Issued: 22nd February 1890, earliest recorded example is the 8th May, 1890.

Plate Size: Sheets of 200 subjects (2 panes of 100)

Printer: The American Bank Note Company

Watermark: None

Quantity Issued: Only 9,253,400 issued, an uncommon stamp.

 

Without knowing it, the 1890 series was to be the American Bank Note Company's (ABN Co.) last printing of postage stamps. Until the flag overun series of the forties all stamps after this series were to be printed by the Bureau of printing and engraving.

On the left is shown the detail of a stamp from the 1890 series, note the absence of a triangle in the top left hand corner of the design. All the Bureau issues had a triangle cut into the design as shown on the right.

You will also notice the tremendous difference in quality between the two stamps. By 1890 the ABN Co. had perfected the art of printing postage stamps and it shows by the even ink sharp design and clean perforations. Contrast this with the spotty faded ink and uneven perforations on the Bureau's stamp on the right.

The source photograph of James Garfield is shown below, followed by the Bureau of Engravings Master Die of the President, folllowed by the design used in the stamp.

There are no known varieties.

224-P2
Roosevelt Proof

#224-P2a
Panama Pacific large die proof
Yellowish wove paper

#224 - TC1
Large Die Trial Color Proof
On India, die sunk on card

#224 - TC4
Trial Color Proof
Gummed Wove Paper

#224 - P4
Plate Proof on India

#224 - TC6
Trial Color Proof
on wove paper