so of- 
 fending shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and 
 subject to a fine of three hundred dollars, to be prose- 
 cuted in any court of competent judisdiction. 
 
 Sec. 6. That for the purpose of carrying this act into 
 effect it shall be the duty of each of the Executive De- 
 partments of the United States to provide for itself and 
 its subordinate officers the necessary envelopes, and in 
 addition to the endorsement designating the Department 
 in which they are to be used, the penalty for the unlaw- 
 ful use shall be stated theron. 
 
 Sec. 7. That Senators, Representatives and Delegates 
 in Congress, the Secretary of the Senate and Clerk of 
 the House of Representatives may send and receive 
 through the mail all public documents printed by order 
 of Congress, and the name of each Senator, Representa- 
 tive, Delegate, Secretary of the Senate, and Clerk of the 
 House, shall be written thereon with the proper desig- 
 nation of the office he holds, and the provisions of this 
 section shall apply to each of the persons mentioned 
 therein until the first day of December following the 
 expiration of their terms of office." 
 
 By this act the use of official stamps upon mail 
 matter from the Departments, bureaus and offices 
 was practically abolished, but official stamps con- 
 tinued to be used by postmasters and other subor- 
 
246 
 
 dinate officers in their mail matter to the Depart- 
 ments or each other on official business. 
 
 By the 29th Section of the Act of the XLVth 
 Congress, Chapter 180, approved March 3d, 1879, 
 it was enacted that, 
 
 "The provisions of the 5th and 6th Sections of the 
 Act entitled. An Act Establishing Post Routes and for 
 other purposes, approved March 3d, 1877, for the trans- 
 mision of official mail matter, be and they are hereby 
 extended to all officers of the United States 'Government^ 
 and made applicable to all official mail matter transmit- 
 ted between any of the officers of the United States, or 
 between any such officer and either of the Executive 
 Departments or officers of the Government, the envel- 
 opes of such matter in all cases to bear appropriate en- 
 dorsements containing the proper designation of the of- 
 fice from which the same is transmitted, with a state- 
 ment of the penalty for their misuse And the provisions 
 of said 5th and 6th Sections are hereby likewise extend- 
 ed and made applicable to all official mail matter sent 
 from the Smithsonian Institution. Provided, that this 
 Act shall not extend or apply to pension agents, or oth- 
 er officers who receive a fixed allowance for their ser- 
 vices, including expenses for postage." 
 
 In his report for the fiscal year ending June 
 30, 1878, D. M. Key, Postmaster General, had 
 already stated that, 
 
 "The amount of matter sent throught the mails free 
 is very large, adding greatly to our expenditures and 
 giving us no revenue. The Franking Privilege has been 
 restored to the members and chief officers of Congress, 
 so as to allow them to send free almost anything which 
 they were ever allowed to transmit through the mails 
 free, except letters. Tons upon tons of books, docu- 
 
247 
 
 ments, seeds, shrubs and the like are placed in our mails 
 free of cost, on this score. The official letters of the 
 Executive Departments of the general Government, 
 their documents, etc., go free through the mails. " 
 
 The operation of the act of 1879, however, greatly 
 increased the amount of free matter, and de- 
 creased the use of official stamps. The Post Office 
 Department discontinued their use entirely. In a 
 circular dated, Washington, D. C., April 22nd, 
 1879, and signed by A. D. Hazen, third assistant 
 Postmaster General, it is stated that : 
 
 ''The Department will begin the issue on May 1st 
 next, of envelopes for official business which will secure 
 the free transmission through the mails of all official 
 matter and which are intended to supercede the Post 
 Office envelopes now in use, as well as official postage 
 stamps and official stamped envelopes. Accordingly 
 the issue of official stamps and official stamped envel- 
 opes will be discontinued on and after the date named. 
 * * * The stock of post office envelopes now in the 
 hands of postmasters will continue until exhausted to 
 be used as heretofore by the attatchment of official 
 postage stamps. So also official stamped envelopes now 
 in the hands of postmasters at Presidential offices will 
 be used as heretofore until exhausted." 
 
 This circular, of course, applies only to stamps, 
 etc., of the Post Office Department. The other 
 Departments continued to use them for certain 
 purposes, though none were issued to the Execu- 
 tive Department. The report of the Postmaster 
 General for the year ending June 30th, 1885, says: 
 
 The use of official stamps and stamped envelopes was 
 wholly discontinued by this Department and substan- 
 
248 
 
 tially so by the other Departments on the 30th of June, 
 1879, under the Act authorizing the use of official penal- 
 ty envelopes." 
 
 By the Act of the XLVIIIth Congress, Session 
 I, Chapter 234, Section 3, approved July 5, 1884, 
 the provisions of the Act of 1879, were substan- 
 tially re-enacted with the addition that any 
 Department or officer authorized to use the pen- 
 alty envelopes, might enclose them to any person 
 from whom an answer was requested, and might 
 register any letter required by law, or the regula- 
 tions to be registered free, and might receive any 
 letter partly paid free, and added that; 
 
 ''Section 3915 of the Kevised Statutes of the United 
 States so far as the same relates to stamps and stamped 
 envelopes for official purposes is hereby repealed." 
 
 To this the report of the Postmaster General for 
 1885, adds; 
 
 "The use of official postage stamps and stamped envel- 
 opes having ceased on the 30th of June, 1884, and the 
 same having been declared invalid for postages by the 
 Act of July 5th, 1884, the stock remaining in the hands 
 of the stamp and envelope contractors was destroyed in 
 February last, under the supervision of the committee 
 appointed by the Postmaster General." 
 
 From the report of this committee it appears that 
 they destroyed in all, 17,024,588 official stamps, 
 and 1,739,290 of ordinary and newspaper stamps 
 that had ceased to be of use. Also that about 2 
 per cent, of all the stamps manufactured annually, 
 are destroyed, a single imperfect specimen on the 
 "sheet" of 100 causing the rejection of at least 
 fifty or half the sheet. 
 
XXVIII. 
 
 OFFICIAL SEALS. 
 
 The Post Office Department of the United States, 
 besides the stamps for the collection of postage, 
 has employed from time to time for special usages 
 certain seals which, as they are adhesive and in the 
 form of postage stamps and officially used, are 
 here described, although they are of no postal 
 value and not properly stamps, but are all em- 
 ployed to indicate that the packages which bear 
 them are properly secured and have not been tam- 
 pered with in transit. 
 
 REGISTERED PACKAGE SEAL. 
 
 This is a large rectangular seal 71 by 39 mm., 
 in the form of an adhesive stamp duly gummed 
 and perforated. After the letters or parcels of 
 registered letters were duly placed in the large 
 registered package envelopes employed for the 
 purpose, one of these seals was firmly secured over 
 the tongue of the envelope and duly stamped with 
 the date of mailing. It is simply an additional 
 guarantee to the receiving office that the package 
 
250 
 
 has not been opened since it was sealed at the 
 sending office. A circular announcing its issue 
 and directing its use was issued from the office of 
 the Third Assistant Postmaster General at Washing- 
 ton, dated February 14, 1872, A second circular 
 from the same office dated 1875, without stating 
 the month or day, announces the adoption of a 
 differently constructed envelope and the abandon- 
 ment of the use of the registered seal. 
 
 ISSUE OF FEBRUARY 14, 1872. 
 Large, oblong, rectangular seals, having in the 
 middle a circular disk with ground of tine concen- 
 tric circles, so broken as to present the appearance 
 of white rays, bounded by two heavier, but still 
 fine colored lines, separated by a colorless line, and 
 and a broad colorless band with exterior colored 
 line, inscribed in plain block, colored capitals, 
 above "Stamp Here," below, "Date" and "Place of 
 Mailing" separated by a small maltese cross on 
 each side. On each side of this is a ground of 
 horizontal lines bordered by a heavy colored line 
 with ornamental triangles of solid color, with 
 colorless geometric lines forming the corners. 
 Outside all a single colored line. On the ground 
 in three lines of colored capitals, on each side are 
 the inscriptions : on the left, reading from the bot- 
 tom to the top, " Post Office" "Department-" on the 
 right, reading from the top to the bottom, "United 
 States" "of America " in the upper corner triangles 
 lt U. S." in monogram; in the lower, "P. 0. D." 
 in white capitals. Across the middle of the whole 
 
251 
 
 stamp in large block capitals 8 mm. high and 
 shaded by horizontal lines is the word " Registered." 
 
 Plate impression, 71 by 39 mm,, printed in 
 color, on white paper, perforated 12. 
 No value, green. 
 
 A second seal empk^ed for a time by the United 
 States Postage Stamp Agency upon the packages 
 of stamps sent out to postmasters, was equally an 
 additional guarantee against opening or tampering 
 with the package. 
 
 ISSUE OF (END) 1875. 
 
 A large rectangle bearing in the center the mon- 
 ogram, ll U. S." in large colorless capitals in an 
 oval of geometric colored lines, surrounded by a 
 ground of interlaced colorless geometric lines on 
 color. A frame of fifteen colored parallel lines 
 crossing in the angles. A clover leaf of geometric 
 work, also in the corners. On the frame above in 
 large colorless capitals, " 7. S. Postage Stamp 
 Agency," all in brown. A black surcharge of eight 
 lines reads: "Postmasters Receiving this Package 
 Will Please Note Its Condition If showing signs 
 of having been tarn pered with, report the same and 
 return this package to 3d Asst. P. M. General, at 
 Washington, D. C. This Package Should be 
 opened at the end. E. W. Barber, 3d Asst. P. M. 
 G." Lithographed in color on white paper, but 
 not perforated, 102 by 52 mm. 
 
 No value, brown and black. 
 
 This was afterwards changed by merely changing 
 the signature to "A. D. Hazen, 3d Asst. P. M. G." 
 
252 
 
 and the surcharge to vermilion. 
 
 Lithographed in color on white paper and not 
 perforated. 
 
 No value, brown and vermilion. 
 
 [The latter are still in use. Dec., '86]. 
 
 A third seal was employed by the Dead Letter 
 Office at Washington, and afterwards by other 
 offices, to reseal letters opened at that office or 
 broken in the mails. It was placed upon the flap 
 of the envelope of letters opened at the Dead 
 Letter Office, in order to ascertain the name of the 
 sender, or on letters opened by the wrong persons 
 through mistake, or upon the torn places of other 
 packages. 
 
 ISSUE OF (BEGINNING OF) 1877. 
 
 A large rectangle with small head of Liberty, 
 full face in an oval 11 by 8 mm. in the center. 
 Above in curved line of colored block letters, 
 "Post Office Department " below in double curve 
 of Old English colored letters, " United States of 
 America." On each side of the oval a solid label 
 bearing in large colorless letters on left, "Offi- 
 cially " on right "Sealed." In the corners " U.S" 
 in monogram. The frame is a broad band 3 mm. 
 wide, vertically lined forming a rectangle with 
 rounded corners, double lined outside and inside 
 and shaded. The ground is covered with the 
 words "Post Obitum" repeated in whole or part 
 180 times, in horizontal lines. On the frame be- 
 low "National Bank Note Company New York" 
 in small colored letters. 
 
253 
 
 Plate impression, in color, on white paper, 431 
 by 27 mm., perforated 12. 
 
 No value, brown. 
 
 ISSUE OF 1879. 
 
 The foregoing stamp was replaced in 1879, by 
 another of the same design, but the words "Po.sZ 
 Obitum" in the ground are replaced by a pattern 
 of interlaced circles. The same name on the 
 frame. 
 
 Plate impression, in color, on white paper, 431 
 by 27 mm., perforated 12. 
 
 No value, brown. 
 
XXIX. 
 
 REPRINTS. 
 
 There seems to have been no special law autho- 
 rizing the Postmaster General to issue reprints of 
 the stamps of the United States, or as the authori- 
 ties choose to call them, " Specimen Postage 
 Stamps." On the other hand his general authority 
 under the law is sufficient to make any re-issue for 
 postal purposes of any of the issues o'f the Depart- 
 ment legal, for none of them except the official 
 stamps have ever been made invalid for postal pur- 
 poses by any authority but his own, and this 
 authority he undoubtedly has also. It has always 
 seemed expedient to the Department to issue 
 certain specimens of the stamps and envelopes in 
 circulation, or to be circulated, from time to time, 
 in the proper, as well as in trial colors. It has 
 been said that it being considered expedient to 
 exhibit at the Centennial Exhibition a complete 
 series of all the various issues authorized from 
 time to time, by the Department, as a part of its 
 history, and - unused specimens not being easily 
 
255 
 
 obtained, the old dies and plates were taken from 
 their places of storage in order to print the neces- 
 sary specimens, and that the Department having 
 been solicited to furnish collectors with specimens 
 of its old issues, took this opportunity to provide 
 itself to satisfy these demands. It was, however, 
 a mistaken kindness and unused originals were 
 not unattainable. So that for exhibition purposes 
 even reprinting was not necessary. Besides as the 
 reprints or specimens of all except the current 
 series, are in some respects or other unlike the 
 originals, they were really only so many tolerably 
 accurate pictures of what had been. 
 
 When the Department was ready to furnish 
 collectors with these doubtful boons the following 
 official circular was issued : 
 
 SPECIMEN POSTAGE STAMPS. 
 
 POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT. 
 
 Office of Third Assistant Postmaster General. 
 
 Div. of Postage Stamps, St'ped Envelopes & Postal Cards. 
 
 Washington, D. (7., March 27, 1875. 
 The Department is prepared to furnish upon applica- 
 tion, at face value, specimens of adhesive postage 
 stamps issued under its auspices as follows: 
 
 Ordinary Stamps for Use of the Public. 
 
 1. Issue of 1847. Denominations, 5 and 10 cents. Value 
 
 of set, 15 cents. 
 
 2. Issue of 1851. Denominations, 1, 3, 5, 10, 12, 24, 30 
 
 and 00 cents ; also two separate designs of 1 cent 
 carrier stamps. Value of set, $1.77. 
 
 3. Issue of 1861. Denominations, 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 12. 15, 24, 
 
 30 and 90 cents. Value of set, $1.92. 
 
 4. Issue of 1869. Denominations, 1, 2, 3, 6, 10, 12, 15, 24, 
 
256 
 
 30 and 90 cents. Value of set, $1.93. 
 5. Issue of 1870 (current series). Denominations, 1, 2, 
 3, 6, 7, 10, 12, 15, 24, 30 and 90 cents. Value of set, 
 $2. 
 
