By VICTOR M. BERTHOLD. NEW YORK SCOTT STAMP & COIN CO. 1906. Copyrighted, 1906 All rights reserved....

THREE CENTS, RED. Die I. "THREE" in Narrow Curved Label. Die II. "THREE" in Narrow, Straight Label. Die III. "THREE" in Square Label with a Diagonal Line Across Each Corner, Called "K Ends ". Die IV. "THREE" in Wide Label with Square Ends. Die V. "THREE" in Medium Curved Label. "T" with Long Cross Stroke. "T" with short cross stroke. SIX CENTS, RED. SIX CENTS, GREEN. TEN CENTS. Die I. Short Label with Square Ends. Die II. Long Label with Square Ends . [C] Note :—The numbers used in this list are

HEAD OF FRANKLIN TO THE RIGHT, OVAL 20-1/2 × 24-1/2 MM. "ONE CENT" ABOVE; "U. S. POSTAGE" BELOW. TWELVE VARIETIES. The easiest way of classifying the various dies is to extend the base line of the bust and note its position with regard to the letters "A" and "G" of "POSTAGE". By this simple method we obtain the following groups:— 1)  Bust points at G; 2)     "      "      between A and G; 3)     "      "      at A. Next in importance is to note the position of the back of the bust with reference

HEAD OF WASHINGTON TO LEFT. A SMALL UPRIGHT OVAL MEASURING 20 × 24 MM. "THREE CENTS" ABOVE; "U. S. POSTAGE" BELOW. At each side is a six-rayed star between the inscriptions. NINE VARIETIES. It has already been mentioned that the new die was issued in accordance with the action of the 36th Congress, and that this stamp is also used to form a compound value with the one cent die. The collector of entire envelopes finds in this issue two new shapes, knives 6 and 7, of which the former was supposed

ONE CENT BLUE (FRANKLIN) AND THREE CENTS RED (WASHINGTON). The reason for the issue of this, the only compound stamp of the U. S. Post Office, has already been stated in the introduction to the one cent. The two stamps were impressed side by side, the one cent to the left and the three cents to the right. The Department issued two sizes of these rather scarce compounds, officially called size 2 and 3. Of the first there exists but one knife, i.e. knife 8 (137 × 77 mm), and of the second two kniv

HEAD OF WASHINGTON: SIX RAYED STARS FOR SIDE ORNAMENTS. OVAL 20 × 24 MM. This die, which was in use from October, 1860, to August 15, 1861, presents us with a new head, which was retained for the next higher denomination, the ten cents, green. Why the head used for the three cents was abandoned by the die maker we do not know. The principal new feature is a very short heavy front-lock which ends far from the ear-lobe. In addition to the front-lock there are three long clusters of hair in the fro

HEAD OF WASHINGTON; SIX RAYED STARS FOR SIDE ORNAMENTS. OVAL 20 × 24 MM. Envelopes bearing the ten cent die were issued from October, 1860, to August 15, 1861. As has already been stated the head is the same as that of the preceding die, but the envelope is different. It is the common knife 2, or "Full Letter," measuring 139 × 83 mm. The paper is white or buff. Of the two, the former is the rarer. Before taking up the next issue it may be well to remind the collector that the three cents, six ce

Envelopes. ONE CENT, BLUE. THREE CENTS, RED. FOUR CENTS, RED AND BLUE. SIX CENTS, RED. TEN CENTS, GREEN. WRAPPERS. ONE CENT, BLUE. [D] The Knives, Nos. 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 are those of the list in the Catalogue for Advanced Collectors and are not referred to in the National Society's list. [E] The abbreviations used to designate the papers are: W—white; B—buff; A.B—Amber-buff; S.B—salmon-buff; Y.B—yellow-buff; Or.—orange and C.M—coarse manila....

