Scotts #147 US stamps

#147 - 1870 without grill 3¢

3¢
Green, pale green, dark green, pale green or yellow green

Type of Paper: Hard white wove paper, thin to medium thick
Subject: George Washington
Number issued: 250,000,000
Perforations: 12
Scott #: 147
Printer: National Bank Note Company
Earliest Documented Use: March 1, 1870

Value

Used
$1 - $3
No postmark with gum (MH)
$25 - $35
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
$250- $450

Postal rates at the time

Up to 3000 miles, per ½ oz.: 3 cents
Over 3000 miles, per ½ oz.: 10 cents
Drop letters: 2 cents
Mainly used for domestic first class mail as a result quite commonly found today

Plate #'s

#147 was issued with the following plate #'s

Imprint and plate number
1-11, 25, 29, 31-32, 36-44, 54-55

The design inspiration

Bust of George Washington
by Jean-Antoine Houdon
1785
The source of the design

Printed both sides

Printed both sides
147a

Double Impression

Double Impression
147b

#147 Characteristics

The shades

A shade with a check mark could be #147

The paper

#147 is printed on hard white wove paper, thin to medium thick.

Hard paper was used by the National Bank Note Company and the Continental Bank Note Company. Soft paper was used by the American Bank Note Company,

The hard paper of the Bank Note issues is fairly white, perhaps it might better be called grayish white or sometimes a somewhat bluish white, while the soft paper seems slightly yellowish when compared with the hard paper.

Soft paper has a looser weave and more porous paper than hard paper, so it feels softer, displays a mesh or weave when viewed by holding the stamp between your eyes and light so that you are looking “through” the stamp.

Some people can also ID hard paper be “flicking” the edges and thereby “feeling” the stiffness of the paper versus the feel of soft paper if flicked in the same way. There's more of a snap to the hard paper.

On high magnification the perforation tips on soft paper will have more strands of paper sticking out than hard paper.

Soft paper is fairly dead looking under a long wave UV light ( (briefly and from a reasonable distance in a darkened room) while hard paper reflects more light. If reference copies of stamp designs known only on hard paper or soft paper are viewed under UV light, the difference in paper brightness should be apparent.

For a reference stamp obtain the inexpensive 1861 3¢ (#65), it is only available in hard paper.

A simple test is to hold a stamp to a lamp, you will see the hard paper is more translucent.

The Secret Mark

Look for a shadow of the tail on the upper tail at the bottom left has been strengthened This was a 'secret mark' that identifies #158 if it is hard paper, #184 if it is soft paper and #207 if it is the re-engraved design.

Klan support

A KKK postmark from Wisconsin. These KKK postmarks can be found from all over the US. They are scarce and carry a good value.

The Klu Klux Klan was very much active in the north as well as the south. Above is a 1870 photograph of KKK supporters in the north. In 1870, there was no shame in showing your support for the KKK, hence none of the infamous hoods that were worn years later are in this photograph.