Scotts #602 US stamps

#602 - 1924 5¢ Perf. 10 vertically

5¢ - Blue
Printing Method: ROTARY PRESS
Subject: Theodore Roosevelt
Number issued: 205,241,000
Perforations: 10 vertically
Watermark: Unwatermarked
Scott #: 602
Issued: March 5th, 1924

Value for singles

Used (postmark)
$1
No postmark with gum (MH)
$1
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
$1.50 - $2.50

Value for pairs

Used (postmark)
$1- $2
No postmark with gum (MH)
$1 - $2
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
$3 - $4.50
double for line pairs

Joint Lines

An example of a joint line of #602. The word 'line' in 'joint line' refers to the line down the middle of the perforations in the middle of a pair stamps. This only occurs when two strips of 17 stamps join. They sell for double the value of pairs without this line.

Precancels

The precancel on #602 is fairly uncommon. A pair is worth around $20

First Day Cover

A first day cover of #602, March 5th, 1924

A Foreign Ambassador

Theodore Roosevelt was specifically for the 5¢ value because 5¢ was the standard foreign letter rate. If you lived anywhere in the world (shown above is a Russian Postman from the era) you were more likely to see the portrait of Teddy Roosevelt than any other president, Washington included.

Plate #'s

The following plate numbers were used for #602:

Number only
16089-90
16495
16566-67
16608-71
17493
17519-20, 86-87
17651-52
17762-63, 72-73
18035
18157-60
18394-96
18418-19, 41-44, 59-60
18789-90
18850-54

Please note that the plate numbers are not normally visible as the coil stamps had the sheet margins trimmed off at the top. However where the cutting of the stamps was misplaced the plate number can sometimes be visible.

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.