The Die Varieties of the Nesbitt Series of United States Envelopes Part 10

VAR. 3. HEAD XVII.

No. Paper. Knife. Size. Dimensions. Remarks.

149 W 2 3 139 x 83 150 B 2 3 " "

VAR. 4. HEAD XVIII.

No. Paper. Knife. Size. Dimensions. Remarks.

151 W 2 3 139 x 83 152 B 2 3 " "

TEN CENTS.

DIE I. SHORT LABEL WITH SQUARE ENDS.

HEAD XV.

No. Paper. Knife. Size. Dimensions. Remarks.

153 W 2 3 139 x 83 Various shades.

154 B 2 3 " " " "

DIE II. LONG LABEL WITH SQUARE ENDS.

HEAD XIX.

No. Paper. Knife. Size. Dimensions. Remarks.

155 W 2 3 139 x 83 Various shades. Reprints on 156 B 2 3 " " vertically laid paper.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote C: NOTE:--The numbers used in this list are arbitrary, consecutive, and have no relation to the numbers used in any other work of a similar nature. Under the heading "Paper," "W." means white and "B." buff paper. The numbers under the headings "Knife" and "Size" are those of the knives ill.u.s.trated and described in the _Catalogue for Advanced Collectors_ and in _Bartel's Catalogue of United States Envelopes_, 1904 edition. Those under "Dimensions" give the size of the envelope in millimetres.]

SECOND ISSUE: 1860.

The 36th Congress, by an Act approved April 30, 1860, reduced postage on drop letters, also the charge for the delivery of a letter by carriers, to one cent. We further learn from the Report of the Postmaster-General, dated December 1st, 1860, that "the new one cent envelope is designed mainly for circulars and will also be used largely for city correspondence". In our days of cheap postage it strikes us as rather curious to be informed that the Post Office, to cover the expense of collecting letters, dropped into letter boxes attached to lamp posts, which letters were delivered by the mail carriers to the next post office, evolved the scheme of printing two entirely different stamps on the same envelope, i.e. a ONE CENT (BLUE), and a new THREE CENTS (RED). The one cent paying the carrier's fee, and the other stamp paying the postage.

In addition to the one and three cent, the Post Office issued also a new SIX and TEN CENTS. In reality the latter two appeared in October, 1860, while the ONE and FOUR CENTS were added in December of the same year.

For the collector the most interesting novelty is, however, the invention of the wrapper now-a-days so commonly used that we can scarcely think of the time when this commodity did not exist. The sizes of the envelopes were also increased by the addition of a new one known as knife 9, bearing on the inside of the left flap the "patent lines."

ONE CENT: BLUE.

HEAD OF FRANKLIN TO THE RIGHT, OVAL 20-1/2 x 24-1/2 MM. "ONE CENT"

ABOVE; "U. S. POSTAGE" BELOW.

TWELVE VARIETIES.

The easiest way of cla.s.sifying the various dies is to extend the base line of the bust and note its position with regard to the letters "A"

and "G" of "POSTAGE". By this simple method we obtain the following groups:--

1) Bust points at G; 2) " " between A and G; 3) " " at A.

Next in importance is to note the position of the back of the bust with reference to the strokes of letter "U". Calling the stroke next to the star ornament the first stroke, and that next to "S" the _second_, we have two additional distinctive features. Finally, the distance from the back of the bust to inner oval line furnishes a third valuable clue.

To the above we may add three 10 mm. unit distance measurements, taken from the upper end of the first stroke of "U" towards "ONE"; from the right end of the horizontal stroke of "T" of "CENT" towards the "E" of "POSTAGE"; and from the upper end of the final stroke of "N" of "CENT"

towards the "E" of "ONE", noting each time the end of the 10 mm. line.

The result is shown in the subjoined table:--

Measured from upper extremity of "U" the end of the 10 mm.

line touches right side of "O"; strikes base of "N"; or falls between the strokes of "N";

Measured from "T" the end of the 10 mm. line touches end of "E" reaches to about the middle of the lower horizontal stroke; or falls behind "E".

Measured from "N" end of 10 mm. line touches upper end of "E"; reaches to the middle of the upper horizontal stroke; or falls outside "E".

We are now well prepared to take up the several varieties.

PERIOD AFTER "POSTAGE".

BUST POINTS AT "G".

Base line of bust touches "G" to the left.

Back of bust opposite 2nd bar of "U" in Varieties 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11 and 12.

Unless otherwise stated the stamp measures 20-1/2 x 24-1/2 mm.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Variety 1:--"O" and "N" of "ONE" widely s.p.a.ced. "SP" near at top. "CENT": "CEN" widely s.p.a.ced at top. "NT" close.

"POSTAGE": "GE" near to inner frame line. Back of bust far from inner oval. 10 mm. from "U" strikes first bar of "N".

10 mm. from "N" touches "E". 10 mm. from "T" strikes a little into the lower bar of "E" of "POSTAGE".

Variety 2:--Widely s.p.a.ced between "U. S." and inner frame line. "ONE": "ONE" near. Wide s.p.a.ce between "U" of "U.S."

and "O" of "ONE". "CENT": "EN" close. Distance between "ONE"

and "CENT" only 3 mm. Back of bust far from inner oval line.

10 mm. from "U" touches right side of "O". " " " "N" touches middle of upper bar of "E" of "ONE". " " " "T" strikes a little into the lower bar of "E" of "POSTAGE".

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Variety 3:--"S" of "U. S." nearly touches inner frame line.

"CENT": "C" of "CENT" near inner frame line.