 Official Stamps. 
 
 1. Executive. Denominations, 1, 2, 3, 6 and 10 cents. 
 
 Value of set, 22 cents. 
 
 2. Department of State. Denominations, 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 
 
 10, 12, 15, 24, 30 and 90 cents, and $2, $5, $10 and 
 $20. Value of Set. $39. 
 
 3. Treasury Department. Denominations, 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 
 
 10, 12, 15. 24, 30 and 90 cents. Value of set, $2. 
 
 4. War Department. Denominations, 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 12, 
 
 15, 24, 30 and 90 cents. Value of set, $2. 
 
 5. Navy Department. Denominations, 1, 2, 3, 6, 7. 10 
 
 12, 15, 24, 30 and 90 cents. Value of set, $2. 
 
 6. Post Office Department. Denominations, 1, 2, 3, 6, 
 
 10, 12, 15, 24, 30 and 90 cents. Value of set, $1.93. 
 
 7. Department of the Interior. Denominations, 1, 2, 3, 
 
 6, 10, 12, 15, 24, 30 and 90 cents. Value of set, $1.93. 
 
 8. Department of Justice. Denominations, 1, 2, 3, G, 
 
 10, 12, 15, 24, 30 and 90 cents. Value of set, $1.93. 
 
 9. Department of Agriculture. Denominations, 1, 2, 3, 
 
 6, 10, 12, 15, 24 and 30 cents. Value of set, $1.03. 
 Newspaper and Periodical Stamps. 
 
 1. Issue of 1805. Denominations, 5, 10 and 25 cents. 
 
 Value of set, 40 cents. 
 
 2. Issue of 1874. Denominations, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 
 
 24, 3({, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96 cents. $1.92, $3, $6, $9, $12, 
 $24, $36, $48 and $60. Value of set, $204.66. 
 The 1847 and 1851 stamps are obsolete, and no longer 
 receivable for postage. The subsequent issues of ordin- 
 ary stamps are still valid. The newspaper and periodi- 
 cal stamps of 1865 are also uncurrent; those of the is- 
 sue of 1874 can be used only by publishers and news- 
 agents for matter mailed in bulk under the Act of June 
 
257 
 
 23rd, 1874. The official stamps cannot be used except 
 for the official business of the particular Department 
 for which it is provided. 
 
 All the specimens furnished will be ungummed, and 
 the official stamps will have printed across the face 
 the word "Specimen'' in small type. It will be useless 
 to apply for gummed stamps or for official stamps 
 with the word "Specimen'' omitted. 
 
 The stamps will be sold by sets, and application must 
 not be made for less than one full set of any issue ex- 
 cept the State Department official stamps and newspa- 
 per and periodical stamps of the issue of 1874. The reg- 
 ular set of the former will embrace all the denomina- 
 tions from 1 cent to 90 cents inclusive, valued at $2; and 
 any or all of the other denominations ($2, $5, $10 and 
 $20) will be added or sold separately from the regular 
 set as desired. 
 
 The newspaper and periodical stamps will be sold in 
 quantities of not less than two dollars worth in each 
 case, of any denomination or denominations that may 
 be ordered. 
 
 Under no circumstances will stamps be sold for less 
 than their face value. 
 
 Payment must invariably be made in advance in cur- 
 rent funds of the United States. Mutilated currency, in- 
 ternal revenue and postage stamps, bank checks and 
 drafts, will not be accepted, but will in all cases be re- 
 turned to the sende'r. 
 
 To insure greater certainty in the transmission, it is 
 strongly urged that remittances be made either by 
 money order or registered letter. Applicants will also 
 include a sufficient amount for return postage and regis- 
 try fee, it being desirable to send stamps by registered 
 letter. Losses in the mails or by any mode of transmis- 
 sion must be at the risk of the purchaser. 
 
 ^^Applications must be addressed to "The Third 
 
258 
 
 Assistant Postmaster General, Washington, D. C." 
 Specimens of stamped envelopes will not be furnished 
 
 in any case. 
 
 E. W. BARBER, 
 Third Assistant Postmaster General. 
 
 Here is truly a pretty kettle of fish. The pro- 
 ceedings do not seem, to have been reported by the 
 Department, and there seems to have been no 
 account rendered of this peculiar transaction of the 
 Stamp Office. Doubtless the amounts received for 
 these specimens and the number of them sold are 
 blended, in the accounts of the number of stamps 
 sold and no loss accrued to the service. The 
 public are not, however, informed of the extent of 
 the transactions, and judging from the difficulty of 
 finding these specimens in collections, the business 
 was not large. 
 
 There was no law preventing any one from pur- 
 chasing either the newspaper or periodical stamps 
 from the Post office, and at the time there was prob- 
 ably no regulation of the Department which pre- 
 vented postmasters from selling them to all desir- 
 ous of purchasing. Certainly some were sold to 
 dealers and collectors. Hence the privilege of 
 purchasing the current newspaper and periodical 
 stamps ivithout gum for the same price that actual 
 and complete copies could be obtained, particularly 
 in view of the fact that the purchaser, unless a 
 publisher or agent, could not use them when so 
 purchased, even if he were willing to gum them 
 himself, was probably not largely taken advantage 
 of. The specimens when found can hardly be 
 
259 
 
 
 
 called reprints and cannot be distinguished from 
 the ordinary stamps that have by some accident lost 
 their gum. There is reason to believe that some 
 of them have been adorned with this appendage by 
 private parties, so that the presence of gum is no 
 guarantee of genuiness. As, however, they are 
 only partly finished stamps of the regular issue, no 
 great harm is done if a specimen is treasured in a 
 collection. 
 
 With the newspaper stamps of the 1865 issue the 
 facts are different. While they are from the same 
 plates apparently, they can generally be detected 
 by the color. As the five cents with white border 
 does not appear in the list of reprints or "speci- 
 mens" the series was not, after all, complete, and 
 the possessor of this stamp may feel confident of 
 possessing an original. The companion five cents 
 with colored border is exactly of the same color, 
 varying only in different specimens of either 
 variety in depths of color. The blue of the 
 reprints is of a different shade, more intense and 
 perhaps the difference can best be expressed by 
 saying there is a bloom about it that there is not 
 about the originals. When the two are placed 
 side by side the homely expression that the "new 
 is worn off" of the originals will serve to express 
 the difference, though in point of fact they never 
 had the brightness of the reprints. The same 
 remarks apply to the old and new ten cent values. 
 The color of the 25 cents, is, however, very badly 
 imitated, the originals have a yellowish-red cast, 
 
260 
 
 the reprint is a dull common red. A very good 
 idea of it -might be had by comparing what are 
 called salmon brick and pressed brick together. 
 Unfortunately some unscrupulous parties have 
 "experimented" with the reprints and thus ren- 
 dered some specimens rather harder to distinguish, 
 but so far as the observation of the writer goes, 
 comparison with originals will always satisfactorily 
 expose the difference. 
 
 The extreme anxiet3 r of the Department that the 
 revenue of the service should not suffer by the use 
 of a private party of an official stamp for which he 
 had paid the department full value, led as the 
 advertisement states to the placing of the word 
 "specimen" in small type across the face, and 
 thereby saved the collector any trouble in identify- 
 ing "specimens" from originals, though as the 
 stamps were current the omission of the gum only 
 reduced them to partly finished stamps, and not 
 to the category of reprints or counterfeits. 
 
 Of the "ordinary stamps for the use of the 
 public," the 5th or 1870 issue was then current, 
 and why ungumined stamps which , the circular 
 says were never the less available for postage, 
 should have been sold when the Department had a 
 large supply of finished originals at command, is a 
 mystery to all but official minds. 
 
 The 4th or 1869 series presents greater difficul- 
 ties to the collector who desires to have only 
 genuine originals. Made by the same company 
 that produced the originals, and only a short time 
 
261 
 
 afterwards, the processes of printing, ink and 
 paper making had not materially changed, but the 
 reprints show signs of more careful workmanship. 
 Notwithstanding the circular some of them at least 
 were sent out by the department gummed. But 
 strange to say as noticed by Mr. Coster (A. J. P. 
 1875 page 6) the gum of the originals "varied from 
 decided!}' brownish to almost white" and "on the 
 1861-69 issues of the reprints (as also on the 
 eagles) simple gum arabic seems to have been 
 used, the color being perfectly white. Further- 
 more, if the stamps are bent at all, the gum cracks, 
 which is in no case true of the originals." Mr. 
 Coster further says, "the originals all had the 
 grille and the reprints have not." Unfortunately, 
 Mr. Coster was not aware that the four higher 
 values at least, with the brownish gum and without 
 the grille, and undoubtedly original, existed in 
 collections before the reprints were made, and 
 have since been officially stated to have been so 
 issued, and other values also in that condition are 
 known, which have every appearance of being 
 originals. Unfortunately also, it is not very diffi- 
 cult to remove the gum, imitate the grille or not 
 and regum the stamp with brownish gum. Such 
 experiments have been made with fair success by 
 members of that fraternity who exist by the trade 
 in bogus antiquities and counterfeit evidences of 
 value, who sometimes do these little things merely 
 to experience the delight they feel in deceiving the 
 so-called experts, especially when as in this case a 
 
262 
 
 known reprint is almost unsalable, but if it can be 
 made to pass as an original its value is increased 
 several hundred fold and its salable qualities many 
 times more. Fortunately there are not a large 
 number of the reprints to encounter and grilled 
 specimens are in all probability original. The 3d 
 or 1861 issue was also made by the same company 
 that did the reprinting. The originals were issued 
 first without the grille and afterwards with it, both 
 had the brownish gum. The reprints have the 
 same perforation and, notwithstanding the circular, 
 were issued both without the gum and with the 
 white stiff gum noticed above. Originals without 
 the grille are rarely on tinted or surfaced paper, 
 though sometimes smurched in parts from careless 
 wiping of the plates. Originals with the grille are 
 generally on lightly tinted or surfaced paper and 
 the colors are usually stronger than the earlier 
 ones. The reprints were without the grille, but 
 the colors are rather those of the grilled originals, 
 the paper is however whiter, the printing more 
 carefully worked, and there is the new look about 
 them noticed when speaking of the reprints of the 
 newspaper series of 1865. Sheets of the one cent 
 reprinted show the printer's imprint on the sides 
 and of the pattern of that on the 1869 issue. All 
 the originals of this value probably had the imprint 
 of the other pattern, and at the top or bottom. 
 The reprints are therefore, probably from new 
 plates. 
 
 A few reprints with a forged grille have come 
 
263 
 
 under the observation of the writer, but as the 
 grille was the small grille imitated from that on the 
 1869 issue it was easily detected. 
 
 The 2nd or 1851 issue, as it is called in the 
 circular, actually consisted of two series, the 
 imperforate and perforate. Imperforate reprints 
 were not furnished. The originals were perforated 
 15 to the mm. or 17 to the 1 of an inch. The re- 
 prints were perforated 12 to the mm. or 13 to the 
 1 of an inch. This is the perforation of the 1870 
 series and of most of the U. S. stamps. 
 
 This is an absolute test then for perforated 
 specimens. Attempts are* however, made to palm 
 off trimmed reprints as imperforate specimens. 
 The originals are on a yellowish paper and with 
 brown gum. The reprints on a very white paper 
 originally but easily manipulated to yellowish. 
 The reprint of the one cent is from a new plate, 
 the stamps have the outside fine labels of the 
 original imperforate series, but are set farther 
 apart on the plate so that even the larger perfora 
 tion used does not cut into the stamp. The blue 
 is too bright. The reprinted three cents has the 
 outer top and bottom lines of the original imper- 
 forate stamp. The stamps do not seem to have 
 been set quite far enough apart on the plate, as 
 most specimens are somewhat marred by the large 
 perforation. The color is however a vermilion 
 and not the brick-red, pink or carmine of the 
 originals. The reprinted five cents is from plate 
 No, 2 without the top and bottom projection, and 
 
264 
 
 the stamps being too near together are marred by 
 the large perforation. The color is a decided 
 yellow brown, unlike any of the shades of the 
 original. It would probably be impossible to 
 remove the perforation so as to make this stamp 
 pass for an imperforate specimen and then it 
 would lack the projection of the original. 
 
 The ten and twelve cents are harder to distin- 
 guish, the green is too green, the black too black. 
 The twenty-four, thirty and ninety cents were not 
 issued imperforate (except the very rare instances 
 of the 24 cents) and are not likely to deceive an} T 
 one, their colors, however, are the more brilliant 
 new colors and not the old dull colors of the 
 originals. 
 
 The reprinted "Eagle" Carrier's stamp was first 
 sent out perforated 12, the original was, of course, 
 imperforate, and the stamps upon the sheet were 
 separated by colored lines. The perforations of 
 the reprints made sad havoc with these. Later 
 the reprints were sent out imperforate. Such 
 originals as the present writer has seen are on a 
 yellowish tinted paper arising probably from the 
 gum or age, the reprints are on a paper blued on 
 the printed side by the ink of the stamp and with 
 a blue cast at the back. 
 
 The reprinted "Franklin" Carrier's stamp is on 
 too deep a pink paper and the dark blue ink is not 
 deep and dull enough. 
 
 Finally the only safe test of any of these stamps 
 is comparison with undoubted originals, in every 
 
ease of doubt. The first or 1847 reprints are not from 
 the original plates nor even from the original dies, but 
 from newly engraved dies, and hence are absolutely 
 worthless as representing the originals. They are not 
 reprints, but official imitations. In speaking of this 
 issue it was stated that the Department had ordered all 
 remainders to be burnt and the plates and dies de- 
 stroyed. Supposing this to have been done, reprinting 
 was impossible. To take the place of the originals, 
 new dies were made. 
 
 The imitations are both wider and shorter than the 
 originals. The foliated ornaments are too conspicuous 
 in both. The small letters, R. W. H. and E. in the 
 margins^ though clear in the originals are too small, 
 and particularly in the five cents almost illegible, being 
 too light, and apparently the engraver did not know 
 whether to make an R or an H, an M or a W, an H or 
 an N, an E or an F. The paper is perhaps more de- 
 cidedly bluish than that of the originals. These are 
 the general and common differences. 
 
