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Early U.S. stamps were printed by private printers in Philadelphia and New York.

Postmasters' Provisionals

There are no plate numbers on any of the provisional stamps issued by various postmasters before 1847.

1847 First issue

There are no plate numbers on the first U.S. stamps, the 5¢ Franklin and 10¢ Washington, Scott 1 and 2

New plates were made for the 1875 special printings, Scott 3 and 4. Technically they are "reproductions" and not reprints, since the new plates differed slightly from the originals, and the stamps were not valid for postage, having been devalued at the start of the Civil War.

1851 imperforate issue

Scott 7, 1¢ Franklin, pos 41L2, plate number 2

Scott 9, 1¢ Franklin pos 51L1L, plate number 1

Fewer than 10 plate number examples of Scott 9 are thought to exist, all from Plate 1.

Scott 10, 3¢ Washington, plate number 6

Scott 11, 3¢ Washington, plate number 4

Scott 11A, 3¢ Washington, plate number 5

Scott 14, 10¢ Washington, plate number 1

Scott 17, 12¢ Washington, imprint single, position 51L1

 

1857 issue, perforated

Scott 18 (top) and 20 (bottom), 1¢ Franklin, plate number 12

Image courtesy of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, from the Bill Gross collection

Scott 20, 1¢ Franklin, plate number 2

Scott 22, 1¢ Franklin, plate number 11

Scott 24, 1¢ Franklin, plate number 9

Scott 26, 2¢ Washington, plate number 25

Scott 26A, 2¢ Washington, brown carmine, plate number 11

Image courtesy of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, from the Bill Gross collection

Scott 30, 5¢ Jefferson Type I, plate number 2

Image courtesy of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, from the Bill Gross collection

Scott 30A, 5¢ Jefferson Type II, plate number 2

Scott 35, 10¢ Washington, plate number 2

Scott 37, 24¢ Washington, plate number 1

Image courtesy of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, from the Bill Gross collection

Scott 38, 30¢ Franklin, plate number 1

Image courtesy of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, from the Bill Gross collection

Scott 39, 90¢ Washington, plate number 1

Image courtesy of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, from the Bill Gross collection

 

1861, New designs due to the Civil War

All previous issues were demonetized, and new stamps with new designs were issued to postmasters in states that remained in the Union.

Scott 42, 5¢ Jefferson, 1875 special printing, left imprint single

Scott 42P3, 5¢ Jefferson, proof of 1875 special printing, plate number 2

Scott 45P3, 24¢ Washington, proof of 1875 special printing, plate number 1

Scott 46P3, 30¢ Franklin, proof of 1875 special printing, plate number 1

Scott 47P3, 90¢ Washington proof, 1875 special printing, plate number 1

Scott 56, 3¢ Washington, plate number 2

Scott 56TC3, 3¢ Washington trial color, plate number 2

Scott 57P3, 5¢ Jefferson proof on India paper, plate number 3

Scott 62B, 10¢ Washington, plate number 4

Image courtesy of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries

Scott 63, 1¢ Franklin, plate number 10

Image courtesy of Douglas Willinger

Scott 63E11c, 1¢ Franklin first design essay, plate number 1

Image courtesy of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries

Scott 63E11d, 1¢ Franklin first design essay, plate number 1

Scott 63TC5a, 1¢ Franklin trial color, rose, plate number 27

Image courtesy of Kelleher Auctions

Scott 63TC5d var, 1¢ Franklin trial color, deep red orange,
on surface starched paper unlisted in Scott, plate number 27

Image courtesy of Kelleher Auctions

Scott 63TC5e, 1¢ Franklin trial color, yellow orange, pair with plate number 27

Scott 63TC5f, 1¢ Franklin trial color, orange brown, pair with plate number 27

Scott 63TC5k, 1¢ Franklin trial color, described as "dull violet' but gray lilac in Scott, pair with plate number 27

Scott 63TC5l, 1¢ Franklin trial color, gray black, plate number 27

Image courtesy of Kelleher Auctions

Scott 63TC5m, 1¢ Franklin trial color, slate black, pair with plate number 27

Scott 63TC, 1¢ Franklin, Lowenberg trial color proof on surfaced paper, bright orange, plate number 27

Scott 63TCa, 1¢ Franklin, Lowenberg trial color proof on starched paper,
described as "dull carmine" but rose in Scott, plate number 27

Scott 63TC5p var, 1¢ Franklin, Lowenberg trial color proof on surface starched paper,
plate number 27

Image courtesy of eBay / buystamps

Scott 63TC6c, 1¢ Franklin trial color, deep red orange, plate number 27

Image courtesy of Kelleher Auctions

Scott 63TC6h, 1¢ Franklin trial color, described as "dull green" but yellow green in Scott, pair with plate number 27

Scott 63P3, 1¢ Franklin proof on India, plate number 56

The trial colors and the proof in blue were all printed from the same position of the same plate.

