196 – 1880 7c Edwin M. Stanton, Scarlet Vermilion, Soft Paper, Perf. 12

Own this Rare 1880 7¢ Reprint –
Fewer Than 100 Known to Exist

Very few collectors will ever be lucky enough to own this stamp.  The 7¢ Edwin Stanton stamp is part of an 1880 Special Printing Issue.  Experts think less than 500 stamps were printed over a century ago and fewer than 100 exist today (approximately 80 examples are known to exist). 

The history behind the 1880 Special Printing:

In 1880, the American Bank Note Company held the contract to print America’s stamps.  The company decided to continue the tradition started in 1875 of reprinting the previous year’s stamps in limited quantities.  These were offered to collectors or handed out to dignitaries. 
The 1880 reprints were printed using soft porous paper, while the previous reprints used hard, white wove paper.  Stamp #196 was printed on the newly acquired steam driven printing press.  The engraving is crisper than stamps produced on the flat bed press. 

This stamp has been preserved for well over 100 years and can now become the show piece of your collection.  We have only one of these beauties in stock.  Consider making it yours.