 The Five Cents. The hair on the right of the head 
 (left of the stamp) is in heavy dark masses in the 
 original, but is too light, open and airy in the imita- 
 tion. The mouth prolonged in the original beyond 
 the dot on the right, ends with it in the imitation, in 
 which there is a second dot to the right of the first. 
 The eyes are clear and distinct in the original, with 
 perhaps too much white in the right one, they are weak 
 undecided eyes in the imitation. The shirt front in the 
 original is terminated by a diagonal line which reaches 
 the oval above the top of the F of "Five" in the origi- 
 nal, but is more nearly horizontal in the imitation, 
 reaching the oval nearly on a line with the top of the 5. 
 
 The Ten Cents. In the hair on the right of the 
 stamp there is a small, white circle with a dark center 
 in the imitation which does not appear in the original. 
 
266 
 
 The lips arc larger and the mouth longer in the origi- 
 nal than the imitation, and in the latter the lower lip 
 is indicated throughout by vertical lines, while in the 
 original there are only three vertical lines, the rest of 
 the lip is shaded by points. In the original the white 
 cravat is separated from the inner colored line marking 
 the oval by a tine white line with a colored line above 
 it; in the imitation the line of the oval terminates 
 the cravat. After the word "Office" the base of the 
 foliated ornament is adorned with little pearls and 
 diamonds. Jn the original these are shaded below 
 and at the right, giving the effect to the unaided eye of 
 a rope. In the imitation these are shaded below only, 
 giving the effect of black dots. There is & white 
 square in the background in the upper loop of the S of 
 "Post." The lines of the face are all too stiff and 
 ridged and the execution does not compare in delicacy 
 and boldness of touch with the original. Several in- 
 stances have recently come to notice in which these 
 imitation ten cents fastened upon pieces of old letters 
 and canceled have been offered as originals. 
 
 It does not seem to have been generally known that 
 these so-called specimen stamps continued to be sold to 
 collectors for a number of years. A second circular 
 dated October 16, 1882, and signed "A. D. Hazen, 
 Third Assis't. Postmaster-Gen'l." is an exact repe- 
 tition of that of 1875, except that in the 5 series issue 
 of 1870 both the 5-cent (Taylor) and 5-cent (Garfield) 
 are enumerated and a 6 series "(issue of 1879 postage 
 due stamps) denominations 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 30 and 5 cents. 
 Value of set $1.01" are added. 
 
 It is stated by very reliable dealers and collectors 
 that the first sets of the 1865 Newspaper stamps fur-, 
 nished in reply to the 1875 circular were "remainders" 
 and contained the 5-cent stamp with the blue border; 
 that the first reprints were made on remainders of the 
 
267 
 
 original paper and that those furnished later were on 
 a thicker paper than any of these. It is extremely 
 difficult in some cases to pronounce positively on the 
 genuineness of specimens of the 5 and 10 cents. 
 
XXX. 
 
 ISSUE OF 1887-8 COMPLETED. 
 
 (See Page 197). 
 
 Shortly after the design of the 1-eent (June 15, 
 1887,) had been altered another change was announced 
 in a circular, dated August 15, 1887, from the office of 
 H. K. Harris, Third Assistant Postmaster-General; it 
 says, ''On or about the 12th of September, 1887, the 
 following changes in the series of postage stamps will 
 be made : The color of the 2-cent stamp will be green, 
 instead of the present color, metalic red. 
 
 The color of the 3-cent stamp (issues of which are 
 stiil made to some of the larger post-offices) will be 
 vermilion instead of green." 
 
 The remainder of the circular relates to stamped en- 
 velopes, describes the new dies for the 1, 2, 4 and 5 
 cent envelopes and announces that the colors of the 
 embossed envelope stamps will be 1-cent blue, 2 cents 
 green, 4 cents carmine, 5 cents blue, 30 cents brown 
 and 90 cents purple. 
 
 It was a matter of some surprise to those whose no- 
 tice is attracted to such things, persons in the postal 
 service, stamp collectors and others, that so radical 
 a change should be made in the color of the envelope 
 stamps without announcing a corresponding change in 
 the colors of the adhesives of the same values. Col- 
 lectors especially recalled the hard struggle to obtain 
 
261) - 
 
 an embossed companion to the metallic red two-cent 
 adhesive and the numerous varieties of color and die 
 that had resulted. The comparative merits of apple- 
 green, and metallic-red as a color for the stamp in most 
 ordinary use and all the aesthetic hearings of the case 
 was discussed in the columns of the daily press, and 
 stimulated the ingenuity of the curious to ring the 
 changes on the combinations of the three green adhe- 
 sive values with their corresponding green embossed 
 equivalents, or of the two vermilion values with the 
 varieties of the vermilion two-cent envelope stamp, or 
 of the vermilion and green stamps and envelopes in 
 joint combinations to provide for domestic and foreign 
 registered postage, or single, don ble and tripple foreign 
 rates. This gave doubtless a pleasing variety of color, 
 but the bewildering combinations certainly did not 
 facilitate the work of the postal clerks. After it had 
 been returned by the receiver a registered domestic 
 letter which bore the six still current 2-cent stamps, 
 the black of 1863, the brown of 1869, the brown of 
 1870, the vermilion of 1875, the metallic-red of 1883 
 and the apple-green, is said to have been exhibited to 
 the authorities by the sender who, though he had 
 to pay a premium for some of the varieties, claims to 
 be well satisfied with his prize. 
 
 It is not surprising therefore that the Department is- 
 sued a circular to all post-offices hastening the work of 
 redemption of the 3 and 6-cent envelopes and 
 stamps of the old colors, and that the face value of 
 those destroyed soon reached the comfortable little 
 sum of $731,503.61, and that the colors of the 4,5, 
 30 and 90-cent adhesives were quietly made to 
 correspond with those of the envelopes of like denomi- 
 nation. The change does not seem to have been an- 
 nounced either in the Postal Guide or by the usual cir- 
 cular, nor is it mentioned in the Postmaster-General's 
 
270 
 
 Report for 1888, and the exact date of the issue of 
 each value does not seem to be known. The change of 
 the color of the 30 cents to brown, was chronicled in 
 the stamp papers of February, 1888, that of the 5 cents 
 to indigo and of the 90 cents to purple in the stamp pa- 
 pers of April, 1888, while the papers of December, 
 1888, stated that so great had been the stock of the 
 green 4 cents in comparison with the number used, 
 that none had then been issued in carmine. 
 
 , ISSUE OF SEPTEMBER 12, 1887. 
 Types of the 2 cents of September 15, 1883, (page 
 189) and of the 3 cents of November, 1882, (page 184) 
 printed on the white special paper required by the con 
 tract of 1885, arranged as described on page 172. Im- 
 print American Bank Note Co.; perforated 12. 
 
 2 cents, green. 
 
 3 cents, vermilion. 
 
 ISSUE OF 1888. 
 
 Types of the 4 cents of September 15, 1883, (page 
 189) of the 5 cents of April 10, 1882, (page 181), of the 
 30 cents (page 168) and 90 cents (page 169) of May 
 1870, printed on the special white paper lequired 
 by the contract of 1885, in sheets arranged as described 
 on page 172. Imprint American Bank Note Co.; per- 
 forated 12. 
 
 4 cents, carmine. 
 
 5 cents, indigo-blue. 
 30 cents, brown. 
 
 90 cents, purple. 
 
 No very extended obervations need be made on this 
 series. Beyond the usual slight variations in color 
 there are no varieties and but few oddities in per- 
 foration. There are two marked shades, light and 
 dark, in the 2-cent green, and the same value has 
 been noted with double perforations all round. 
 
271 
 
 All the 1 and 2-cent stamps issued under the con- 
 tract of 1885-89 may be found with a number of ex- 
 tra perforations in a second row above or below the 
 regular perforation according as the specimen is from 
 the top or bottom of the sheet. This includes 1-cent 
 altered die of 18 and the new die of 1887, and the 
 2 cents metallic-red and green. This perforation is not 
 accidental, but is arranged in a certain combination of 
 holes directly over those of the regular perforation and 
 blank spaces in uniform order though apparently not 
 always over the same stamps. From the specimens 
 now under observation the exact order cannot be de- 
 termined, but it is something like the following, the 
 Arabic numerals standing for the numbei of holes 
 together, and the Roman numerals for the number 
 of holes over which there is no double perforation i. e. 
 the blank spaces : 7, II, 8, VIII, 7, II, 8, IX, 9, XVI, 
 9, XVI, 9, IX, 8, 11, 7, IX from right to left on the part 
 of the right hand sheet. On the left hand side are 
 combinations of ten, two and six holes together. The 
 purpose of these has not been ascertained. 
 
XXXI. 
 ISSUE OF 1890. 
 
 The contract for the manufacture of adhesive stamps 
 contained the usual option to the Postmaster-General 
 to extend it. To afford time in which to make needful 
 preparations for the new contract the new administra- 
 tion extended the old contract until September 30, 
 1889, and on June 17, 1889, made the necessary adver- 
 tisements for proposals for furnishing the stamps for 
 four years from October 1, 1890. The call was for bids 
 on stamps of the current size, 1 by 25-32 of an inch, 
 and on stamps measuring only |^x% of an inch, ex- 
 clusive in each case of the spaces between the stamps, 
 for ordinary postage stamps, the special delivery, pos- 
 tage due and periodical stamps to remain of their for- 
 mer sizes respectively. A new r feature of this contract 
 was that the stamps were to be of the colors specified 
 and of the specimens in the selected colors which were 
 added to the specifications furnished each bidder and 
 duly canceled with the words "Sample A-' for the first 
 size, and "Sample" for the then current si/e. The 
 stamps were to be printed from hardened steel plates, 
 the inks to be used to be of t^e colors shown in the 
 samples shown for each denomination, and fully equal 
 in quality thereto. No analine inks were to be allowed 
 and the printing was to be bid for to be done on hand 
 presses, on steam power presses, doing all or only a 
 
278 
 
 portion of the work, with and without the right re- 
 served to the Postmaster-General to require all the work 
 to be done on hand-power presses if the steam-power 
 work did not meet his approval. The paper was, how- 
 ever, to he "equal to sample" instead of made to a cer- 
 tain formula as provided in 1885. ''Each sheet of the 
 finished work" was "to contain not more than 100 
 stamps." To admit of proper perforation the blank 
 space or margins between the stamps on a sheet was 
 to be of equal width to that on the corresponding kinds 
 of the current stamps. 
 
 Only two bids were submitted, that of Charles F. 
 Steel, of Philadelphia, and that of the American Bank 
 Note Co. Mr. Seebeck and the Hamilton Bank Note 
 Company do not seem to have applied. Mr. Steel, of 
 Philadelphia, failed to comply with the terms regard- 
 ing the fire-proof buildings required. A new advertise- 
 ment of date of September 11, 188J), was made and the 
 American Bank Note Company called on for a tem- 
 porary supply of the old stamps under a provision of 
 their old contract. At the opening of the new bids 
 one was from the American Bank Note Co., of New 
 York, and another from the Franklin Bank Note Co., 
 of Philadelphia. Mr. Steel being again called on to fill 
 his contract declined, and on the 23d of October the 
 contract was awarded to the American Bank Note Co. 
 for four years, beginning on December 1, 1889. On the 
 basis of the stamps used in the year proceeding March 
 31, 1889, the contract for tne larger stamps was 
 $8,426.62 more than for the same number of the smaller 
 stamps, though the bid for the latter was $9, 406. 46 more 
 than the cost of the same number under the old con- 
 tract. The color of the 2-cent stamp especially was 
 much more expensive than any ink used formerly, and 
 this value includes about two-thirds of all the adhe- 
 sive stamps of every kind. It being found imprac- 
 
274 
 
 ticable to get the new designs ready by December 1, 
 1889, the American Bank Note Company furnished 
 a sufficient supply of stamps of the old designs un- 
 til the new stamps, except the 4 and 5 cents, were 
 placed on sale at 110 of the leading post offices, Feb- 
 ruary 22, 1890. 
 
 These stamps cost the Department 7 47-100 cents per 
 thousand, as against 27- cents paid for the 1869 and 
 the early part of the 1870 issue. 
 
 f 'The designs were engraved with the utmost care, 
 and proofs of the dies passed many times between New 
 York and Washington for criticism and revision. At 
 least five different engravings were made of the head 
 of General Grant before the picture was approved." 
 The first order for the 4 and 5- cent stamps was issued 
 June 2, 1890, the old styles being issued up to that date. 
 ' 'The new stamps were received with a marked degree of 
 favor by the public press, and many complimentary ex- 
 pressions regarding the change were received from 
 eminent philatelists." To Mr A. D. Hazen, Third As 
 sistant Postmaster-General, from whose Annual Report 
 for 1890 the above account of the history of this issue 
 is taken, the thanks of stamp collectors for this first 
 recorded official mention of philatelists in the United 
 States are justly due. 
 
 The usual description of each value is given in this 
 report and also in the official circular announcing their 
 issue. ' This circular is headed "New Series of Adhe- 
 sive Postage Stamps, Post-Office Department, Wash- 
 ington, D. C., February 19, 1890," and is signed by John 
 W^anamaker, Postmaster-General. After stating that a 
 full revision of the designs and styles of postage stamps 
 used in the prepayment of postage had been in con- 
 templation for nearly a year past, but delayed to await 
 the change of the contract, it announces that the new 
 stamps will be placed on sale Saturday, the 22d inst. 
 
275 - 
 
 The circular then gives the description of the new 
 stamps, provides that all old stamps in the post offices 
 must be first disposed of and none redeemed, confirms 
 the validity of the issues of 1861, 18(55) and 1870,and the 
 invalidity of the issues of 1847 and 1851, a description 
 of which last mentioned issues is added to the circular. 
 It further states that there will be no further changes 
 in the current Special Delivery, Postage Due or News- 
 paper and Periodical stamps. Stamped Envelopes or 
 Letter sheets. Collectors are further recognized in the 
 last paragraph as follows : 
 
 "SPECIMENS. 
 
 "Collectors and others desiring specimens of the new 
 postage stamps may obtain them by purchase at the 
 leading post offices at which a supply of all denomina- 
 tions will be kept on hand. No specimens of present 
 or past issues are furnished directly by the Depart- 
 ment." 
 
 It will be noticed that the Department groups all va- 
 rieties of adhesive stamps issued from 1861 into one series, 
 those of 1869 in another and those issued from 1870 to 
 1890 in a third series irrespective of the several changes 
 in color and design. 
 
