Scotts #264 US stamps

#264 - 1895 Watermarked 1¢

1¢
Pale blue, blue, dark blue, indigo

Printing Method: Engraved
Subject: Benjamin Franklin
Number issued: 1,971,338,063
Perforations: P12
Watermark: Double Line USPS
Scott #: 264
Issued: April 29th, 1895

Value

Used
25¢ - 50¢
No postmark with gum (MH)
$1 - $4
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
$45 - $100

A full Pane

A full pane of 100 of #264, there were four panes to a sheet of 400

Earliest Date of Use

The earliest recorded example, May 17th 1895

Triangles in the corner

As this was the Bureau of Printing and Engraving contract a small triangle was cut into the design at top left and top right in order to distinguish this printing from the earlier 1890 series

Watermark

Unlike the 1894 1¢ Franklins this stamp is watermarked. The double line USPS watermark on the stamp is shown above

A "Putty faced Franklin"

Previous versions of Franklins portrait on the 1¢ stamp had Franklin facing to the right. This, along with the pale blue color were the principle reasons that this design was disliked by the general public. The NY Times said that Franklin facing to the left 'entirely altered his expression and making him resemble a putty-faced personification of senility'.

Plate #'s

#264 was issued with the following plate #'s

400 subject plates
24, 29, 33, 35, 98-99, 101-102, 119-122,
165-168, 177-180, 234, 237, 240, 245,
276-278, 280, 295-301, 304, 308, 310
313-314, 333-336, 344-348, 350, 352
355, 360, 362, 365-367, 369-371, 439-446
452-455, 493-496