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Official stamps

In the 1870s, government departments lost the franking privilege.  Separate series of stamps were issued for each department's use.  Except for the issues of the Post Office Department, which feature only numerals, the stamps were patterned on the then-current "banknote" issues.

1873 issues, Continental Bank Note Company

Agriculture Department

Scott O2, 2¢ Agriculture, Plate Number 64 T

Scott O2S, 2¢ Agriculture, specimen overprint, Plate Number 64 T

Scott O2P3, 2¢ Agriculture proof on india paper, Plate Number 64 T

Scott O3, 3¢ Agriculture, Plate Number 57 B

 

Executive Department

Scott O10SD, 1¢ Executive specimen, top plate block of 14, corrected plate number 82.
Plate 81 had already been assigned to the 30¢ War Department issue, so an engraver crossed out the erroneous 81 above position 6 and engraved the correct plate number above position 7.

Scott O11, 2¢ Executive, Plate number 75 B.

Photographically cropped from the only recorded Executive plate block.

Scott O13, 6¢ Executive, Plate number 76 T

This is the only recorded plate number item of the 6¢, and one of only two recorded examples of the double transfer of the numeral 6.

Scott O13SD var, 6¢ Executive specimen, partial plate number 76 T

 

Department of the Interior

Scott O15, 1¢ Department of the Interior, Plate Number 52 T

Scott O16, 2¢ Department of the Interior, Plate Number 45 B

Scott O17, 3¢ Department of the Interior, Plate Number 27 B

Scott O18, 6¢ Department of the Interior, Plate Number 56 B

Scott O20, 12¢ Department of the Interior, Plate Number 49 T

Scott O21, 15¢ Department of the Interior, Plate Number 93 B

Scott O23, 30¢ Department of the Interior used, partial Plate Number 95 T

Scott O24, 90¢ Department of the Interior, Plate Number 108 B

 

Department of Justice

Although 1¢ through 90¢ issues were printed and the plate numbers used are known, the only reported sightings for any denomination for many years were for a plate block of 12 and a plate strip of 4 of the 10¢ issue.

Scott O26SD, 2¢ Department of Justice, specimen, Plate Number 90 B

Scott O27TC3, 3¢ Department of Justice trial color proof on india paper, Plate Number 28 T

Scott O28, 6¢ Department of Justice, Plate Number 77 B

Photographically cropped from the only known plate block.

Scott O29, 10¢ Department of Justice, Plate Number 97 T

Scott O30, 12¢ Department of Justice, top imprint pair

Scott O33, 30¢ Department of Justice, bottom imprint single

 

Department of the Navy

Scott O35, 1¢ Navy Department, Plate Number 80 T

Scott O35P3, 1¢ Navy Department proof on india paper, Plate Number 80 T

Scott O36P3, 2¢ Navy Department proof on india paper, Plate Number 50 T

Scott O38, 6¢ Navy Department used, Plate Number 53 T

Scott O40, 10¢ Navy Department, Plate Number 101 T

 

Post Office Department

Scott O48, 2¢ Post Office Department, Plate Number 37 B

Scott O49, 3¢ Post Office Department, Plate Number 30 B

Scott O53P3, 15¢ Post Office Department proof on india paper, partial Plate Number 66 T

Scott O54P3, 24¢ Post Office Department proof on india paper, partial Plate Number 74 T

Scott O55, 30¢ Post Office Department, Plate Number 68 T

Scott O55P3, 30¢ Post Office Department proof on india paper, partial Plate Number 68 T

Scott O56, 90¢ Post Office Department, Plate Number 88 T

 

Department of State

Scott O57SD, 1¢ Specimen, Department of State, Plate number 55 B

Scott O60, 6¢, Department of State, used, partial plate number 83 T

Scott O68P3, $2 Department of State, proof of a complete sheet of 10 showing plate numbers 121 (green) and 123 (black).

Scott O68aP4, $2 Department of State, inverted center, plate number 121 T

Scott O69aP4, $5 Department of State, inverted center, plate number 120 T

Scott O70, $10 Department of State, pair with plate number 122 T

Scott O70P3, $10 Department of State, proof of a complete sheet of 10 showing plate numbers 122 (green) and 123 (black).

 Note that the same black plate number 123 was used to print the bust of Seward on all four of the high-value State issues.

Scott O71, $20 Department of State, Plate number 123 T.

Scott O71P3, $20 Department of State, proof of a complete sheet of 10 showing plate number 124 (green) and 123 (black).

Scott O71aP4, $20 Department of State, inverted center, unique block of 4 with plate number 123.

 

Treasury Department

Scott O73, 2¢ Treasury Department, pair with Plate Number 42 T

Scott O74, 3¢ Treasury Department, pair with Plate Number 33 B

Scott O75, 6¢ Treasury Department, Plate Number 51 T

Scott O77, 10¢ Treasury Department, Plate Number 58 B

Scott O78, 12¢ Treasury Department, Plate Number 46 B

Scott O79, 15¢ Treasury Department, photographically cropped from a black-and-white photo of a larger block in an auction catalog, Plate Number 46 B

Scott O82P3, 90¢ Treasury Department proof on india paper, pair with Plate Number 61 T

The '1' was originally engraved where the '6' now appears.