 ISSUE OF FEBRUARY 22, 1890. 
 
 The 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 cents are all of one design and 
 the 10, 15, 30 and 90 cents are all of another, but very sim- 
 ilar design, values in numerals and letters and the por- 
 traits being of cowse different for each of the several 
 values. The description of the report and circular is 
 very full and is embodied in the following : 
 
 First Deisgn. Portrait in an upright oval, 13|xl6i 
 mm. with heavily notched background defined by a 
 broad, colorless oval, displayed on an upright, rec- 
 tangular tablet, 19x22| mm., hori /.out ally lined and 
 stop chamferred by darker hori/ontal lines upon 
 
276 - 
 
 the side and bottom edges to leave a shield-shaped 
 background. Beneath the oval on the background 
 without inclosing bands or ornaments, the value ex 
 pressed in full letters, in outline Roman capitals, 
 shaded without. A solid colored band, conforming to 
 the upper half of the oval and framed without by a 
 broad, colorless and finer exterior colored line bearing 
 the legend "United States Postage" in white-faced 
 Roman capitals, is finished and supported on each side 
 by an outlined foliated ornament, defining a smaller 
 solid colored oval disk upon which is displayed a white- 
 faced Arabic numeral denoting the denomination. 
 
 Second Design. Similar in all respects except that the 
 letters announcing the value are displayed on a 
 second solid colored band conforming to the lower half 
 of the oval, finished like the upper band, and both ter- 
 minated at the ends by small ornaments, the supporting 
 foliated ornaments and numerals being placed in the 
 lower corners of the tablet. Plate impression 19x22 
 mm., in color on white paper, perforated 12 
 
 ONE CENT. First design. Profile bust, after Ru- 
 bricht, of Benjamin Franklin, looking to the left. 1, 1, 
 one cent, ultramarine-blue. 
 
 Two CENTS. First design. Profile bust, after Hou- 
 don, of George Washington, looking to the left. 2, 2, 
 two cents, carmine. 
 
 THREE CENTS. First design. Profile bust, after 
 Powers, of Andrew Jackson, looking to the left. 3, 3, 
 three cents, purple. 
 
 FOUR CENTS. First design. Three-quarters face 
 portrait of Abraham Lincoln, after a photograph from 
 life, looking to the right. 4, 4, four cents, velvet-brown. 
 
 FIVE CENTS. First design. Three-quarters face 
 portrait of General Grant, after a photograph from life, 
 looking to the right. 5, 5, five cents, light brown. 
 
 Six CENTS. First design. Three-quarters face por- 
 
trait of James A (iartield. after a photograph from 
 life, looking to the left. 6, 6, six cents, light maroon. 
 
 TEN CENTS. Second design. Three-quarters face 
 portrait of Daniel Webster, after a daguerreotype from 
 life, looking to the left. 10, 10, ten cents, malori green. 
 
 FIFTEEN CENTS. Second design. Three-quarters 
 face portrait of Henry Clay, after a daguerreotype from 
 life, looking to the left. 15, 15, fifteen cents, deep blue. 
 
 THIRTY CENTS. Second design. Profile bust of 
 Thomas Jefferson, after Cerracchi. looking to left. 
 Block numerals. 30, 30, thirty cents, black. 
 
 NINETY CENTS. Second design. Profile bust of 
 Commodore O. H. Perry, after Walcott's statue, look- 
 ing to the left. Block numerals. 1)0, 90, ninety cents, 
 orange. 
 
 The 1 and 2-cent stamps of this issue are printed in 
 sheets of four hundred stamps. These have the im- 
 print over and beneath the fifth and sixth vertical rows 
 from each side and across the side of the fifth and sixth 
 horizontal rows from the top and bottom, with the 
 plate letter and number beneath and above the fourth 
 and seventh vertical rows from each side. There is no 
 perforation between the tenth and eleventh rows from 
 the top and bottom or from the right and left sides. 
 The sheets are cut along those lines into four pieces of 
 100 stamps each. There are, therefore, nine stamps in 
 each 100 not perforated on one side, and either nine 
 not perforated at the top or nine not perforated at the 
 bottom, besides one stamp not perforated at the top 
 and one side or at the bottom and one side. Some 
 sheets of the 2 cents are without the side imprints. 
 The larger denominations from 3 cents up were printed 
 in sheets of 200 stamps with the top and bottom im- 
 prints in the same position as in the 2-cent stamps, but 
 no side imprint. There is no perforation along the line 
 between the tenth and eleventh vertical rows. The 
 
278 
 
 original sheet is cut along this line into two sheets of 
 100 stamps each, so that of these denominations there 
 are ten stamps in each 100 unperf orated on one side or 
 the other, but none unperforated at either the top or 
 the bottom. 
 
 The usual slight variations of shade, such as lighter or 
 darker, are to be found of most values and very 
 marked variations in the color of some values quite 
 worthy of note. The blue of the 1-cent, the browns of 
 the 4, 5 and 6 cents present at least two distinct shades 
 each. The 90 cents is both yellow-orange and deep 
 red-orange. The carmine of the 2 cents especially pre- 
 sents every possible shade with a carmine basis. All 
 of these are to be found in unused specimens coming 
 directly from the post offices, while used specimens as- 
 sume so many different tones as to suggest the belief 
 that some of the colors must be quite susceptible to ac- 
 cidental changes. 
 
 Shortly after the issue appeared persons who had 
 had the misfortune to have had their 2-cent stamps 
 stick together, as they often do, and had attempted to 
 soak them apart had discovered that the water became 
 quickly tinged with carmine. If a number of used 
 stamps were to be removed from the adhering paper 
 and the new carmine 2 cents stamps predominated 
 largely and little Avater was used in proportion to the 
 bulk of the stamps, all the stamps were found with the 
 paper tinged with pink of very nearly the hue formerly 
 employed for the much desired "proprietaries on 
 pink," which probably accounts for the numerous 
 mysterious finds of many of the U. S. stamps on pink 
 paper. The daily press of course announced that 
 Uncle Sam was being cheated, that the Bank Note Com- 
 pany instead of using permanent ink as the contract 
 called for, at a cost of $12 or $13 a pound, was using a 
 very inferior and much less costly aniline ink with 
 
- 279 
 
 much greater coloring power. It was suggested that 
 the aniline ink yielded quickly to an ammonia test, the 
 liquid being deeply tinged and the color left on the 
 stamp reduced to a dull yellow-brown, known as min- 
 eral-orange, while the permanent ink that should have 
 been used could not be so effected. Various ex- 
 planations have been given of the fact that the carmine 
 of the 2 cents will come off as it does. Whatever may 
 he the true explanation, this quality probably accounts 
 for many of the differences in the hue of various speci- 
 mens. 
 
 Another peculiarity of the issue is that specimens 
 may be found which vary in size, being shorter and 
 wider by perhaps $ mm. than the ordinary stamps. 
 This is more apt to be the case with used than with un- 
 used specimens, though the latter are to be found. This 
 variation is probably due to some shrinkage of the pa- 
 per. The 1, 2, 4 and 90-cent stamps have been so 
 chronicled. 
 
 ISSUE OF 1890. 
 
 Plate impression 19x22 mm., printed in color on 
 white paper, perforated 12. 
 
 1 cent, blue. 
 
 2 cents, carmine. 
 
 3 cents, purple. 
 
 4 cents, dark brown. 
 
 5 cents, yellow-brown. 
 
 6 cents, red-brown. 
 10 cents, green. 
 
 15 cents, dark blue. 
 30 cents, black. 
 90 cents, orange. 
 
COLUMBIAN SERIES, 1892. 
 
 Postmaster-General Wanainaker in his annual report 
 dated December 5, 1892, says in substance that the idea 
 of issuing a special series of stamps with illustrations 
 to commemorate the discovery of America by Colum- 
 bus was conceived by the Department soon after the 
 authorization by Congress of the Columbian Exposition, 
 and was in the line of a custom connected with Na- 
 tional jubilees that seems to be growing among the 
 great nations of the world. The necessary arrange- 
 ments for the issue of snah stamps were completed in 
 September, 1892. The subjects selected were con- 
 spicuous events connected with the discovery of Amer- 
 ica, the delineation of which involved the engraved re- 
 production of pictures and other works of art some- 
 what crowded with personages, and to do justice to these 
 subjects it was found necessary to adopt a larger size 
 of stamps than those in current use. A different form 
 of stamp of the same height and nearly double the 
 width of the current issue was decided on, and the 
 work was immediately commenced so that the stamps 
 might be put on sale on the 1st of January, 1893. 
 
 The Department was under contract to obtain all its 
 supplies of postage stamps from the American Bank 
 Note Co. until the 31st of December, 1893, but had the 
 right to extend the contract for three months and dur- 
 ing its existence to call for a three months' supply at 
 any time. It was bound also to pay for any supplies 
 the company had on hand at the expiration of the con- 
 
281 
 
 tract not to exceed one and a half months' supply. 
 As it was found that extra machinery and more floor 
 space would be required, as well as engravings that 
 would be used only one year, the cost of manufacture 
 would be considerably greater than double that for the 
 ordinary stamps. The number expected to be required 
 was three million thousands. The price finally agreed 
 upon was seventeen cents per thousand, with an ex- 
 tension of the existing contract for six months longer. 
 The Department was paying eighteen cents per thou- 
 sand for the special delivery stamps, which are about 
 the same size as the Columbian stamps. 
 
 "The introduction of the new stamps, though not de- 
 signed primarily for that object, will prove to be a rev- 
 enue measure of the highest importance to the public 
 service. The net profits from their issue that is, the 
 extra amount beyond the ordinary revenue that would 
 have resulted from the sale and use only of ordinary 
 stamps may fairly be placed at $2,500,000." "It has 
 been found that the issue of a new series of stamps 
 stimulates correspondence by mail, business concerns 
 get out new advertisements and circulars, to which 
 more attention is drawn when the new stamps are first 
 seen on the envelopes." "The consequent interchanges 
 of thought, encouragement to trade and increased rev- 
 enue to the postal service will be in every way desir- 
 able " 
 
 "The introduction of the Columbian series of post- 
 age stamps will contribute in a marked way to the 
 great recognition given by th'e government of the 
 United States to the Columbian Exposition; and they 
 will create for it, both in this country and abroad, an 
 interest that will help it financially and in many other 
 ways. In addition the 'mania,' as it is called, for col- 
 lecting postage stamps as specimens, is universal 
 throughout the world. It affects every class and con- 
 
282 
 
 dition of people, and is not confined by age or sex. It 
 is shared, perhaps, by millions of people, from the 
 school boy and girl to the monarch and millionaire, 
 and the value of stamps in private collections which 
 will never be drawn upon to pay postage,- may safely 
 be placed at many millions of dollars. The beauty and 
 unique character of the new Columbian stamps will 
 cause their sale in large quantities, simply in use for 
 collections; and not only will they be purchased in 
 single or partial sets by collectors, but in view of the 
 limited time in which they will be issued, they will be 
 accumulated in great quantities by dealers and others 
 to meet future demands." 
 
 Mr. A. D. Hazen, the Third Assistant Postmaster- 
 General, in the same report repeats many of the same 
 statements, and adds : "The same idea had been 
 carried out in a limited way during the Centennial Ex- 
 position at Philadelphia in 1876, by the issue con- 
 currently with that event of a special design of stamped 
 envelopes appropriate to the celebration. The measure 
 was not only calculated to prove a popular one but to be 
 the means, through the sale of the stamps to collectors, 
 and by specially stimulating the use of stamps by the 
 public, of adding largely to the revenue of the Depart- 
 ment." He says : 
 
 "The collecting of postage stamps is deserving of 
 encouragement, for it tends to the cultivation of 
 artistic tastes and the study of history and geography, 
 especially upon the part of the young, by the exam 
 ination and comparison of stamps of different nations 
 of the world, and to a more accurate knowledge of 
 their postal systems. The new stamps will be pur- 
 chased in large quantities simply for the use of collec- 
 tions, without ever being presented in payment of 
 postage; and the stamps sold in this way will, of 
 course, prove a clear gain to the Government. 
 
288 
 
 "The original model of these stamps was devised by 
 this (Third Ass't. P. M. G.) office, and the work 
 throughout from the approval of the finished designs 
 to the preparation of the engravings, the selection of 
 colors and the printing of the stamps, has been given 
 close personal supervision. It is gratifying to add that 
 the work is all finely executed and that the stamps are 
 unquestionably superior to anything of the kind that 
 has ever come under the observation of the Depart- 
 ment. 
 
 "The illustrations on these stamps were selected after 
 a careful and exhaustive examination of a great num- 
 ber of pictures and other works of art that had been 
 specially collected for the purpose, and the appro- 
 priateness of these selections undoubtedly the best 
 that could have been made, both on account of their 
 artistic merit and their historical accuracy has been 
 sanctioned by the judgment of several competent 
 authorities to whom they were submitted for inspec- 
 tion. 
 
 "The new stamps are, however, not intended to dis- 
 place the current series of stamps, but will be in 
 addition thereto; so that anyone needing postage 
 stamps will be able to procure either, or both kinds, as 
 he may prefer. The subjects on the 1-cent, 2-cent, 
 5-cent, 6-cent, 50-cent and $2 stamps, are copied from 
 the works of American artists." 
 
 "The portrait of Columbus is the same," says the re- 
 port of the Postmaster-General himself, "as that used 
 on the souvenir coin, a plastei cast of the same having 
 been kindly furnished by the Treasury Department. 
 It will be observed that the subjects do not strictly fol- 
 low the logical sequence of events, it having been 
 thought better to illustrate the leading denominations 
 of stamps those in every-day use by the public with 
 the representations of the more important events con- 
 
284 
 
 nected with the discovery. The denominations in the 
 new series are the same as those of the regular series, 
 except that the 50 cents is substituted for the 90-cent 
 stamp, aud an addition is made of the denominations 
 of $1, $2, $3, $4, $5; these latter denominations being 
 intended for large parcels of first-class matter to foreign 
 destinations, their use having been several times here- 
 tofore recommended by the postmasters at a numbei of 
 the principal offices from which it is convenient to 
 send matter requiring the employment of such high 
 values." 
 
