The 11th stamp in the first horizontal row, the 11th 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, V¹.

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 foregoing list.

The 14th and 15th stamps in the top 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, g² g⁴, 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 7/8 mm. from the stamps. Some of these are 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 near the vertical line. Some of the same varieties exist perforated along this line, and higg and fihh exist also so perforated. In loose specimens have also been found, igig, ihih, ifif, 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 upon 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 extra line outside the frame line and close to it, at the right, g¹ f^{2 3 4} k².

With the upper left corner too far from the block, the lower left corner too near to the block, an extra line outside the frame line and close to it, g¹ f² h³ f⁴ k².

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, g¹ f^{2 3 4} m².

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 too 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 connecting them with the adjacent blocks, and also the extra vertical line, f¹ i² t^{3 4} Y² S^{2 4} U^{2 4}.

With the side line on the right starting at the usual distance from the block, and running off to the right, and ending half way down, at nearly twice the distance from the body of the stamps at which it started. 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) g¹ f² i³ f⁴ S^{1 2 3} Z².

With the right line split about ½ way down, into two or three parts, i¹ f^{2 3} g⁴ n².

With an extra line on both sides, f^{1 2} g³ f⁴ k¹ k².

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), f¹ f² h³ g⁴ l¹.

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 differing 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 middle of the lower triangle down, apparently an impression from a worn plate, the left margin is wide, the perforation cutting into the next stamp, m¹ in varieties.

With the left frame line split into two parts from the level of the chin up, n¹.

These variations, and a few others easily recognized, not found in the imperforate stamps add to the table:

The color of all these stamps varies like the unperforated greatly, and the same remarks concerning it might be here repeated.

Perforated Five Cents.

The stamps are 2½ mm. apart between the sides and 1½ 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 little projection or salie at the top and bottom was partially or wholly removed, forming the following variations:

The color is very variable, numerous shades of dark black-brown, dark chestnut-brown, brown, 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 prepared with a view to perforating, the stamps are arranged about 1¾ mm. apart between the sides, and 1¼ 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 report of the Postmaster General, dated on December 2d, 1861, states that:

The Act of the 27th Congress, Statute II, Chapter 37, Section 14, approved March 3d, 1861, had so qualified the Act of 1851:

Other sections also introduced minor changes in the rates on printed matter, which it is not important 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:

A second issue of this circular merely extended the dates September 10th, October 1st and November 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 the same pictures as were those on the corresponding denominations of the preceeding issue. The same values are represented, 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 colored ground, bordered by a colorless line with exterior fine colored line. "U. S. Postage" in colorless 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. "1" and "1" in the upper and "U." and "S." in the lower corners, in ornamental colorless numerals and letters, on a vertically lined ground.

Plate impression, 20 by 25½ mm., in color, on white paper, perforated 12.

1 Cent, pale and dark blue.

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 colorless line, with exterior fine colored line following the curves of the ground. Above, "U. S." in a straight line with "Postage" below it in an arched line, and large numeral "3" on each side. Below the head "Three," in reversed curve with "Cents" in double curve below and "U." and "S." at the sides all in colorless capitals and numerals on the engine turned frame and ground, the corner numerals and letters ornamented. Corners and sides filled out with foliated ornaments.

Plate impression, 19½ 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 rectangular 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, bottom 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 "S." in lower right corner, all in colorless letters upon the engine turned work of frame. The corners are filled out with foliated ornaments.

Plate impression, 20 by 25½ mm., in color, upon white paper, perforated 12.

5 cents, ochre, 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 upper 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 24½ mm, in color, on white paper, perforated 12.

10 cents, green, yellow-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 turned colorless lines on a solid ground, with rounded corners and waved edges, bordered by a colorless line, and a fine colored line. The corners are filled out with loops on colored ground. "12" and "12" set diagonally in the upper corners, "U. S. Postage" following the curve of the oval above, "Twelve Cents" in double curve line below, and "U." and "S." in the lower corners. The letters and numerals are colorless, with colored outlines on the engine turned work of frame.

Plate impression, 19½ by 24½ mm., in color, on white paper, perforated 12.

12 cents, black.

