Scotts #557 US stamps

#557 - 1922 Perf 11 5¢

5¢ Blue, deep blue, dark blue

Printing Method: FLAT PLATE
Subject: Theodore Roosevelt
Number issued: 780,624,677
Perforations: 11
Watermark: Unwatermarked
Scott #: 557
Issued: October 27th, 1922

#557 Value

Used
30¢
No postmark with gum (MH)
$3 - $6
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
$11 - $20

#557c

Perf 10 at top or bottom

#557c Value

Used
$8,000
No postmark with gum (MH)
No sales recorded
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
No sales recorded

#557a

Imperforate

Value for pairs

Used
No sales recorded
No postmark with gum (MH)
No sales recorded
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
$11,500

First Day Cover

#557 First Day Cover, October 27th, 1922

Plate #'s

#557 was issued with the following plate #'s

14066-69, 78-81
14285-88
14549-52, 65-68
14602-05
14848-51, 80-83
14916-19, 30-33
15147-50
16203-06, 27-30
75544-47, 68-71
15952
16330-33, 63-66, 91-94

Getting the Portrait Right

The source photograph by photographers Harris & Ewing

Specimen with original photograph

Essays

The engravers of the Bureau had considerable trouble over the portrait of the former President which is after a photograph by Harris and Ewing. It was considered by them to be the most difficult portrait they had engraved.

The engravers placed the chord for his spectacles on the right side of his face. Roosevelt wore the chord on his left side, shown in the original photo, as he was left handed. The engravers found that by faithfully copying the photograph with the dark background in the photo Teddy looked decidedly one dimensional. This meant shading the right side of his face which then dissolved into the dark background. In the end giving Roosevelts head a light background ended their dilemma.

Roosevelt was chosen by the Bureau as the 5¢ stamp was the most frequently seen worldwide as 5¢ was the standard rate for foreign mail.