History of the Postage Stamps of the United States of America Part 20

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 line, 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 between fine colored lines, and curved round and divided at the ends, the outer part terminating in a ball, horizontally lined and inscribed "_U. S. Postage_," 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 without on a ground of short vertical lines.

Plate impression, 19 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 "series of 1871," placed in the medallion.

Both the two cent vermilion and the five cent blue, bear the imprint "Printed by the Continental 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 remarks 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 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 retired 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.

ISSUE OF APRIL 10TH, 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 Taylor, it was said had been hurriedly gotten up, and did not correspond with the rest of the series. By direction of Postmaster General James, the American 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 vand.y.k.e 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 protected by a gla.s.s in an ebony frame, to Her Majesty, 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 begin the issue the 1st of March, following. Mr. Durbin obtained some copies which he used on St. Valentines day. But the stamps were not distributed 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 Postmaster General it is not necessary to repeat.

ISSUE OF APRIL 10TH, 1882.

FIVE CENTS. Portrait in profile to the left, of President Garfield, in an oval disk 16 by 20 mm., 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 horizontal 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 indicated 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 colorless lines.

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

5 cents, dark chocolate.

ISSUE OF 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 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 b.a.l.l.s are now shaded with one or more interior 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 s.p.a.ce, like a reflection beneath the bust.

(_b_) Later impressions in 1886, show the upper ornaments more distinctly white, and shaded outside 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 slightly 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 p.r.o.nounced cast by daylight.

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 gla.s.s, 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 shadows of the oval are also solid, and about half as broad as in the other die. The horizontal lines can be seen by the gla.s.s, 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 begins. 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 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 outside 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 engraving 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 s.p.a.ce 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 conspicuous. In the new the horizontal lines are strong and clear.

(_a_) The earliest impressions are in muddy yellow brown, quite uniform all over the stamp.

(_b_) 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.

(_c_) An odd purple-brown shade appeared in 1886.

(_d_) A dark black-brown shade is now, 1887, in use.

THE ISSUE OF OCTOBER, 1883.

The Act of the 47th Congress, Session II, Chapter 92, approved March 3d, 1883, provided that:

"Upon all matter of the 1st cla.s.s [as defined by chapter 180 of the laws of Congress, approved March 3d, 1879, ent.i.tled: 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 cla.s.s matter, are to that extent hereby repealed."

The report of the Third a.s.sistant Postmaster General under date of November 8th, 1883, says:

"Soon after the pa.s.sage of the Act of March 3d, 1883, preparations were begun to carry the new law into effect. The change left the 3 cent denomination of postage stamps of little utility, it no longer representing the single rate of postage on any cla.s.s 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 distinguishing 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 restoring 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 portrait of Jackson, formerly on the 2 cent stamp, was transferred to this new (four cent) stamp. The following 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 shield 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.