U.S. #2458
10¢ Tractor Trailer
Transportation Series
Issue Date: May 25, 1994
City: Secaucus, NJ
Quantity: 945,000,000
Printed By: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Printing Method: Photogravure
Perforations: 9.8 vertically
Color: Green
A familiar sight on today's roads and highways, the tractor trailer is actua... more
U.S. #2458
10¢ Tractor Trailer
Transportation Series
Issue Date: May 25, 1994
City: Secaucus, NJ
Quantity: 945,000,000
Printed By: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Printing Method: Photogravure
Perforations: 9.8 vertically
Color: Green
A familiar sight on today's roads and highways, the tractor trailer is actually two individual units which usually are manufactured by two different companies and purchased separately. The tractor contains the engine and the driving unit, called a cab. The trailer, which has wheels under the rear, rests on the back of the tractor. A round disk attaches the two units and allows them to turn separately.
#2457 is part of the popular Transportation Series. The Transportation Series contains 59 stamps with engraved designs featuring modes of transportation from the baby buggy to the racecar.
About the Transportation Series
A ground-breaking stamp was quietly issued on May 18, 1981. For the first time in U.S. history, a coil stamp featured its own unique design rather than simply copying that of the current definitive stamp. Fifty more coil stamps would be issued over the course of the next 15 years, each picturing a different mode of transportation.
The various denominations provided face values to exactly match the rates for several categories of Third Class mail (bulk rate and quantity-discounted mail). As the rates changed, new stamps with new values were added. Never before had a stamp series included so many fractional cent values.
Most of the stamps in the Transportation Series were printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, although a few were printed by private contractors. All but a few of the later stamps were produced by engraved intaglio. Differences in precancels, tagging, paper and gum provide a large number of varieties.
By the time the last stamp was issued in 1995, the Transportation Series had become the largest US coil stamp series in history.
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