Evening star., 1902-03-01
NEW SERIES OF STAMPS
DESIGNS ARE NOW IN COURSE OF
PREPARATION.
One New Face Will Make It's Appear
ance-Attractive and Dis
tinctive.

received instructions from the Post Office
Department to prepare designs for an en-
tire new series of postage stamps. The
engra wing branch of the bureau is now at
work upon the preliminaries in connection
with the new series.
The question of a new series of stamps
was discussed in the fall, following the
death of President Mckinley, and at that
time the impression prevailed that When
the new set was ordered the portrait or
President Mckinley would surely adorn
one Of the denominations. Undoubtedly
that was the plan at that time, but the de-
partment concluded to place the portrait
of the late president upon a new postal
card of unique design, and this removed
him. in a sense from the list of eligibles.
However, a new face will appear upon
one of the stamps; that of the late Pres1-
dent Harrison. In order that there might
he a place for his portrait, at the same
time giving the public the best service,
new denOmina ton was created-a tnlrteeh-
cent stamp. There will be practically no
demand for a stamp of this value lor 40
mestic use. but for foreign use there is
place for this denomination. Thirteen cents
represents the cost of sending registered
letter weighing not more than oie-n
ounce to any country WITHIN ',ne ssaru pos,a,
union Heretofore it has been necessary
to use a five and an eight cent stamp.
Mrs. Benjamin Harrison has furnisned tne
department a photograph of Gen Harrison
which meets her approval lor TIE puipo"e
proposed.
Aside from the introduction OF General
Harrisons face into the postal saierS VI
notables only one other chanSe VIII pe
made in the personnel of the series; Com
modore Perry, whose face has adorned the
40-cent value from 1870 down to 1874 ana
the 81 from 1894 to the present date. VIII
be superseded upon the 81 denomnation
fov
Farragut. Commodore Perry disappears
permanently. AS at present constituted
the full set is as follows:
1-cent green, face of Franklin.
2-cent carmne, face of Washington
3-cent. purple. face of Jackson.
4-cent, dark brown. face Of Lincoln
scent chocolate, face of Grant
6-cent, red brown, face OF Garheld.
Scent mauve, face of Sherman.
1O-cent, face of Webster.
15-cent, dark blue, face of clay.
5O-cent. orange, face of jefferson.
ST. black. face of Perry
s., sapphire, face of Madison.
s.. dark green, face of Marshall.
The present series of postage stamps mas
been in continuous use for just twelve
wears which is much longer than the ll1e
Of the ordinary. series. There have been
some changes since 1890, such as substltu-
ton of the JU-Cent for the 80; the VI Tor the
9;Acent addition of the 81 and 70 values
and some slight changes OF interest TO
stamp collectors, but the size, designs and
colors of most of the stamps are the same
as in 1880 True there have been the Co
lumbar, trans-Mississippi and pan-Ameri-
can series but these We're "commemora-
tive and in use only during a limited per-
iod. The regular series stamps were al
ways on sale in connection with the spe-
cial stamps.
Attractive in Design.
The Post Office Department has requested
the bureau to spread itself In the prep
aration Of designs for the new stamps
This Is not the language used. but the
bureau is requested to take special pains
to make the series particularly attractive
and distinctive.
1t is suggested that the Pan-American
stamps were extremely satisfactory from
an artistic standpoint, and the hope is ex-
pressed that the new set may be equally as
fine specimens Of American handiWOrk.
The director of the bureau of engraving
ard printing has entered into the spirit OF
the enterprise, and it may be assumed the
designs finally accepted will represent the
very highest type of stamp production, both
in point of conception and execution.
1t is proposed that everything in connec-
ton with the series shall be new. New de-
signs for borders will be drawn, new shades
of color employed and the new stamps may
be of different size and shape. The Post
Office Department has requested the bureau
TO secure, if possible, new portraits, and
better ones If obtanable.
faces of Franklin, Washington and Jackson.
on the 1, and Scent stamps, are side
views as are also Jefferson and Perry on
the JO-cent and 81. 1t is the desire of the
department that new portraits for these
values, at least, showing the subjects facing
three-quarters Seven-eighths full, shall
be substituted.
1t is proposel that above the face the
words 'Series 1902 shall appear I'm small
type, and below. the name Of the subject
with the date of birth and death.
The ten-cent special delivery stamps VIII
be slightly changed In design, and the color
will be orange instead of blue.
1t is interesting to note that since 1861 but
two presidents have not been hOnored by
placing their portrait upon postage stamp
johnson and Arthur-Cleveland, still l!v-
ing, not being eligible.
In the first entire series. In 1851, WASH
ington appeared upon all the denominations
save two-Franklin on the one and Jack
son on the five In the 1870 series Stanton
appeared upon the seven-cent. Scott upon
the twenty-four and Hamilton upon the
thirty-cent. All have been permanently su-
perseded or the denomination abolished.
Zachary Taylor appeared upon the ffve-cent
value in 1873. when the value was created
but disappeared in 1882. giving way to Gar
field.
1t is not unlikely that when another new
design for postal card shall be adopted-
and these designs change often-that Presi-
dent Mckinley will take place upon a
postage stamp, possibly superseding Sher-
man on the eight or Webster on the ten
cent. ..,Ss'+sc