# 147 - 1870-71 3c Washington, green
1870-71 3¢ Washington
National Bank Note Printing
Earliest Known Use: March 1, 1870
Quantity issued: 1,033,000,000 (estimate)
Printed by: National Bank Note Company
Method: Flat plate
Watermark: None
Perforation: 12
Color: Green
Bank Note Series
Less than a year earlier, in March 1869, the Post Office introduced the Pictorial Series. For the first time in US postal history, our stamps pictured something other than the portraits of national leaders.
The postmaster general then needed to develop new stamps to replace the Pictorials. Among the public’s many complaints were that the stamps were too small, unattractive, and of inferior quality. Thus, the new issues were not only larger and better quality, but they also carried new designs. Heads, in profile, of famous deceased Americans were chosen as the new subject matter.
The first known use of one of these new stamps, US #147, came on March 1, 1870. Several stamps of other denominations throughout March and April soon followed it.
In 1873, new bids were submitted and a new contract was awarded to the Continental Bank Note Company. National was required to turn over their dies to Continental, but before they did, they placed small marks on each of them, “canceling” the dies. Also known as ”secret marks,” they were small, minor design changes that would help to distinguish the stamps printed by Continental from those printed by National.
The Bank Notes are an interesting area of collecting for their different shades of color and secret marks. They were also issued in an era when fancy cancels were in wide use, so you can often find these stamps with interesting and sometimes intricate cancellations. Bank Note proofs are also available. Some are more affordable than the issued stamps and are known for their clear, sharp impressions.
The Bank Note era officially came to an end on June 9, 1894, after the Post Office reached an agreement with the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to start producing new US stamps.
Click here to view all of the Bank Note stamps.
1870-71 3¢ Washington
National Bank Note Printing
Earliest Known Use: March 1, 1870
Quantity issued: 1,033,000,000 (estimate)
Printed by: National Bank Note Company
Method: Flat plate
Watermark: None
Perforation: 12
Color: Green
Bank Note Series
Less than a year earlier, in March 1869, the Post Office introduced the Pictorial Series. For the first time in US postal history, our stamps pictured something other than the portraits of national leaders.
The postmaster general then needed to develop new stamps to replace the Pictorials. Among the public’s many complaints were that the stamps were too small, unattractive, and of inferior quality. Thus, the new issues were not only larger and better quality, but they also carried new designs. Heads, in profile, of famous deceased Americans were chosen as the new subject matter.
The first known use of one of these new stamps, US #147, came on March 1, 1870. Several stamps of other denominations throughout March and April soon followed it.
In 1873, new bids were submitted and a new contract was awarded to the Continental Bank Note Company. National was required to turn over their dies to Continental, but before they did, they placed small marks on each of them, “canceling” the dies. Also known as ”secret marks,” they were small, minor design changes that would help to distinguish the stamps printed by Continental from those printed by National.
The Bank Notes are an interesting area of collecting for their different shades of color and secret marks. They were also issued in an era when fancy cancels were in wide use, so you can often find these stamps with interesting and sometimes intricate cancellations. Bank Note proofs are also available. Some are more affordable than the issued stamps and are known for their clear, sharp impressions.
The Bank Note era officially came to an end on June 9, 1894, after the Post Office reached an agreement with the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to start producing new US stamps.
Click here to view all of the Bank Note stamps.