Twenty-Four Cents. Small portrait of Washington, faced three quarters to the right, on a rectangularly hatched ground, surrounded by a fancy lozenge-shaped frame of engine turned colorless lines on solid colored ground, bordered by a colorless line and exterior fine colored line. The upper corners are filled out with foliated ornaments, containing the numerals "24" and "24," set diagonally with 3 colorless stars between. The lower corners each contain a large colored star between foliated ornaments. "U." on the left and "S." on the right star; "U. S. Postage" above and "Twenty-four Cents" below the head, near and following the outer curve of frame. The letters, numerals and ornaments are all colorless, but with colored outlines.

Plate impression, 19½ by 24 mm., in color, on white paper, perforated 12.

24 cents, lilac.

Thirty Cents. Head of Benjamin Franklin, in profile to left, on a circular disk with diagonally hatched ground, 16½ mm. in diameter, bordered 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 inscribed "U. S. Postage," the lower "Thirty Cents," on lined ground, in colorless letters outlined with color. Foliated ornaments without color, but colored 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 impression, 20 by 24 mm., in color, on white paper, perforated 12.

30 cents, orange.

Ninety Cents. Head of Washington, in General's costume, after Trumbal's portrait, faced three quarters to the left, on an oval disk, 13½ by 17½ mm., with rectangularly hatched ground, bordered by a colorless line and exterior colored line, surrounded 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 outlines. Waved band with similar borders crossing the former above, and inscribed "U. S. Postage" in the same letters. The lower corners are filled with foliated ornaments upon which are "U." and "S." in similar letters.

Plate impression, 19 by 24 mm., in color, on white paper, perforated 12.

90 cents, indigo blue.

It will be noticed that the original contract under 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 result in any change in the stamps in use, except the addition of two new values:

In accordance with these 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 postage on drop letters, and the report for 1878, fixes the date of issue at of the 1st of July, 1863.

Issue of July 1st, 1863.

(As additional to the series of 1861.)

Two Cents. Very large head of Andrew Jackson, 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, "U. S. Postage" in colorless capitals outlined and shaded; on short bands, similarly constructed, below on the left "Two," on the right "Cents." Foliated ornaments in the four corners, forming small solid circles, bearing the numeral "2" in the upper, and colorless ovals bearing "U." 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 registration fee at 15 cents, a stamp of that denomination was issued.

Issue of April 1st, 1866.

Fifteen Cents. Bust of Abraham Lincoln, on an oval disk 13½ by 18 mm. with rectangularly hatched ground, bordered by a broad colorless line, between two fine colored lines, and ornamented by short horizontal colored lines. On the sides, Roman 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 "U. S. Postage" in colorless capitals, in the ovals "15" in colorless numerals; below, a curved band following the outline of the oval, similarly bordered, and inscribed in similar letters "Fifteen Cents"; foliated ornaments forming colored ovals in the corners, with "U." in the left, "S." in the right, in colorless capitals.

Plate impression, 19½ 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 prepay the postage on letters to Belgium, Prussia, Holland, 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 one half ounce, and the postal laws to be applied accordingly.

Also the Act of the XL Congress, Session I, Chapter 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, consist 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 center 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 ultramarine. The paper is ordinarily white with a yellowish cast, but there are specimens which appear surfaced with the same ink as the stamp, which is probably an accident from imperfect wiping 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. Doubly perforated at sides.
""top and bottom.

There are also a few specimens known of a scarlet tint. They resemble the ordinary stamps of this value in all other particulars, and it does not appear to be settled whether they were ever used or not. Proofs, both perforated and unperforated, exist 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 perforation 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 September 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 appear 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 follows: it being not quite certain whether a few with the grille were not issued prior to the dates to which the enumeration is made.

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.

The Report for the Postmaster General for the year ending June 30th, 1867, states that experiments 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 increased, to say nothing of other advantages, which recommend the invention. Some of these curious experiments will be noticed in the chapter on Essays. 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 rectangle, much in the same way that checks are sometimes 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, without 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 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 bottom rows missing, wholly or partly.

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

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 composed of depressed 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, only 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, (see American Journal of Philately).

The fourth and most common grille is a square of 9 by 14 mm., composed of 12 rows of 16½ squares each. The date of its adoption is not known. It was applied to the whole series.