Head of Washington facing to left. Inscriptions in outline, block letters. "United States" above: "Three Cents" below, separated on each side by a small circle containing a colorless numeral of value. The die is an oval measuring in Die A:—23 mm. or less in width. Die B:—23 1/2 mm. or more in width. Die A includes varieties 1 to 7. Die B includes varieties 8 to 17. As in former issues, the engraver has presented the collector with various heads which differ in the arrangement of the hair but, as

The design of the SIX CENTS is very similar to the last one, but the numerals at sides are in ovals. The lettering is also in outline block capitals. No varieties of this die exist. In the beginning of the year 1861, Nesbitt produced new dies of the 12, 20, 24 and 40 cents values, and later, in August, the 10 cents. No varieties of these dies exist. The design consists of an horizontal oval, 27-1/2 × 25 mm. showing the bust of Washington in an upright, colored oval, surrounded by a broad, colorl

Envelopes . THREE CENTS, ROSE. SIX CENTS, ROSE. TEN CENTS, GREEN. [F] TWELVE CENTS, BROWN AND RED. TWENTY CENTS, BLUE AND RED. TWENTY-FOUR CENTS, GREEN AND RED. FORTY CENTS, BLACK AND RED. LETTER SHEETS. THREE CENTS, ROSE. [F] The shade of green varies greatly in these envelopes....

The design consists of two concave and convex curves, of which the first two form the upper, and the second two the lower label. Each of these two curves meet in a point. The sides of the design are a pointed oval consisting of the sections of a large circle. The inscription in the upper label is "U. S. POSTAGE"; in the lower "TWO CENTS" with the figure "2" in the ovals at the sides. The 1863 design was issued with two shapes of the figure "2", which is probably due to an oversight of the engrav

Towards the end of 1864, Nesbitt (the contractor for furnishing the Post Office Department with stamped envelopes and newspaper wrappers) had considerable financial trouble in living up to his obligations and, at his earnest request, Congress passed a bill for his relief. As the then existing contract expired Sept. 11, 1864, the Post Office Department entered into a new agreement with Nesbitt, paying an advanced rate to the contractor and ordering a change of the dies of the two, three and six c

ENVELOPES. TWO CENTS, BLACK. 1863. Inscribed: "U. S. POSTAGE." DIE A. DIE B. 1864. Inscribed: "U. S. POST." DIE C. DIE D. Wrappers. 1863. Inscribed: "U. S. POSTAGE." DIE A. 1864. Inscribed: "U. S. POST." DIE C. DIE D. THREE CENTS, ROSE; THREE CENTS, BROWN; SIX CENTS, ROSE AND SIX CENTS, PURPLE. In the Postmaster-General's report for 1864 it is stated that "during the last session of Congress a bill was passed for the relief of the contractor for furnishing the department with stamped envelopes a

Series of 1853-1855. DIE I. Since the publication of the early portion of the present work the writer has discovered two new varieties of this die, both with Head I, which must be known as varieties 1a and 2a and which, therefore, necessitate his re-writing the descriptions of Vars. 1 and 2. He has, also, re-written the description of variety 3 with the idea of enabling collectors to more easily differentiate between it and the other varieties. The following should, therefore replace the descrip

The following envelopes and wrappers have been discovered since the lists were published and should, therefore, be added to them. ENVELOPES. 1853-55. THREE CENTS, RED. DIE I. DIE V. Head XV. 1860. ONE CENT, BLUE. THREE CENTS, RED. WRAPPERS. 1863. TWO CENTS. BLACK. ENVELOPES. DIE A. 1864. DIE D. WRAPPERS. DIE D....

Page 13 , last line under Head 6, read: narrow for "norrow."     "   18 , add to description of Var 2, Head XI: there is usually a flaw in the outer colored line opposite the lower left straight line near "C." Page 31 , Head XVIII, second line, after "eye-brow", read; some distance instead of: "a considerable distance."     "   35 , No. 46 should read: "W 2 3 139 × 82."     "     "     "    47      "        "    "B 2 3         "     "   37 , No. 89 and 90, under "Remarks", add: " Reprints on whi