U.S. #63
1861 Franklin
- First of the series issued to replace the demonetized stamps of 1857-61
- Used to pay postage on circulars, drop letters, and the fee for carrier service
Stamp Category: Definitive
Series: 1861-62 Issue
Value: 1c
Earliest Documented Use: August 17, 1861
Printed by: Natio... more
U.S. #63
1861 Franklin
- First of the series issued to replace the demonetized stamps of 1857-61
- Used to pay postage on circulars, drop letters, and the fee for carrier service
Stamp Category: Definitive
Series: 1861-62 Issue
Value: 1c
Earliest Documented Use: August 17, 1861
Printed by: National Bank Note Co.
Quantity printed: 138,000,000 (estimate)
Format: Printed in sheets of 200 stamps, divided into vertical panes of 100 each
Printing Method: Engraving
Perforations: 12
Color: Blue
Why the stamp was issued: The stamp was issued to take the place of the then-current 1c stamp which had been demonetized by the US Post Office Department.
About the printing: The design was engraved on a die – a small, flat piece of steel. The design was copied to a transfer roll – a blank roll of steel. Several impressions or “reliefs” were made on the roll. The reliefs were transferred to the plate – a large, flat piece of steel from which the stamps were printed.
About the design: The image of Benjamin Franklin is based on a sculpture by Jean Antoine Houdon. The bust of Franklin is located in the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia.
About the 1861-62 Series: The series consists of US #63-72. The same face values and subjects found in the 1857-61 series were used in their creation, and the colors are similar as well. The frame designs vary greatly from the preceding series. While the denominations in the 1857-61 issues were written out, the denominations on the new series were now also shown in numerals displayed in the upper corners of the stamps. This would help distinguish them from the previous series.
History the stamp represents: Due to the outbreak of the Civil War, all US stamps were demonetized, thereby preventing the Confederate States of America (CSA) from selling them in the North and using the money to support the Southern war effort.
#63 was first in the series which replaced all prior US stamps, which were declared invalid for postage on June 1, 1861.
Less 