Scott 64, 3¢ Washington, pair with plate number 12

Scott 64b, 3¢ Washington, rose pink, plate number 23

Image courtesy of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, from the Bill Gross collection

Scott 65, 3¢ Washington, plate number 33

Scott 65-E15h, 3¢ orange red essay, plate number 2 (formerly Scott 56)

Image courtesy of Kelleher Auctions, from the Gerald Nylander collection

Scott 65TC1j, 3¢ Washington trial color, dark blue, plate number ?2 (from plate 32)

Scott 65TC1i, 3¢ Washington trial color proof, brown, plate number 34

Scott 65TC var, 3¢ Washington trial color proof, pale lilac (unlisted in Scott), underinked, pair with plate number 21

Scott 65P3, 3¢ Washington proof on India paper, plate number 44

Scott 65P5, 3¢ Washington proof on stamp paper, plate number 52

Image courtesy of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, from the Bill Gross collection

Scott 65P5, proof of 3¢ Washington essay on decal paper, plate number 19

Scott E65P5a, proof of 3¢ Washington essay on decal paper, plate number 19

Scott 66, 3¢ Washington, lake, plate number 34

Scott 66P3, 3¢ Washington proof on India paper, lake, plate number 55

Scott 67E9d, 5¢ Jefferson first design essay, plate number 3

Scott 68, 10¢ Washington, plate number 15

Scott 68P3, 10¢ Washington proof on India paper, plate number 59

Scott 68BP3, 10¢ Washington proof on India paper, plate number 4

Scott 69, 12¢ Washington, used, plate number 10

Image courtesy of Douglas Willinger

Scott 69P3, 12¢ Washington proof on India paper, plate number 60

Scott 70a, 24¢ Washington, plate number 6

Image courtesy of Douglas Willinger

Scott 71 var, 30¢ Franklin, misperfed vertically, plate number 7

Image courtesy of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, from the Bill Gross collection

Scott 71P3, 30¢ Franklin proof on India paper, plate number 7

Scott 71SB, 30¢ Franklin specimen, plate number 7, photographically cropped from the unique plate block of 8

Scott 72, 90¢ Washington, plate number 18

Scott 72P3, 90¢ Washington proof on India paper, plate number 18

Scott 72SB, 90¢ Washington specimen, pair with plate number 18

Scott 73, 2¢ Jackson, plate number 29

Scott 73E, 2¢ Jackson essay, plate number 30

Scott 73P3, 2¢ Jackson proof on India paper, plate number 28

Scott 73SB, 2¢ Jackson specimen, plate number 50

Photographically cropped from the bottom plate block of 8, which is thought to be unique.

Scott 76, 5¢ Jefferson, plate number 17

Image courtesy of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, from the Bill Gross collection

Scott 76P3, 5¢ Jefferson proof on India paper, plate number 58

Scott 77, 15¢ Lincoln, plate number 41

Scott 77P3, 15¢ Lincoln proof on India paper, plate number 41

Scott 78a, 24¢ Washington, grayish lilac, plate number 6

Image courtesy of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, from the Bill Gross collection

Scott 78P3, 24¢ Washington proof on India paper,  pair with plate number 6

Scott 79E15a, 3¢ Washington essay,  pair with plate number 36

The "essay" designation is not due to the stamp design nor the color, but rather the experimental "all-over" grill with points down.

Scott 79E15c, 3¢ Washington essay,  pair with plate number 52

Image courtesy of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, from the Bill Gross collection

The "essay" designation is not due to the stamp design nor the color, but rather the experimental "all-over" grill with points up.

Scott 79E15d, 3¢ Washington essay,  pair with plate number 34

The "essay" designation is not due to the stamp design nor the color, but rather the experimental "music box" grill.

Scott 79E65P5, 3¢ Washington essay, proof on goldbeaters skin,  plate number 21

Image courtesy of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries

Scott 85C, 3¢ Washington Z Grill, plate number 35

Image courtesy of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries

Scott 87, 2¢ Jackson E Grill, plate number 53

Scott 88, 3¢ Washington E Grill, plate number 36

Image courtesy of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, from the Bill Gross collection

Scott 91, 15¢ Lincoln E Grill, plate number 41

Scott 92, 1¢ Franklin F Grill, plate number 10

Image courtesy of Douglas Willinger

Scott 93, 2¢ Jackson F Grill, pair with plate number 51

Scott 94, 3¢ Washington F Grill, plate number 32

Image courtesy of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, from the Bill Gross collection

Scott 95, 5¢ Jefferson F Grill, plate number 17

Image courtesy of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, from the Bill Gross collection

Scott 96, 10¢ Washington F Grill, plate number 15

Image courtesy of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, from the Bill Gross collection

Scott 97, 12¢ Washington F Grill, plate number 16

Image courtesy of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, from the Bill Gross collection

Scott 98, 15¢ Lincoln F Grill, plate number 41

Image courtesy of Siegel Auction Galleries, from the Bill Gross collection.

Scott 99, 24¢ Washington F Grill, plate number 6

Image courtesy of Siegel Auction Galleries, from the Bill Gross collection.

 

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This page last updated August 5, 2023.