 The circular announcing the issue, which is dated 
 from the Post Office Department, Washington, D. C., 
 December 5, 1892, announced the intention to put the 
 stamps on sale at all post offices on January 1, 1893, 
 states the denominations to be issued, gives their size 
 and description, states that the series is not intended to 
 replace the present series but to be in addition thereto 
 during the calendar year 1893, and that the current 
 series would be furnished to postmasters in sufficient 
 quantities to satisfy the calls of those who might prefer 
 them to the Columbian stamps and would be continued 
 in use after the Columbian stamps are withdrawn. 
 
 ISSUE OF JANUARY 1, 1893. 
 
 On an oblong, rectangular tablet (lf| by | inches 
 by the official description) horizontally lined, its four 
 edges stop chamf erred by rectangular hatching, are dis- 
 played in the upper left and right corners respectively, 
 the dates 1492-1892, in white-faced, outlined and ex- 
 teriorly shaded Arabic numerals; and just beneath, in 
 a doubly waved line extending across the whole width 
 of the tablet, of corresponding white-faced, outlined 
 and exteriorly shaded Roman capitals, the legend 
 ''United States of America;" beneath this again an 
 arched solid colored label, edged above and below by a 
 
285 
 
 broad, white and fine exterior colored line brought 
 round at each end in an outlined, foliated ornament 
 enclosing an oval, inscribed in full letters "-Postage," 
 and value on the body of the label in white-faced 
 Roman capitals, on the terminal ovals in white-faced 
 Arabic numerals of denomination, standing alone in 
 the cent values but accompanied with the $ sign in 
 the dollar values; across the bottom of the tablet 
 another, but narrower, solid colored label defined also 
 by a white and a fine exterior colored line and inscribed 
 with a legend denoting the subject of the picture, in 
 small white-faced capitals, Roman for the 1 and 50 
 cents, the $1, $2, $3 and $5, but block letters far all the 
 other values; the whole forming a frame for the com- 
 memorative picture displayed in a sunken panel, 31x16 
 mm., defined by a broad, white line between fine 
 colored lines. 
 
 ONE CENT. Picture, "Columbus in Sight of Land,' 
 after the painting by Wm. H. Powell, in circular frame 
 of a broad, white line bounded by fine colored lines. 
 On the right is seated an Indian warrior with head 
 dress of eagle plumes, and on the left an Indian squaw 
 and child. 
 
 Two CENTS. Picture, "Landing of Columbus, "after 
 the painting by Vanderlyn in the Rotunda of the 
 Capitol at Washington. 
 
 THREE CENTS. Picture, "Flag Ship of Columbus," 
 from a Spanish engraving. The Santa Maria in mid- 
 ocean. 
 
 FOUR CENTS. Picture, "Fleet of Columbus," from a 
 Spanish engraving. The caravels Santa Maria, Nina 
 and Pinta in mid-ocean. 
 
 FIVE CENTS. Picture, "Columbus Soliciting Aid of 
 Isabella," after the painting by Brozik in the Metro- 
 politan Museum of Art, New York. 
 
 Six CENTS. Picture, "Columbus Welcomed at 
 
286 
 
 Barcelona," after a panel of the bronze doors of the Cap- 
 itol, by Randolph Rogers, with statues of Ferdinand 
 and Bobadilla in niches at the sides. 
 
 TEN CENTS. Picture, "Columbus Presenting Na- 
 tives," after the painting by Luigi Gregori in the Uni- 
 versity of Notre Dame, South Bend, Ind. 
 
 FIFTEEN CENTS. Picture, "Columbus Announcing 
 his Discovery," after the painting by R. Baloca, at 
 Madrid. 
 
 THIRTY CENTS. Picture, "Columbus at La Rabida," 
 after the painting by R. Maso. 
 
 FIFTY CENTS. Picture, "Recall of Columbus," after 
 the painting by A. G. Heaton at the Capitol. 
 
 ONE DOLLAR. Picture, "Isabella Pledging her 
 Jewels," after the painting by Munoz Degrain at 
 Madrid. 
 
 Two DOLLARS. Picture, "Columbus in Chains," 
 after the painting by Lentze, at Providence, R. I. 
 
 THREE DOLLARS. Picture, "Columbus Describing 
 Third Voyage," after the painting by Francisco Jover. 
 
 FOUR DOLLARS. Picture, "Isabella and Columbus." 
 Portraits in circular medalions set in the panel, that of 
 Isabella from a well known likeness of her at Madrid; 
 that of Columbus from the Lotto portrait. 
 
 FIVE DOLLARS. Picture, ''Columbus," after the 
 plaster cast made after the Lotto portrait as a model 
 for the Souvenir half dollar, on a circular medallion set 
 on the panel, with allegorical figure of America on the 
 right and of Liberty on left; both seated. 
 
 Plate impression 34x22j mm., in color, on white 
 paper, perforated 12. 
 
 1 cent, Antwerp-blue 
 
 2 cents, purple-maroon. 
 
 3 cents, medium shade of green. 
 
 4 cents, ultramarine. 
 
 5 cents, chocolate-brown. 
 
287 - 
 
 6 cents, royal purple. 
 10 cents, Vandyke-brown. 
 15 cents, dark green. 
 30 cents, Sienna brown. 
 50 cents, carbon-bine. 
 
 1 dollar, rose-salmon. 
 
 2 dollars, toned mineral-red. 
 . 3 dollars, light yellow-green. 
 
 4 dollars, carmine. 
 
 5 dollars, black. 
 
 All the values of this issue are printed in sheets of 
 two hundred stamps each, with the imprint of the 
 American Bank Note Company placed above and below 
 the third and fourth vertical rows from each side, and 
 across the ends of the fifth and sixth horizontal rows 
 from the top or bottom, thus appearing eight times on 
 the full sheet. The plate letter is placed above and 
 below the second, and the plate number above and be- 
 low the fifth vertical row, from each side. The space 
 between the tenth and eleventh horizontal rows is not 
 perforated but the full sheet is cut across this line into 
 sheets of 100 stamps each. One stamp in ten will 
 therefore be found unperforated at the top, or un- 
 perforated at the bottom, but none unperforated at the 
 sides or with two unperforated edges, as in the 1 and 
 2-cent of the previous issue. The top and bottom hor- 
 izontal rows of perforations are a little farther from the 
 adjoining horizontal rows than the other horizontal 
 rows are from each other. 
 
 There are already to be found lighter and darker 
 shades of the 1 and 3 cents, two widely different shades 
 of the 10 cents, and innumerable shades of the 2 cents. 
 
 The "logical order" of the subjects represented on 
 these stamps may be interesting to note. The portrait 
 of Co umbus might properly be placed either at the 
 beginning or end of the series, and those of Columbus 
 
and Isabella fall properly in the center or at the end of 
 the line. Most collectors would have given the design 
 of the $5 stamp the first place, probably, and that of 
 the $4 stamp the last. The historical order of the re- 
 mainder would determine their position as follows : 
 The design of the $5, 30, 5, 50 cents, $1, 3, 4, 1, 2, 6, 
 15, and 10 cents, $2, $3, $4. It should be noted also 
 that the scene depicted on the $1 stamp is of rather 
 doubtful authenticity, the weight of authority being 
 rather against its actual occurrence. The painter has 
 portrayed a scene suggested by the exclamation of 
 Isabella that she was ready to pledge her jewels if 
 there was not money enough in the Royal Treasury 
 to defray the expenses of the expedition. 
 
 Probably no issue of stamps not even the famous 
 Mulready envelope has ever provoked the public 
 comment in and outside of the daily press as has 
 greeted the Columbian issue, not only in the United 
 States but all over the civilized world. The opinions 
 expressed are widely different as to their artistic 
 merits, the advisability of such minute details of de- 
 sign for the postage stamp, the wisdom of the selection 
 of subjects and the order of their arrangement, the 
 character of the work displayed in their execution. 
 Every detail has been commented on from the seeming 
 error in the B of Columbus which in many copies is 
 said to be an R in the 1-cent stamp to the fatigued air 
 of Liberty in the $5 stamp. Every want of harmony 
 in the ideas of the artists who produced the works 
 copied has been the subject not only of jest but of 
 serious comment. "The inaccuracy of history," we 
 are gravely told, ' 'needs no better illustration than the 
 fact that it is not known whether Columbus wore 
 his beard or not, as he is depicted without it and w r ith 
 it in two scenes that must have taken place so near to- 
 gether, that if he were really clean shaven in the first 
 
289 
 
 he could not have had the beard of the second. But 
 which is correct ?" In some localities, in fact, the 2 
 and 1-cent values are distinguished as "with" or 
 'without." But the chief objection to them is their 
 size, about which much rude jesting has been mingled 
 with honest complaint by those who do not seem to 
 have known that they could have the old stamps if 
 they chose. On the 19th of January, 1893, however, 
 it was reserved for a Senator of the United States to 
 commit the monumental folly of displaying his an- 
 imosity to the Postmaster-General, his ignorance of the 
 fact that every citizen had the option of using the old 
 or the new as he preferred, his unfamiliarity with the 
 law of the land that gives the power to the Postmaster- 
 General "from time to time to adopt such improve- 
 ments in postage stamps and stamped envelopes as he 
 may deem advisable," by the introduction of a joint 
 resolution : 
 
 "That the Postmaster-General of the United States 
 be instructed to discontinue the sale of the so-called 
 Columbian postage stamps, except to such persons 
 as may specially call for them, and be instructed to 
 continue to keep on sale the ordinary postage stamps 
 in use before the printing of the so-called Columbian 
 stamps." Evidently the distinguished candidate for 
 notoriety had not read the report of the Postmaster- 
 General or the Third Assistant Postmaster-General, the 
 official circular of the Department or the daily papers, 
 or he would hardly have asked Congress to meddle 
 with the performance of the duty enjoined by a 
 statute, by a petty joint resolution instructing the doing 
 of precisely what had been done. It may have been a 
 huge joke to the mind of the honorable Senator to 
 emphasize the stupendousness of this brilliant display 
 of his talents, in a speech of unbridled hilarity at- 
 tempting to ridicule the idea that the stamps bought 
 
290 
 
 by collectors would pay for the issue, denominating 
 them "chest protectors." Little did he know that 
 the stamps in one short month in five cities only, ex- 
 ceeded the sales of the same month in the previous 
 year by the sum of more than $200,000, and that 
 the total sales of the Columbian stamps so incon- 
 venient and despised, in those five cities alone was 
 more than $870,000, and about 74 per cent of the entire 
 sales of postage stamps; although the public could 
 have the others if they wished. Nor did he know that 
 the English press was saying about the same time, 
 speaking of a newly issued English stamp compared in 
 workmanship and taste with the new Columbian 
 stamp, "there can be no doubt that this production of 
 the United States must make us hide our heads in 
 shame and despair." 
 
 ISSUE OF FEBRUARY 28, 1893. 
 
 A circular dated at the Post Office Department, 
 Washington, D. C., February 28, 1893, says : 
 
 On the 1st of March, 1893, the Department will begin 
 the issue of the following articles of stamped paper : 
 
 1. An 8-cent postage stamp of the Columbian series, 
 intended for use in the payment of the reduced fee in 
 registered matter. This stamp is of the same general 
 style of the other denominations of Columbian stamps, 
 and bears a reproduction of the picture painted by 
 Francisco Jover, the original of which is now in Spain, 
 entitled "Columbus Restored to Favor." The color of 
 the stamp is magenta-red. 
 
 2. An 8-cent postage stamp of the ordinary series, 
 intended also for use in the payment of the reduced 
 registry fee by those who prefer it to the Columbian 
 stamp. The stamp is of the same size as other denom- 
 inations of stamps of the regular series now current 
 (known generally as the series of 1890) and bears a 
 
291 
 
 three-quarters face portrait of General Sherman in 
 military dress, after a photograph by Sarony, with sur- 
 roundings of the same general character as those of 
 other denominations of the series from 1 to 6 cents. 
 The color of the stamp is lilac. The remaining sec- 
 tions refer to the double foreign reply card and the 
 Columbian envelopes. 
 
 ISSUE OF MARCH 1, 1893, COMPLETING THAT OF JAN- 
 UARY 1, 1893. 
 
 EIGHT CENTS. Picture, "Columbus Restored to 
 Favor," after the painting by Franciso Jover in Spain. 
 Plate impression 34x22| mm., in color, on white 
 paper, perforated 12. 
 
 8 cents, inajenta-red. 
 
 ISSUE OF MARCH 1, 1893, COMPLETING THE SERIES OF 
 
 1890. 
 
 EIGHT CENTS. First design. Three-quarters face 
 portrait of General Sherman, after a photograph by 
 Sarony; lilac. 
 
 Plate impression, 19x22 mm., in color, on white 
 paper, perforated 12. 
 
 8 cents, lilac. 
 
XXV. CONTINUED. 
 
 (See Pages 204-208). 
 
 SPECIHL DELIVERY STflMP. 
 
 ISSUE OF 1888. 
 
 Same type as the Special Delivery Stamp of October 
 1, 1885, (for description see page 205 ante) but with the 
 words At a Special Delivery Office changed to At any Post 
 Office. 
 
 Plate impression 21x27 mm., in color, on white 
 paper, perforated 12. 
 
 10 cents, dark blue. 
 
 On page 207 ante will be found an extract from the 
 circular of August 10, 1886, stating that this change 
 would be made. In the Postmaster-General's Report 
 for 1886, full particulars of the history of the Special 
 Delivery system and its workings under the Acts of 
 March 5, 1885, and its extention to all post offices on 
 October 1, 1886, under the Act of August 4, 1886, 
 are given together with the circulars issued to post- 
 masters under date of August 10, 1886, from which the 
 quotation was made, and further on it is stated that 
 the change in the stamp had already been made. From 
 the same report, however, it also appears that while 
 3,699,500 of these stamps had been issued up to June, 
 
293 
 
 1886, only 1,118,820 had been issued in the same period 
 at the special delivery offices. The next year the issue 
 was only 1,245,000 while the number used had been 
 only 1,219,000 at all the offices. The next year, or up 
 to June 30, 1883, only, another 1,220,267 more were 
 used or in other words the entire number used did not 
 equal the number issued the first nine months, though 
 another 1,331,790 had been issued. As these are the 
 numbers issued to the various post offices, and not 
 to the public, there was evidently a greater number of 
 the older design still in the post offices than the com- 
 bined number issued in the second and third years; 
 and as postmasters were required to use up the old 
 issue and the American Bank Note Company to exhaust 
 its reserves before issuing the new design, it was a long 
 time before the new design got into the hands of the 
 public, and then it was at some of the smaller offices. 
 The exact date of issue was not announced in any 
 official circular and they were first chronicled in the 
 stamp journals of February, 1888. 
 