 

War Department

Scott O83, 1¢ War Department, Plate Number 48 B

Scott O84, 2¢ War Department, pair with Plate Number 35 B

Scott O84S, 2¢ War Department specimen, pair with Plate Number 35 B

Scott O89, 12¢ War Department, Plate Number 54 T

Scott O90, 15¢ War Department, Plate Number 87 T

Scott O90SD var, 15¢ War Department specimen, bottom imprint single

Scott O91, 24¢ War Department, Plate Number 86 B

Scott O92, 30¢ War Department, Plate Number 81 T

Scott O93, 90¢ War Department, Plate Number 89 B

 

1879 issues, American Bank Note Company

Scott O94, 1¢ Agriculture Department, Plate Number 65 T

 

Scott O96, 1¢ Department of the Interior, Plate Number 52 T

Scott O97, 2¢ Department of the Interior, Plate Number 45 T

Scott O98, 3¢ Department of the Interior, Plate Number 27 T

Scott O99, 6¢ Department of the Interior, Plate Number 56 B

Scott O100, 10¢ Department of the Interior, Plate Number 109 B

Scott O103, 24¢ Department of the Interior, Plate Number 104 T

 

Scott O109, 3¢ Treasury Department, bottom pair with plate number 29

 

Scott O114, 1¢ War Department, Plate Number 48 B

Scott O115, 2¢ War Department, Plate Number 35 B

Scott O116, 3¢ War Department, with partial plate number 32

Scott O117, 6¢ War Department, plate number 60 T

Scott O120, 30¢ War Department, Plate Number 81 T

After a few years, the franking privilege was restored, and government departments were not required to use stamps for another 100 years.

 

1918 Postal Savings Official issues

Printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing

Scott O121, 2¢ Postal Savings Official, Plate number 5501 R

Scott O122, 50¢ Postal Savings Official, Plate number 5614 B

Scott O123, $1 Postal Savings Official, Plate number 5615 T

Scott O124, 1¢ Postal Savings Official, Plate number 5646 T

 

Modern Official issues

During a trial period in the 1980s, the franking privilege was revoked for several government departments and agencies, which were required to use official stamps on all official mail (or otherwise account for their postage costs, such as through meters).  The experiment apparently led to better accounting for postage costs, and was expanded to all government agencies by the mid-1980s.

After experiencing high demand from collectors for plate blocks and plate number strips of the first modern official issues, the USPS responded by discontinuing plate numbers on many subsequent denominations.  Plate number single collectors often collect the Copyright single or ZIP single as a substitute, since it is the only marginal marking that exists for these stamps.  Plate numbers reappeared on the 37¢ Official coil issued in 2003 and 39¢ coil in 2006.

Scott O127, 1¢ (with cent sign, no microprinting), Plate number 3 UR

Scott O143, 1¢ (as "1" - no cent sign), UL Copyright single (no plate numbers issued)

Scott O128, 4¢ (with cent sign), Plate number 5 LR

Scott O146, 4¢, ("04" - no cent sign), UL Copyright single (no plate numbers issued)

Scott O129, 13¢, Plate number 1 UR

Scott O138, (14¢) - "D" postal card rate, Plate number 4 LR

Scott O129A, 14¢ Copyright single (no plate numbers issued)

Scott O130, 17¢, Plate number 4 LL

Scott O147, 19¢, UL Copyright single (no plate numbers issued)

Scott O135, 20¢ coil, Plate number 1

Scott O155, 20¢ sheet stamp, UR Copyright single (no plate numbers issued)

Scott O139, (22¢) coil, Plate number 1

Scott O148 var, 23¢ sheet stamp with no microprinting, imperforate error, photographically cropped from a larger block, Plate number A111 UR

These imperforate stamps were not regularly issued and are listed in the Scott catalog as printer's waste.

Scott O156, 23¢ sheet stamp with microprinting, UL Copyright single (no plate numbers issued)

Scott O159, 37¢ coil, Plate number S111

Scott O160, 39¢ coil, Plate number S111

Scott O162, 41¢ coil, Plate number S111

Scott O132, $1.00 with decimals, Plate number 4 UL

Scott O133, $5.00, Plate number 3 LL

No plate numbers appear on the following Official coil stamps:

  • 15¢ (Scott O138A)
  • 20¢ (Scott O138B)
  • 22¢ (Scott O136)
  • (25¢) "E" (Scott O140)
  • 25¢ (Scott O141)
  • (29¢) "F" (Scott O144)
  • 29¢ (Scott O145)
  • (32¢) "G" (Scott O152)
  • 32¢ (Scott O153)
  • 33¢ (Scott O157)
  • 34¢ (Scott O158)

No plate numbers appear on the following Official sheet stamps:

  • 1 without cent sign (Scott O143; Copyright single illustrated above)
  • 1¢ with cent sign and microprinting (Scott O154)
  • 04 (Scott O146; Copyright single illustrated above)
  • 10¢ (Scott O146A)
  • 14¢ (Scott O129A; Copyright single illustrated above)
  • 19¢ (Scott O147; Copyright single illustrated above)
  • 20¢ (Scott O155; Copyright single illustrated above)
  • 23¢ without microprinting (Scott O148; printer's waste example illustrated above)
  • 23¢ with microprinting (Scott O156; Copyright single illustrated above)
  • $1 without decimals, solid background (Scott O151)
  • $1 without decimals, 2006 year date, cross-hatched background (Scott O161)

 

Comments?  Suggestions?  Email the Webmaster at secretary at apnss dot org

 

This page last updated March 11, 2008.

Web site content Copyright ©2003-2008 American Plate Number Single Society.  All rights reserved.

 

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