1873 3c Washington, green
# 158 - 1873 3c Washington, green
$0.70 - $585.00
U.S. #158
1873 3¢ Washington
Continental Bank Note Printing
1873 3¢ Washington
Continental Bank Note Printing
Earliest Known Use: July 17, 1873
Quantity issued: 2,661,293,500 (estimate)
Printed by: Continental Bank Note Company
Method: Flat plate
Watermark: None
Perforation: 12
Color: Green
The 1873 3¢ Continental Bank Note Company stamp pictures George Washington. No other American has been honored more than George Washington. The Washington monument was erected in his honor in the nation’s capital, which was named for him. The state of Washington is the only state named after a President.
Secret mark added by Continental Bank Note Company – lower part of ribbon at left bottom of numeral “3” is heavily shaded.
Bank Notes 1870-1888
Due to the unpopularity of the 1869 Pictorial series, the Postmaster General found it necessary to issue new stamps. 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.
Nicknamed the “Bank Note” stamps, this series was printed by three prominent Bank Note printing companies – the National, Continental, and American Bank Note Companies, in that order. As the contract for printing passed from company to company, so did the dies and plates. Each company printed the stamps with slight variations, and identifying them can be both challenging and complex.
Because the pictorials were to be printed for four years, but were withdrawn from sale after a year, the National Bank Note Company still had three years remaining in their contract. The stamps they printed were produced with and without grills.
In 1873, new bids were submitted and a new contract was awarded to the Continental Bank Note Company. So-called “secret marks” enabled them to distinguish their plates and stamps from earlier ones.
The American Bank Note Company acquired Continental in 1879 and assumed the contract Continental had held. This firm, however, printed the stamps on a soft paper, which has different qualities than the hard paper used by the previous companies.
Color variations, in addition to secret marks and different paper types, are helpful in determining the different varieties. These classic stamps are a truly fascinating area of philately.
U.S. #158
1873 3¢ Washington
Continental Bank Note Printing
1873 3¢ Washington
Continental Bank Note Printing
Earliest Known Use: July 17, 1873
Quantity issued: 2,661,293,500 (estimate)
Printed by: Continental Bank Note Company
Method: Flat plate
Watermark: None
Perforation: 12
Color: Green
The 1873 3¢ Continental Bank Note Company stamp pictures George Washington. No other American has been honored more than George Washington. The Washington monument was erected in his honor in the nation’s capital, which was named for him. The state of Washington is the only state named after a President.
Secret mark added by Continental Bank Note Company – lower part of ribbon at left bottom of numeral “3” is heavily shaded.
Bank Notes 1870-1888
Due to the unpopularity of the 1869 Pictorial series, the Postmaster General found it necessary to issue new stamps. 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.
Nicknamed the “Bank Note” stamps, this series was printed by three prominent Bank Note printing companies – the National, Continental, and American Bank Note Companies, in that order. As the contract for printing passed from company to company, so did the dies and plates. Each company printed the stamps with slight variations, and identifying them can be both challenging and complex.
Because the pictorials were to be printed for four years, but were withdrawn from sale after a year, the National Bank Note Company still had three years remaining in their contract. The stamps they printed were produced with and without grills.
In 1873, new bids were submitted and a new contract was awarded to the Continental Bank Note Company. So-called “secret marks” enabled them to distinguish their plates and stamps from earlier ones.
The American Bank Note Company acquired Continental in 1879 and assumed the contract Continental had held. This firm, however, printed the stamps on a soft paper, which has different qualities than the hard paper used by the previous companies.
Color variations, in addition to secret marks and different paper types, are helpful in determining the different varieties. These classic stamps are a truly fascinating area of philately.