 ISSUE OF JANUARY 10, 1893. 
 
 Shortly after the Columbian stamps came into use, a 
 circular dated at the Post Office Department, January 
 10, 1893, stated : On and after this date, the color of 
 all Special Delivery stamps furnished by the Department 
 to postmasters will be light orange instead of dark blue 
 as heretofore; the design of the stamp, however, re- 
 maining unaltered. This change of color is made on 
 account of a similarity in the general appearance of 
 the special delivery stamp and the 1-cent stamp of the 
 Columbian series, a similarity that if allowed to remain 
 might lead to mistakes in the treatment of mail matter 
 bearing either of these two stamps. 
 
 The Special Delivery stamps heretofore issued will 
 
294 
 
 still be valid and postmasters must exhaust the stock of 
 them now on hand before calling for supplies of the 
 new color. JOHN WANAMAKER, 
 
 Postmaster-General. 
 
 The new stamps began to appear occasionally late in 
 February, 1893. 
 
 ISSUE OF 1893. 
 
 Same type as the Special Delivery stamp of 1888. 
 Plate impression 21x27 mm., in color, on white paper, 
 perforated 12. 
 
 10 cents, light orange. 
 
XXVIII CONTINUED. 
 
 (See page 249). 
 
 NOTE. On page 252 there is a mistake in giving the 
 color of the seal used on packages of stamps. Line 
 four should read, brown and black, pink and vermilion. 
 
 NOTE. Page 253 should be continued as follows : 
 
 Sometime during the year 1888 a change took place 
 in the "Officially Sealed" seal. The design which had 
 before been beautifully printed, and as before 
 described in a clear yellow-brown, was reproduced in 
 a much coarser form, said by some catalogues to be 
 a wood engraving and printed in a muddy reddish- 
 brown, roughly perforated. This is easily distinguished 
 bv the color and by the head in the central oval which 
 has the face shaded by large dots which run into each 
 other and form blo'ches and lines, entirely disfiguring 
 the lower part of the face. The hair is so blended with 
 the background on the left side of the oval as to appear 
 nearly to fill it, the border on the left has the ninth line 
 from the heavy colored line which indicates the bevel 
 of the interior panel, heavier than the eight lines which 
 shade the frame, while in the original issue this ninth 
 line is much lighter than the shading lines. 
 
 Wood block impression, in color, on white paper, 
 43>(x27 mm., perforated 12. 
 
 No value reddish-brown on lavender 
 tinted paper; perforated 12. 
 
The execution of this seal was so inferior that it was 
 almost immediately changed for a lithograph of the 
 same size and design. The impression is again fairly 
 clear, the face shaded by smaller dots and the hair 
 denned from the background and the lines of the left 
 side of the frame of uniform thickness. The color 
 is a much clearer brown. 
 
 ISSUE OF 1888. 
 
 Lithographed impression, in color, on white paper, 
 43>(x27 mm. 
 
 No value brown on lavender tinted paper, 
 perforated 12. 
 
 ISSUE OF 1891. 
 No value brown on lavender tinted paper, 
 
 rouletted. 
 No value brown on lavender tinted paper, 
 
 unperforated. 
 
 There is another official seal which is typographed 
 and used for closing packages opened by mistake. 
 This has a rectangular frame 50x29 mm., composed of 
 a Greek pattern between rows af pearls making a bor- 
 der 2 mm. wide, divided by two dotted lines 6 mm. 
 apart, horizontally. Between these lines "Officially 
 Sealed" in large black capitals, above in small Old 
 English text "U. S. Post Office Department" in a 
 curved line, below "Opened through mistake by," with 
 a dotted line for signature. 
 Typograph impression, in color, on white. 
 
 No value black pink-tinted paper. 
 
CONCLUDING NOTES. 
 
 In the seven years that have elapsed since the body 
 of this work was printed the adhesive postal issues of 
 the United States have been augmented by some dozens 
 of stamps, which have been described in the preceding 
 additional chapters,added to some hundreds of unbound 
 copies recently brought from the warehouse, both the 
 publisher and editor being desirous of bringing the 
 work up to date. A larger interest in the stamps 
 of our country has in the mean time stimulated the 
 researches of collectors, and many inquiries have been 
 made both of publisher and editor concerning points 
 that were either not made sufficiently plain in the orig- 
 inal book or passed over as too evident to require 
 notice. It has been thought therefore that a few notes 
 upon such of these matters as have been most frequently 
 asked about would not be unacceptable. 
 
 To all who have taken sufficient interest in the work 
 to communicate their discoveries or ask for further in- 
 formation upon points that seemed obscure, both pub- 
 lisher and editor desire to tender their thanks and of 
 all readers of it, as now amended, request such further 
 inquiry or comment as may suggest itself, particularly 
 if the specimens inquired about accompany the com- 
 munication. Should a new edition be called for, such 
 inquiry will much facilitate the improvement of the 
 work. 
 
 POSTMASTEKS STAMPS (pages 25 to 73.) 
 
 There are, we are well aware, many things concerning 
 these stamps which we should all like to know, but 
 little can be added as yet, so far as we are aware, to 
 
298 
 
 what is said in the book. It may be worth while to 
 note the following, however : 
 
 STAMP OF THE NEW YORK POSTMASTER (page 29). 
 
 It is to be regretted that the opportunity and incli- 
 nation has not yet presented itself to some collector 
 to try and reconstruct the plate of this stamp, as many 
 double copies have turned up from time to time. 
 There is a marked variety not specially mentioned in 
 our book which has an extra white line at the bottom. 
 
 STAMPS OF THE ST. Louis POSTMASTERS (page 39). 
 
 When it was stated that "the plate consisted of six 
 stamps three of each value," the arrangement seemed 
 to be so obvious that we did not think it worth while to 
 state specifically what adhering specimens demonstrate, 
 that the upper row consisted of the three five cent 
 varieties and the lower of the three ten cent varieties. 
 
 STAMPS OF THE NEW HAVEN POSTMASTER (page 51). 
 
 Since the publication of the book, two specimens of 
 this stamp, the first very faint and spoiled afterwards 
 by an attempt to restore it, and the other more recently 
 found by Mr. E. B. Sterling, make it necessary to cor- 
 rect the remark about the number known on the 2d 
 line of page 53. 
 
 STAMPS OF THE PROVIDENCE POSTMASTER (page 54). 
 
 Much fruitless search has been made for the plate of 
 these stamps. Our remark that "this plate has how- 
 ever been preserved among the archives of the State of 
 Rhode Island," has not therefore been verified. The 
 hostility of the editor to the reprint in all its forms 
 leads him to hope that the very precise information, 
 given kim some years before the book was written, was 
 
incorrect, or that so apparently worthless a thing us an 
 old plate has been destroyed and will never be found. 
 
 STAMPS OF THE BALTIMORE POSTMASTER (page 62.) 
 
 Some additional varieties of the envelope and stamp 
 issued by Mr. Buchanan have been found and cata- 
 logued. They present no new type but differences 
 rather of paper, so far as "we have been able to gather. 
 
 Very recently an unsevered pair upon the original 
 envelope has been discovered, 
 
 STAMPS OF THE MILLBURY POSTMASTER (page 65). 
 
 Some small additions to the history of this stamp 
 might perhaps be added here. It is more important to 
 mention that only two or three more copies have turned 
 up. One of them is a perfect unused and unblemished 
 copy. 
 
 All search for the other stamps mentioned in the 
 newspapers of the day has so far been quite unavailing. 
 
 ISSUE OF 1847 (page 76). 
 
 It has been lately stated officially that the portrait of 
 Franklin in the 5-cent value of this issue is after the 
 painting by John B. Longacre. 
 
 ONE CENT "CARRIER" (EAGLE) (pages 97 and 109). 
 
 By the kindness of Mr. J. D. Rice who possesses an 
 entire sheet of this stamp we are enabled to correct the 
 error on page 109 which the custom of calling the 
 divided parts of a sheet, as printed, led to. Instead of 
 "100 stamps on the plate" there are two panels of 100 
 stamps each, separated by a space 10m m wide, exactly 
 divided by a colored line parallel to the bottom of the 
 stamps, and the imprint appears only at the bottom 
 of each panel, and not at the top of either panel. 
 
300 
 
 ISSUE OF 1851. 
 
 Collectors seem to have much trouble in distinguish- 
 ing the marked varieties of some of the values of this 
 issue. The difficulty lies in the fact that none of the 
 priced catalogues designate them clearly. 
 
 ONE CENT UNPERFO RATED, (pages 85, 89, 97, 191). 
 
 The ordinary stamp of this type, unperf orated, has a 
 tine colored exterior line parallel to the outer edge of 
 the solid colored labels that carry the inscriptions at 
 both top and bottom. 
 
 The "Variety" of this type, unperforated, lacks one 
 or both these lines. Though the catalogues do not 
 mention them, there are three varieties of this type, un- 
 perforated, besides the common type : 
 
 Type, unperforated, with exterior line at top and 
 bottom. 
 
 a, Variety, unperforated, with exterior line at top 
 only. 
 
 b, Variety, unperforated, with exterior line at bottom 
 only. 
 
 c, Variety, unperforated, without either exterior line. 
 Note also that the full design is finished on the edges, 
 
 top, bottom and sides, in ornamental flourishes out- 
 lined in thicker and thinner lines. From some imper- 
 fection of the proeess of duplication of the die on the 
 plate, of printing or possibly in some cases from wear 
 of the plates, many of these fine lines are missing in 
 some specimens and the extreme ends of the flourishes 
 are not perfect. This is particularly apparent in the 
 projecting ornaments of the corners. In the upper 
 corners, above the ends of the label, is an outlined scroll 
 in the form of a half circle with a branch in the hollow. 
 The upturned ends should all terminate in a snuill ball. 
 Very frequently the balls are imperfect. So also there 
 
301 - 
 
 is a leaf-like ornament in the lower corners which 
 should be outlined all round the end in color, but this 
 too is frequently defective. None of these are the va- 
 rieties mentioned in the book or in the catalogues, 
 though often taken by collectors as specimens "with 
 ornaments removed" or "partly removed." The re- 
 marks on page 98 that "there is little appreciable differ- 
 ence between the stamps in the sheets except in the 
 thickness ot the lines bordering or shading the orna- 
 ments" referred to these defects and may not have 
 made the facts plain. "The varieties" of this type un- 
 perforated can hardly come from "worn plates," as 
 has been stated, for the lines are evidently removed 
 and the ornaments cut off sharply, and too uniformly 
 to have been the result of accident. Variety a comes 
 apparently from the top lines of the sheet, b from the 
 bottom lines and c from the middle lines though there 
 are some of the middle stamps with nearly perfect 
 lines. "Variety "c" is mentioned at the bottom of 
 page 114 as an "oddity" from the altered plate, "varie- 
 ties a and b not then being known unperforated. 
 
 ONE CENT PERFORATE (pages 110, 113, 191). 
 
 The ordinary stamp of this type, perforated, has not 
 only the exterior line of both labels removed but the 
 ends of all the ornaments, top, bottom and sides are 
 more or less cut off, forming many varieties of minor 
 importance, such as specimens with all the little orna- 
 ments at the side of the oval entirely removed on one or 
 both sides and that in endless variety. But these are 
 not the varieties of the book or the catalogues. 
 
 The ' ' variety, " perforated, of the catalogues is exactly 
 like the common unperforate stamp, it is notjvery easy 
 to find perfect specimens of this variety, for the reason 
 stated in the book, that the perforations usually cut into 
 
302 
 
 the exterior line of one or the other of the labels. 
 Such must not be mistaken for the varieties mentioned 
 as without the top or the bottom exterior line. Of the 
 perforated stamp there are then : 
 
 Common type, no exterior line to labels. 
 
 a, Variety with exterior lines at top and bottom. 
 
 b, Variety with exterior lines at top only. 
 
 c, Variety with exterior lines at bottom only. 
 These all exist upon the same sheet and probably the 
 
 unperforate varieties which correspond are from the 
 same plate. There exist, however, other perforate 
 sheets which do not contain any of the varieties but 
 only the common type. In one of these there is a col- 
 ored line added at the top of all the stamps of the upper 
 row, and another colored line drawn below each of the 
 stamps in the lower row. 
 
 The middle paragraph of page 114 might have men- 
 tioned also that some sheets were perforated down the 
 central colored vertical line, though generally there was 
 no perforation down this line which was intended to 
 indicate where the full sheets as printed Avere to be cut 
 into half sheets for distribution. 
 
 THREE CENTS, 1851 (pages 85, 89, 98, 191). 
 
 On page 86 in the description of the three cents un- 
 perforated a part of the design is described thus : 
 " The whole is surrounded at a little distance by a col- 
 ored line forming a rectangle," in other words there is 
 a tine colored line outside and parallel to the solid col- 
 ored labels holding the inscriptions, which line joins the 
 vertical side lines and forms the rectangular frame. 
 This is the common stamp unperf orated. There are 
 many minor varieties showing extra vertical lines down 
 the sides, split lines, etc., as noticed on pages 98 to 
 107. There are also specimens to be found that do not 
 show any side lines whatever. 
 
303 
 
 THREE CENTS PERFORATED (pages 110, 151. 191). 
 
 Of the three cents perforated there are two varieties 
 of importance described on page 115. The common one 
 has not the top and bottom exterior line of the common 
 unperf orate stamp while the variety has. We are not 
 aware that the common type without these lines has 
 ever been found im perforated. There are many minor 
 varieties of this type as described on pages 115 to 120, 
 such as those with extra vertical lines at the sides, split 
 lines, etc., but none of these are the "variety" of the 
 catalogues. The " variety" is that which has the out- 
 side, top and bottom lines, in other words is exactly the 
 same type as the common or perforated stamp. 
 
 What the book calls minor varieties of both these 
 types unperforated, perforated, and altered plates are 
 considered by some writers to result from "worn 
 plates." Undoubtedly some of the specimens we tind 
 are from "worn plates," but the wearing of the plates 
 certainly cannot produce extra lines, double lines or 
 change the relative positions of the parts as described 
 in the book. All these may be found in clear impres- 
 sions and adhering specimens in pairs, strips, blocks 
 and whole sheets abundantly verify the statement that 
 they exist in the plates. 
 
