US Postage 1 Cent Franklin Stamp History and Value

The US Postage 1 Cent Franklin Stamp has a rich history that's worth exploring. The stamp was first issued in 1847 and was the first US postage stamp to feature a portrait of Benjamin Franklin.

The 1 Cent Franklin Stamp was designed by George Endicott and was printed by the firm of Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson. It's interesting to note that the stamp was initially intended to be a temporary measure, but it ended up being a popular and enduring design.

The 1 Cent Franklin Stamp was widely used during the 19th century, with over 125 million copies printed. This stamp was a significant part of the US postal system and played a key role in shaping the country's mail service.

The US Postage 1 Cent Franklin stamp was first issued in 1847. It was the first postage stamp issued by the United States.

The stamp featured a portrait of Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the country. He was a renowned statesman, scientist, and philosopher.

The 1 Cent Franklin stamp was printed in black ink on a buff-colored paper. This unique color made it stand out from other stamps of the time.

The stamp measured 24 x 30 mm, which is relatively small compared to modern stamps.

The 1 cent Franklin stamp is a relatively rare find, with only a small number of sheets printed. This scarcity contributes to its value.

The 1856 issue, in particular, is highly sought after by collectors due to its low printing quantity and unique design.

The 1851-56 Imperforate Issue was a significant development in the world of stamps. This new series of stamps was introduced to accommodate lower postal rates, with domestic deliveries of up to 3,000 miles charged only 3 cents per half-ounce and local delivery charges reduced to 1 cent.

The one cent blue Franklin stamp introduced at this time is one of the most thoroughly studied of any stamp. This is due in part to the original design being slightly too large to fit in a 200 stamp plate, resulting in various outer elements being trimmed away to squeeze the stamps into the plate.

Collectors have identified numerous types of the one cent Franklin stamp based on how much of the design was trimmed. For example, the Franklin - blue - Type II stamp is missing its lower balls and plumes, and can be found for $500 in mint condition or $90 used.

The value of these stamps can vary greatly depending on their condition and rarity. The Franklin - blue - Type IIIa stamp, which has either its top or bottom line broken but not both, can be found for $500 used.

Some stamps from this issue are much more valuable than others. The 3 cent Washington stamp in orange brown, for example, can be found for $1,350 in mint condition.

Here are some specific values for stamps from the 1851-56 Imperforate Issue:

The 5 cent Jefferson stamp in red brown, Type I, can be found for an unspecified amount used, but the 10 cent Washington stamp in green, Type I, is not listed with a value.

The US Ben Franklin Used Stamp Green Extremely Rare is a true gem for collectors. It's one of the rarest stamps in the world.

This stamp was issued in 1868 and only 24 copies were printed. That's a tiny fraction of the usual print run.

Its extreme rarity makes it highly valuable. In fact, one of these stamps sold for $1.2 million in an auction.

The Ben Franklin stamp is considered one of the Holy Grails of philately. It's a must-have for serious collectors.

The stamp's value is largely due to its scarcity and historical significance.

To identify the different types of 1 cent Franklin stamps, you should first look for the gauge perforations. Some stamps, like Scott 581, have gauge 10 perforations in both dimensions.

The perforation spacing is the main difference between Scott 581 and Scott 596, which also has gauge 10 perforations but is taller than Scott 552 flat-plate sheet stamps.

Precise measurement of the perforations is necessary to distinguish between Scott 632, which has gauge 11 perforations across the top and bottom, and gauge 10½ perforations along the left and right edges.

Horizontal format coil stamps, such as Scott 597, have straight edges at the top and bottom and gauge 10 perforations on the left and right sides.

The 1894 1c Franklin, Blue stamp is a significant issue in the history of US postage stamps. It was issued in 1894, with an exact date uncertain.

This stamp features a blue color and has a perforation of 12. It's also notable for being the first stamp to be printed by the United States Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP).

The BEP began printing postage stamps for the first time with the issue of the 1894 series. Until then, contracts had been awarded to private companies for the production of stamps.

The BEP's bid for the contract was almost $7,000 less than the lowest bid submitted by private companies. Despite protests, they were awarded the contract and have since printed most of the US postage stamps.

The 1¢ Franklin coin has some look-alikes that can be tricky to spot.

The 1943 copper cent is a notable look-alike, featuring a similar reverse design to the 1¢ Franklin coin.

The 1944 steel cent is another look-alike, although it has a distinct magnetic property.

The Indian Head cent has a different obverse design, but it shares a similar reverse design with the 1¢ Franklin coin.

The Lincoln cent has a distinctly different obverse design, but it shares a similar reverse design with the 1¢ Franklin coin.

The 1943 steel cent is a look-alike that can be easily mistaken for the 1¢ Franklin coin, but it can be identified by its magnetic property.

The Indian Head cent and Lincoln cent are both look-alikes that can be identified by their distinct obverse designs.

Scott 581 has gauge 10 perforations in both dimensions, making it easily distinguishable from other look-alikes.

The printed design of Scott 581 is the same size as Scott 596, but the difference lies in the perforation spacing.

Scott 632 has gauge 11 perforations across the top and bottom, and gauge 10½ perforations along the left and right edges, requiring precise measurement to identify.

Scott 597 is a horizontal format coil stamp with straight edges at the top and bottom, and gauge 10 perforations on the left and right sides.

All horizontal format coil and coil waste stamps have wider printed designs than any of the other look-alikes, including Scott 597.

Scott 604 is a vertical format 1¢ Franklin coil stamp with straight edges at the left and right, and gauge 10 perforations at the top and bottom, making it the tallest design of all the 1¢ Franklins.