Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-01-09

perforation. unused, are worth a fortune
each.
From 1861 to 1866 the denominations Of
and 10 cents were added. The full face
of Andrew JACKSON appears upon the 2
cent, and 1T is claimed this is the poorest
stamp from an artistic point of view the
United States ever issued. The face is
very large, covering almost the entire
stamp, and printed in black, a most I'M
slightly label The face of the martyred
Lincoln is imprinted upon the 10 cents. be-
ing a reproduction from n favorite photo
graph. This was Lincoln's first appear
ance upon a postage stamp, and since
that time no series of regular postage
stamps in the United States has appeared
thai ne has not stood shoulder to shoulder
with Franklin and Washington.
In 1851 It was found that certain per-
sons were removing the canceling ink By
means of chemicals and using the stamps
a second time. To obviate this fraudulent
practice It was ordered that all postage
stamps be embossed. an for three years
every sheet of stamps was placed under
specially devised machine which made
little square Of pin pricks upon the
face of each stamp. When the stamp
was cancelled the ink penetrated these
pin pricks to the back of the paper and
prevented the successful cleaning Of the
stamps.
In 1869 the department issued it's first
series of stamps in two colors, or rather,
partial series. The head of Franklin ap-
pears upon the 1 cent, a postman, riding
a horse going at breakneck speed is de-
picted upon the cent, an old-fashioned
od-burning, funnell stacked locomo-
tive is the central picture of the cent;
Washington's face is upon the cent;
great eagle with outstretched wings, rest
ing upon a shield, representing the 10 cent;
an ocean steamship badly tossed about, is
the vignette of the u cent. The .two-color
stamps begin with the 10 cent value, which
represents the landing of Columbus, after
painting in the capitol building in Wash
ington. The picture is in blue, with bor-
der and ornamental work in light brown.
The "A cent is a reproduction of Trum-
| bulls famous painting, Declaration Of
independence" in Washington. The pic
ture is in purple border and ornamental
work in green. The 80 cents represent an
eagle upon a shield, in carmine; upon
background and border of carmine, in the
80 cents. For various reasons this series
of stamps was not a success, and was SUI
perseded year later, in 1870, by an entire
ly new set. In some manner a sheet OF
each of the 10, "a and 80 cent stamps of the
1859 issue got out with the picture upside
down. These stamps are very scarce. and
fine copy. unused, will bring close to a
thousand dollars.
| With the issue of 1879 a number Of new
faces appear upon stamps-Clay. Webster
| Scott, Hamilton, and Perry, warriors and
| statesmen, but not president. The series
| comprised l cent (face of franklin), 2
| cents (Jackson), 8 cents Washington, s
cents Lincoln), 10 cents (Jefferson), II
cents CLAY. 10 cents (Webster), "a cents
| (ScotD, 80 cents (Hamilton), 80 cents
| (Perry)
In 1871. to meet the demand OCCASION
ed by reduction in foreign postage, the Z
cent value was added and Stantons face
appeared. the stamp being printed in
| bright vermilion. In 1874 the foreign rate
| of postage was again reduced, this time
| to cents, and a former president, Zacha-
ry Taylor, was selected to do the honors
on this stamp. The new postal treaty rem
| dered unnecessary the Z, u and "a cents
| stamps and the faces of Stanton, Clay and
/ Scott disappeared, the first and last mem
toned not to reappear again.
Upon the death of President Garfield
new design, quite exceptional, was
| made for the cent stamp and Gar
| fields portrait superseded that of Tay-
Tor. who disappeared from the stage per-
/ manenty. 81.
! In 1883 the rate for letter postage was
reduced from to 2 cents and Washing
/ ton and Jackson changed places, the 8
| cent stamp disappeared entirely for the
/ time, and Jackson's face illumined a new
| denomination, the 4 cents. In 1877 the 3
/ cent value was again put into use and
/ the face of Washington appeared upon
/ 1t as we'll as upon the cent value. In
| 1883 and 30 cents was changed from black
| to orange, the 80 cents from carmine to
| purple, and the cents green to carnine.
/ In 1890 a series with new designs, de-
| nominations and faces appeared. In this
set Washington. and Franklin retain their
places upon the ! and 2 cents; Jackson
| takes Washington's place upon the 8
cents; Lincoln supersedes jackson on the
4 cents; General Grant whb had died
| short while previously, took Garfields
| place upon the cents the latter portrait
| being transferred to the cents. An en-
| tirely new value, the s cents, was added
/ and the grim old warrior William Te-
! cumseh Sherman, appeared in the postal
/ gallery. Webster takes Jeffersons place
/ on the 10 cents. Clay comes to the fore
| again on the 10 cents. Jefferson is trans
| ferred to the so cents, a new denomination
| and Perry appears on the 81 value, super
/ sedng the old 80 cents.
At this point two new values were in
| augurated. the 81, with the new face of
| President Madison, and the IS. bearing
| good likeness of John Marshall.
! In 1893 commemorative issue, known
as the Columbian series, from 1 cent to
! IS. was printed, said to be the finest Sc
| ries of postage stamps ever issued by any
1 country. There were 16 designs all relat-
! ing 20 and descriptive of the discovery of
| America by Columbus.
| In 1898 a series especially commemora-
| tive of the Mississippi exposition
! at Omaha, was printed. There were nine
I values. from l cent to 81. No portraits
| appeared upon the stamps, the designs
! depicting life in the great northwest.
In 1901 beginning with May !, the beau
| tiful Pan American stamps were placed on
| sale. These stamps are in two colors and
pronounced by French critics to be works
! of art. AS was the case with the two
! color series in 1869, few sheets of the
| and cent denominations escaped from
! the bureau with the steamboat and train
| inverted, and these stamps. unused now,
! command from $50 to so each.
| Whether a commemorative series for
\ the Louisiana Purchase exposition, in st.
| Louis, will be issued cannot be said. How
| ever the department has indicated its
willingness to consider such a PROPOSE
! ton.
A number Of unique changes in the
| general new series referred to at the out
| set are contemplated. In, this set the like.
| ness of President Mckinley will surely
| appear, and George Washington may, for
| the first time since his profile had a place
| upon postage stamp, be seen full facing,
! instead of side view.
| Last years gifts to colleges and schools will
reach total OF SIS. 000 000 or $40 900, 900 more