 FIVE CENTS PERFORATED AND UNPERFORATED (pages 
 94, 107, 110, 120, 191). 
 
 The portrait of Jefferson is said to be after Stewart's 
 painting. 
 
 Some collectors have called our attention to the fact 
 that the descriptions of the varieties on pages 120 and 
 121, limited to those with full projections, partly re- 
 moved projections, and no projections, does not include 
 in their opinion all the possible varieties. It is quite 
 true that there many variations of the variety with the 
 
304 
 
 projections partly removed, so many that it would be 
 impossible accurately to indicate them all. In some, 
 very little of the projections is removed, in others nearly 
 all and there are all degrees between, and generally 
 differences in the amount removed at the top and that 
 removed at the bottom. In the variety with the pro- 
 jection all removed there are minor varieties, some 
 showing even a hollow into the stamp, others without 
 any projection at the top but part of a projection at the 
 bottom and vice versa. 
 
 The variations of shade in the perforated stamps are 
 so numerous that perhaps they are not sufficiently com- 
 mented on in the book. The description of shades is 
 the most difficult part of a writer's task, for the same 
 words do not indicate the same shades to different per- 
 sons, nor do all distinguish exactly the same shades. 
 The rose shade is the one called in the book " almost 
 rose ", in some catalogues " red brown ", and perhaps 
 the best designation is that of "dull red." It is not the 
 more common red brown, specimens of which, partic- 
 ularly when canceled with red ink, seem to be constantly 
 mistaken for the rarity. The rarity is of very uniform 
 color, not very intense, and not varying much in the 
 darker and lighter portions of the stamp. It is not 
 possible to describe it perfectly. 
 
 TEN CENTS UNPEKFOKATED AND PERFORATED (pages 
 108 and 121). 
 
 In some catalogues may be found mentioned a "va- 
 riety " of the ten cents perforated, in other catalogues 
 a ten cents perforate "with ornaments removed," and 
 various collectors have sent us both perforated and un- 
 perforated specimens which they thought answered 
 these descriptions. While it is quite true that frequently 
 the perforated, and occasionally the unperforated 
 stamps, are more or less defective in the corners, we 
 
305 
 
 have seen none that appeared to be more than acci- 
 dental variations from a worn plate or bad printing. 
 
 TWELVE CENTS (108, 121). 
 
 Many inquiries have been made of us concerning a 
 variety of this stamp "with an extra white line," to 
 which we have been unable to give any answer. The 
 possessor of one of these varieties will relieve the 
 anxiety of many searchers if he will send it to either 
 the editor or publisher for description. 
 
 THIRTY AND NINETY CENTS, UNPERFOKATED (page 181). 
 
 Many inquiries have also been made as to the exis- 
 tence of specimens of these values unperforated and 
 our opinion is asked as to their character. Concerning 
 them it can only be said that they exist, specimens hav- 
 ing been found unused in a lot in New York, but their 
 issue or use in this condition has never been verified. 
 
 ISSUE OF 1861 (pages 133-135). 
 
 Specimens of the one cent, three cents, ten cents and 
 thirty cents without grill and with fairly large margins 
 apparently unperforate have been sent us for examina- 
 tion. We regard all of them with great suspicion as 
 we think they could all be manufactured from the corners 
 of the sheets. If genuine they are only accidents of 
 manufacturers. 
 
 To the observations on page 135 should be added the 
 24 and 30 cents, doubly perforated at the sides. 
 
 To the varieties of the 3 cents without grille on page 
 159, should be added that peculiar shade generally cat- 
 alogued as "pink." It is a distinct color and the shades 
 of the common tint called rose should not be mistaken 
 for it as they often are. It is a delicate shade, a pale 
 carmine with just a touch of blue in its composition. 
 
306 
 
 ISSUE OF 1867 TO 1869 (pages 138, etc). 
 
 The distinctive characteristic of this issue as distin- 
 guished from the preceding is the grille or embossing. 
 We have been frequently asked about these, particularly 
 as our measurements differ slightly from those of other 
 writers. The difference is so slight that it is hardly 
 worth notice. Those given in the book were all made 
 from unused specimens and have been since justified. 
 It is probable that used stamps having been moistened 
 would give different results. Mr. Scott in a recent 
 article on grilles says that variations will be found in 
 measuring grilles and thinks this depends somewhat on 
 the depth they are impressed. 
 
 In describing the 3 cents grilled all over, the book 
 states that the straight lines appear raised upon the 
 back of the stamp and the crosses depressed. This is 
 the usual arrangement though this as well as other 
 grilles can be found just the reverse of the description 
 given in the book. 
 
 Two specimens of the 5 cents and one of the 30 cents 
 "grilled all over" have been found since the book ap- 
 peared. 
 
 Mr. J. W. Scott chronicles a specimen of the three 
 cents grilled with a rectangle measuring 18 by 15mm., 
 composed of 24 rows of 19 small squares projecting on 
 the face of the stamp, or of the same pattern as the 
 grilled all over. We are fortunately able to verify the 
 existence of this as a distinct variety. 
 
 It may be of advantage to note further that : 
 
 Our first variety is Mr. Scott's type 1. 
 
 The above variety is Mr. Scott's type 2. 
 
 Our second variety is Mr. Scott's type 3. 
 
 Our varieties, page 139, 7th and 8th line are not men- 
 tioned by Mr. Scott. 
 
 Our third variety is Mr. Scott's type 5. 
 
307 
 
 Our variety page 139, 23rd line is Mr. Scott's type 4. 
 
 The remaining 18 varieties on pages 139 and 140 are 
 not mentioned by him nor is the "oddity " on page 140. 
 
 Our fourth variety is Mr. Scott's type 6. 
 
 There are many oddities to be found which result 
 from the misplacing of the paper on the embossing ma- 
 chine, such as parts of two grilles on the sides, at the 
 top and bottom of the stamp, or even a little piece of a 
 grille in each of the four corners. 
 
 There are others much more rare which are produced 
 by putting the sheet twice through the machine. Such 
 is the oddity described on page 140, and another which 
 has t\vo grilles each of 12 by 17 rows of squares, bat nine 
 of the squares in each of four vertical rows are common 
 to the two grilles, though they do not appear to have 
 been any more heartily impresed than those which are 
 not doubly impressed 
 
 These monstrosities all have a certain interest as 
 showing that the grilles are spaced on the plates, rolls, 
 etc., just as the stamps are, and if the sheets are mis- 
 placed in the machine the grilles will be misplaced. 
 
 It is needless to speak of the many attempts that have 
 been made to imitate the grille. So far none have been 
 very successful. The caution given by one writer to 
 avoid all grilles that are not placed with their edges 
 parallel to those of the stamps, is we think of little 
 value. The forgers have as a rule placed their imita- 
 tions quite as skillfully as the originals. If the sheet 
 was not placed accurately in the machine the grille was 
 not in its place and the above cited monstrosities show 
 that it was not always so placed. A specimen in our 
 possession shows still another possibility. The sheet 
 after the stamp was printed, gummed and perforated 
 seems to have been accidentally folded or pleated. Ex- 
 amined on the back there are 7 perfect vertical rows of 
 
308 
 
 17 raised squares on the left ; then 4 diagonal rows of 
 17 depressed squares crossing four partial rows of 15, 
 11, 7 and 4 raised squares, these rows being shortened 
 at the top ; then three rows of 2, 5 and 11 squares 
 shortened at the bottom and crossed also by the 
 diagonal rows and then 4 more perfect rows of 17 raised 
 squares each. The creases where the paper was folded 
 are plainly visible and the rows on the right are 1 
 square higher than those on the left. 
 
 FIVE CENTS, GRILLED, (pages 140, 141). 
 
 It will be noticed that the 5 cents is spoken of in the 
 book only with the smaller or fourth type of grille 12 
 by 16i or 17 rows. A single copy not very clearly im- 
 pressed has come under our notice which appears to 
 have the medium or 14 by 17 rows grille. 
 
 ISSUE OF 1869, (page 144). 
 
 Exception has been taken to the statement on page 
 154 that there was an error in the plate which produced 
 the reversed pictures of the 15 and 30 cents value and 
 that it is probable that no copies of these errors were 
 circulated. The existence of several copies of each 
 value in the collections of various parties, even if can- 
 celed would not disprove the statement, which was 
 made on very good authority, and was given as the rea- 
 son why all the plates of the two colored varieties were 
 cut down to 100 instead of 150 stamps. 
 
 But as there were two impressions necessary for each 
 sheet it would be quite possible for the errors to be 
 made afterwards by a mere reversing of the sheet. It 
 would be quite as possible that some such sheets should 
 get into circulation, and circulated or uncirculated 
 by intention, specimens of all four values with reversed 
 pictures are in existence. 
 
 None of these stamps impressed in two colors are 
 
309 
 
 easy to tint! perfectly centered, that is with the picture 
 exactly where it should be. Surprise has been ex- 
 pressed more than once that the colored lines and dots 
 to be found on some specimens were not alluded to in 
 the book. When, the book was written the editor had 
 never seen a specimen without these lines which were 
 guide lines for placing the pictures and did not con- 
 sider the matter of interest. An examination of many 
 hundreds of the several values demonstrates that there 
 are at least traces of them in all clean distinct copies. 
 
 For the sake of the curious in all matters relating to 
 U. S. stamps we will mention the varieties we have 
 found. 
 
 In some copies of the 15 cents there is a blue line 
 across the bottom and up the right hand side of the 
 st:imp,and in the 24 cents a purple line across the bottom 
 and up the right hand side; in both values the point of 
 intersection is distinguished by an additional dot. 
 When, however, the picture is in exact position these 
 lines fall on the frame lines. In the 30 cents, red, and 
 in the 90 cents, black lines and dots are to be found and 
 when the picture is in position they fall where the side 
 lines would be if the stamp were filled out to the rect- 
 angle. 
 
 In some cases too, blue lines and dots in the 30 cents, 
 and red lines and dots in the 90 cents indicate the bor- 
 ders of the unfinished rectangle. In the 15 cents the 
 bottom brown line of the frame is often prolonged be- 
 yond the corners. In the 24 cents a green dot often in- 
 dicates where the lower corner would have been if 
 tilled out and the lower border line is often faintly 
 carried across the two little niches at the corners of the 
 tablet holding the numerals of value. 
 
 In some copies of the 15 there is also a blue line per- 
 pendicular to the blue bottom line with a blue dot at 
 
310 
 
 the intersection, this vertical line can be seen crossing 
 the entire stamp above and below the picture, some- 
 times in the vertical of the 5, sometimes in the 1. 
 
 Very frequently there is a blue dot only in the mid- 
 dle of the lower part of the stamp. 
 
 On other specimens there is a dot both at the middle 
 of the stamp and the corner, both on the horizontal 
 blue line and also the vertical blue line in the middle. 
 
 In other specimens we have an extra brown line 
 parallel to the bottom of the frame, only a blue dot at 
 the middle. 
 
 In some there is a verticle brown line above and be- 
 low the stamp on the middle line. 
 
 In another the bottom frame line is prolonged and is 
 forked at the right, and there is an extra brown line 
 below this with a brown dot on it and an extra blue 
 line above with a blue dot on it, the dots being about 
 1mm. to the right. 
 
 In another of the same arrangement the blue line can 
 be traced across the entire stamp. 
 
 In one specimen only there was a blue line and dot 
 on the left corner. 
 
 In a specimen without the diamond there were found 
 two parallel blue lines with a vertical blue line at the 
 middle of the stamp, a blue dot on the intersection. 
 
 In another a single blue line with dot at the middle 
 but no trace of a verticle blue line. 
 
 24 cents, some specimens had only the horizontal 
 purple line. 
 
 30 cents, some specimens showed only the horizontal 
 blue line without dot. others the line with dot and red 
 corner dots. 
 
 90 cents, some specimens show only the bottom black 
 line, others only a black side line, many show also a 
 faint red line at top, bottom or sides. 
 
311 
 
 ISSUE OF 1870. 
 
 It will be noticed that the book describes two grilles 
 on this series, 13 by 15 squares and 10 by 13 squares. 
 The h'rst is Scott's type 8. Of the second he does not 
 speak, but mentions a 7 cents with 12x17 rows with 
 some doubt. Many other curiosities might be cited in 
 this issue. There are the same parts of grilles on the 
 sides or top and bottom. The curious impression be- 
 longing to Mr. Thorne, 7 cents w.ith 32 squares in 
 length, etc. 
 
 There are also nearly every possible combination less 
 than 13 by 15^ rows as the grijje seems to have worn 
 out gradually until we have specimens of only 3 rows 
 of 10 squares, and others in which hardly two rows are 
 of the same length. 
 
 ISSUE OF 1873. 
 
 Of the issue without the grilles not much needs to be 
 adde'd to what is said in the book. 
 
 The five cents brown with the head of Garfield may 
 be found in several varieties depending on the amount 
 of shading over the shoulders. 
 
 In one there is absolutely no shading ai)ove either 
 shoulder. The noat meets the pearled border between 
 the llth and 12 pearl from the bottom on the right side 
 of the stamp, and on the 12th pearl on the left side. 
 
 In the specimen with the heaviest shading, we have 
 the background on the right below a line drawn from 
 the crease of the collar on the shoulder up to the 10th 
 pearl from the bottom shaded by intensifying the 
 diagonal lines of the hatching, while the background 
 above the shoulders on the left of the stamp is also 
 shadowed from very dark below up into the background 
 but there is no sharp line of demarkation as on the 
 right side. 
 
312 
 
 Between these two extremes, that without shadows 
 and the above, there seemed to he several gradations, 
 such as a shadow on the right below a line drawn from 
 a point half way between the bottom of the collar and 
 the frame up to the 8th pearl above apparently made 
 by five dark vertical lines Avhile on the left side the 
 shadow is defined by a wavy outline from the 16th 
 pearl from the bottom to the intersection of the coat and 
 the beard. 
 
 There is a peculiarly dark shade of the 15 cents besides 
 the dark and light orange described in the book. It 
 bears the imprint of the Continental Bank Note Co., 
 and is a deep red orange which might easily be mis- 
 taken for a vermilion. 
 
 A great deal has been said also of a few specimens of 
 this value which are thought by their owners to be 
 printed upon a finely ribbed paper. The ribbed ap- 
 pearance w r e believe to be due to accidental causes al- 
 together. 
 
