19b,22 – 1857-61 1c Franklin, Blue, One Type 1c, Two Type IIIa, Perf. 15.5, Strip of 3 stamps

Own Historic Stamps in Scarce Format – Strip of Three Featuring Two Types

Some of America’s First-Ever Perforated Stamps

This strip of three includes a #19b stamp and two #22 stamps.  Each stamp is hard to find on its own, so this connected strip is a rare find. 

How these stamps were created:
In 1857, the printing firm Toppan, Carpenter, Casilear & Co was instructed to add perforations to America’s stamps for the first time.  The stamps would use the same designs as 1851-57 issues.  Eight varieties of the 1¢ Franklin stamp were created as the engravers attempted to fit all the fancy scrollwork onto the plate and allow room for the perforations.  Recutting the plates was done, resulting in various levels of completeness of some design elements: scrolls, scroll balls, plumes, and ornaments.  This led to the typing of the 1c stamp according to what parts were complete versus incomplete. 
Stamp #19b is a Type 1c stamp.  It was printed on Plate 4 and in only 8 positions on that plate.  Two of the positions were on the bottom row of the plate and the others were due to wearing of the plate during production.  This type is identified by the bottom right ornaments and plume, which are incomplete.  Some of the top ornaments are not complete as well.

US #22 is Type IIIa.  The top or bottom outer frame line is broken.  Scroll balls and bottoms of plumes are missing.

Owning these stamps means you own a piece of history.  They were printed before the Civil War and survived for over a century and a half.  They were some of the first perforated stamps to be produced in the US.  Make room in your collection today for these neat, historic stamps.