 It has also been stated that there exists two sizes of 
 this stamp. Possibly this is the result of a shrinkage of 
 the paper. 
 
 There were printed a few thousands of the three 
 cents of this series, the exact date we do not know, upon 
 a double paper, that is, a paper consisting of a very 
 thin sheet pasted upon a much thicker sheet. It was an 
 experiment against cleaning, it being thought that the 
 thinner paper would peel off of the other if wet by any 
 acid. A few specimens of these have been found but 
 the variety is one that few will try to find for soaking 
 will alone discover it. 
 
 POSTAGE DUE STAMPS (page 203). 
 
 Besides the two distinct shades of the red brown in 
 which these stamps were printed as noted in the obser- 
 
313 
 
 vations, those printed more recently are of a decidedly 
 red or carmine not unlike that of the current two-cent 
 stamp. 
 
 The enquiry having been lately made as to whether 
 all the valin-s exist in all three shades mentioned, it 
 may In- well t<> state positively that they all exist un- 
 u>i'd. whether so issued for use or not. 
 
 OFFICIAL STAMPS. DKPARTMENT OF STATE. 
 
 The double colors 2, 5. 10 and 20 dollar stamps if we 
 may judge from a complete sheet of the $20 stamp 
 exhibited at Chicago, are printed in sheets of ten 
 -tamps onl}*. in two horizontal rows of five stamps each, 
 with the imprint in black in the upper left-hand corner, 
 and in green in the middle of the lower margin of the 
 -heel. The plate number also varies in the two colors. 
 
 OFFICIAL SEALS. 
 
 There are also several other seals marked "officially 
 sealed." of various types and on different colored 
 papers. It would seem that these have been prepared 
 by some postmasters for their own use, as since the 
 additional chapter upon these seals went to press the 
 department has denied the official character of the seal 
 described in lines 18 to 29, page 21M5. 
 
 It may also be added that the gieen Registered Pack- 
 age seal, pages 241) and 250, has lately been found in 
 two different varieties, the chief difference being in a 
 slight variation in size. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Agriculture Department 230, 243 
 
 Alexandria 28, 60 to 61 
 
 Baltimore 28, 62 to 64, 299 
 
 Baltimore, Horseman 63 
 
 Brattleboro 28, 48 to 50 
 
 Carrier Stamps 87. 88, 109, 191. 264 
 
 Columbian Series. 280, 290 
 
 Compulsory Prepayment 23, 90, 91 
 
 Eight Cents. 1 H93 . '. 290. 291 
 
 Eight Cents, Columbian, 1893 290. 291 
 
 Eight Cents, Newspapers, 1874 218 
 
 Eighty-four Cents. Newspapers, 1874. 219 
 
 Executive Department 230, 235 
 
 Fifteen Cents, 1866 131. 135, 136. 191 
 
 1867. medium grille 139. 140. 191 
 
 1867. small grille 141, 142, 191 
 
 1869 .153, 191, 308, 309 
 
 1870 160, 166, 170, 173 
 
 1873.. 173, 176 
 
 1883 195,312 
 
 1890 .275,277 
 
 1893 286. 287 
 
 Official 234 
 
 Fifty Cents, 1893 286, 287 
 
 Fifty Cents, Postage Due . .202, 312 
 
 Fire Cents, 1847 76, 78. 79, 80, 191. 265 
 
 1856 94. 107, 191. 303 
 
 1857. 110. 120, 191, 303 
 
 1861 126, 134, 135, 191 
 
 1867 141, 142, 191, 308 
 
 1875 176, 177, 178 
 
 1881 180 
 
 1882 181, 311 
 
 1883 196 
 
 1888 269, 270 
 
 1890 275, 276 
 
 1893 285, 286 
 
315 
 
 Five Cents. Newspapers. 1865 .191 
 
 Postage Due 200, 312 
 
 Five Dollars. 1803 286, 287 
 
 State Department 237. 313 
 
 Four C'ents. 1883 187, 189. 196 
 
 1888 269. 270 
 
 1890 575. 276 
 
 1893 285. 280 
 
 Newspapers. 1874 218 
 
 Four Dollars. 1893 286. 287 
 
 Forty-eight Onts. Newspapers, 1874 219 
 
 Forty-eight Dollars, Newspapers. 1874 222 
 
 Grille of 1807 138 to 143, 306. 307 
 
 1869 157 
 
 1870 170, 311 
 
 Hand Stamps 14 to 18 
 
 Interior Department 230. 241 
 
 Introduction 13 
 
 ISSIH- of 1847 74 to 80, 191. 26."). 299 
 
 1851 81 to 93. 96 to 109. 191. 263, 300 
 
 " 1855 94, 108. 191 
 
 1856 94 to 96. 107. 108, 191. 303 
 
 1857 110 to 121. 191 
 
 " 1860 111. 191 
 
 1861 122 to 136. 191, 261. 305 
 
 1863 131. 191 
 
 1865 209. 191 
 
 " 1866 132. 191 
 
 1867 137 to 143. 191. 300. 307 
 
 4 ' 1869 144 to 157. 191, 260 
 
 " 1870 158 to 173, 191, 260, 311 
 
 " 1873 173, 227, 311 
 
 1874 214 
 
 1875 177 
 
 " 1879 201 
 
 1882 180 
 
 1883 1 80. 1 89. 1 95 
 
 " 1885 205 
 
 ' 1887 196. 269. 270 
 
 " 1888 269. 270 
 
 " 1890 272,279 
 
 1893 290 
 
 Justice Department .230. 242 
 
 Millbury 28, 65 to 66. 299 
 
316 
 
 Navy Department 230, 240 
 
 Newspaper and Periodical, 1865 209 to 214, 259, 266 
 
 " Sets 211,266 
 
 " lOcts 212,266 
 
 " 25cts 213,266 
 
 1874 214 to 226 
 
 New Haven 28, 51 to 53, 298 
 
 New York 22, 27, 28, 29 to 35, 298 
 
 New York "U. S. Mail" 34 
 
 Nine Cents, Newspapers, 1874 191. 192. 218 
 
 Nine Dollars, " 221 
 
 Ninety Cents, 1860 ' 112, 121, 191 
 
 1861 129, 135, 136, 191, 305 
 
 1867 141, 142, 191 
 
 1869 156, 191, 309, 310 
 
 1870 169. 170, 173 
 
 1873 173, 176 
 
 1883 .195, 196 
 
 1888 .....269, 270 
 
 1890 275, 277 
 
 Ninety Cents, Official 235 
 
 Ninety-s x Cents, Newspapers, 1874 219 
 
 Official Stamps 227 to 248, 313 
 
 Official Seals 249 to 253, 295, 296, 313 
 
 Officially Sealed 250 
 
 One Cent Carrier, Eagle 88, 109, 191, 264 299 
 
 Franklin 87, 109, 191, 264 
 
 1851 85, 89, 97, 191, 300 
 
 1857 110, 113, 191, 301 
 
 1861 125, 133, 135, 191 , 305 
 
 1867, medium grille 139, 140, 191 
 
 1867, small grille 141, 142, 191 
 
 1869 149, 191 
 
 1870 .161, 170, 172 
 
 1873 173, 175 
 
 1881 180 
 
 1882 183 
 
 1883 ...195 
 
 1886 183 
 
 1887 183 
 
 1888 196, 268 
 
 1890 275, 276, 277 
 
 1893 285,287 
 
 Newspaper, 1885 224 
 
81? 
 
 One Cent Ollieial .................................. 23V 
 
 Postage Due ......................... 200, 312 
 
 One Dollar. 1S93 ............................... 2SO. 2*7 
 
 One Dollar ami Niiirt v-t w<> Cents, Newspaper. 1S74.220 
 Philadelphia ....................................... 09 
 
 Pittslieid ........................................ 71 
 
 Postage Due ............................ 1IS to 203, 312 
 
 1, 2, 8. 5 ..................... 200. 202, 312 
 
 10. 30, 50 .................. ...... 202. 312 
 
 Postmarks .................................... 14 to is 
 
 Post Obit um ....................................... 252 
 
 Post Oilier Department ............................ 2:11) 
 
 Postmasters Stamps .................. 25 to 73. 29*. 299 
 
 Providence ......................... 23. 54 to 5. 72. 7:! 
 
 Seals ................................... 249 
 
 Seals for stamp packages ............... 250 
 
 Reprints .................................... 254. 201; 
 
 St. Louis ................................. 27 to 47. 2s 
 
 2 Cents ................................. 17 
 
 5 ' ' ................................. 40 
 
 10 ................................. 42 
 
 20 " ................................. 44 
 
 Seven Cents, 1S70 ....... 159, 109, 170. 172. 191, 192. 311 
 
 1873 ............................. 113. 170 
 
 Oilicial .................. .......... 234 
 
 Se\ eiitv-two Cents, Newspa])ers. 1S74 .............. 2 HI 
 
 six ( leats, isoj) ................................ 151, 191 
 
 1<70 ....................... 159, 164. 170, 172 
 
 1S78 ........................... 173, 175. 17G 
 
 1SS2 ........................... 1H4. 190. 192 
 
 1S83 .................................... 190 
 
 issii .................................... 192 
 
 1S90 ............................... 275. 27 
 
 1S93 ................................ 2S5. 2S7 
 
 Newspapers, 1874 ....................... 218 
 
 Ollicial ................................. 234 
 
 Sixty Cents, Newspapers. 1874 ..................... 219 
 
 Sixtv Dollar-. Newspapers. 1874 ................... 223 
 
 Six Dollars, Newspapers, 1874 .................... 220 
 
 Specimen Postage Stamps ......................... 225 
 
 Special Delivery, 1S85 ....................... 204 to 208 
 
 1HS8 ............................. 292 
 
 1893 ............................. 293 
 
 Split Stamps ....................................... 89 
 
State Department 230, 236. 313 
 
 Ten Cents. 1847 77, 78, 79, 191 . 206 
 
 1855 1)4, 108, 191 304 
 
 1857 110, 121, 191, 304 
 
 1861 127, 135. 191. 305 
 
 1867, medium grille 139. 140, 191 
 
 1867. small grille 141,142,191 
 
 1869 151. 1111 
 
 1870 159. 165, 170. 1 73 
 
 1873 173. 175. 176 
 
 1881 180 
 
 1882 185 
 
 1883 185, 186 
 
 1886 196 
 
 1887 186 
 
 1890 275, 277 
 
 1893 286. 287 
 
 Newspapers, 1874 218 
 
 Official 234 
 
 Postage Due 202, 312 
 
 Special Delivery 204 
 
 Ten Dollars, State ? 237. 313 
 
 Thirty Cents. 1860 11 1, 112, 121, 191 
 
 1861 129, 135. 136, 191. 3<)5 
 
 1867 141. 142. 191 
 
 1869 155. 11)1 . 30S. 309. 310 
 
 1870 168. 170. 173 
 
 1873 173, 176 
 
 1883.... 196 
 
 1888 269. 270 
 
 1890 275. 277 
 
 1893 286, 287 
 
 Official 235 
 
 Postage Due 202 
 
 Thirty-six Cents. Newspapers. 1874 219 
 
 Thirty-six Dollars. Newspapers, 1874 222 
 
 Three Cents. 1851 85, 89, 98. 191. 302 
 
 1857 110, 115. 191. 303 
 
 1861 126, 134, 135. 191 , 305 
 
 1867 grilled all over 138. 191. 306 
 
 " large grille 13S, 191. 306 
 
 " medium grille. 139. 140, 191, 30(5, 307 
 
 " small grille 141, 142. 191, 306, 307 
 
 1 ' im perforate 142, 191 
 
319 
 
 Three Cents. 1869 150, 191 
 
 1870 163, 170, 172 
 
 1873 178, 175, 176 
 
 1881 180 
 
 1882 184, 186. 190, 192, 312 
 
 1883 196 
 
 1880-7 192 
 
 1887 268, 270 
 
 1890 275, 276 
 
 1893 285. 286, 287 
 
 Official 234 
 
 Newspapers. 1874 191, 192, 218 
 
 Postage due 200. 312 
 
 Three Dollars. 1803. 286, 287 
 
 Three Dollars. Newspapers, 1874 220 
 
 Treasury Department 230. 238 
 
 Twelve Cents, 1851 86, 89, 108, 191, 305 
 
 1857 110. 121. 191 
 
 1861 127, 135, 191 
 
 1867 medium grille 139. 140, 191 
 
 1867 small grille 141, 142, 191 
 
 1869 152, 191 
 
 1870 159. 165, 170. 173, 191, 192 
 
 1873 173 
 
 1883 196 
 
 Newspapers, 1874 219 
 
 Official 234 
 
 Twelve Dollars, Newspapers. 1874 221 
 
 Twenty Dollars, State 237, 313 
 
 Twenty-four Cents. 1856 95. 108. 191 
 
 ' 18(10 111. 112. 121, 191 
 
 - I8<n 128. 135. 136. 191. 305 
 
 " 18(57 141. 142, 191 
 
 " 1869 154. 191. 309, 310 
 
 1870 167, 170. 173. 191. 192 
 
 " 1873 173. 176 
 
 " Newspapers, 1874 219 
 
 Official 234 
 
 Twentv-l'our Dollars. Newspapers, 1874 222 
 
 Two Cents, 1863 131, 134. 135, 191 
 
 1867, medium grille 139. 140. 191 
 
 1867, small grille 141,142,191 
 
 1867, imperforate 142, 191 
 
 1869.. ..... ..150, 191 
 
320 
 
 Two Cents, 1870 162, 170, 172 
 
 1873 173, 175 
 
 1875 * 177 
 
 1881 180 
 
 1882 184, 186 
 
 1883 187, 189, 195 
 
 1887 268, 270 
 
 1890 275, 27(), 277 
 
 1893 285, 287 
 
 Official 234 
 
 Newspaper 218 
 
 Postage Due 200, 312 
 
 Two Dollars, 1893 286, 287 
 
 Two Dollars, State 237, 313 
 
 Uniform Postage 23 
 
 Unpaid Letter Stamps 200 
 
 Unpetforated Specimens, 1867 142 
 
 1870 172 
 
 U. S. Mail 34 
 
 U. S. City Dispatch Post 19 to 22 
 
 War Department 230, 239 
 
 Washington 31, 67, 68 
 
 Worcester. . . 70 
 

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