Scotts #476 US stamps

#476 - 1916 - Perf. 10 - Unwatermarked

See below for details

Basic Info

20¢ Pale ultramarine, bright ultramarine
Printing Method: FLATE PLATE
Subject: Benjamin Franklin
Number issued: 8,282,000
Perforations: 10
Watermark: Unwatermarked
Scott #: 476
Issued: December 5th, 1916

Value

Used
$1-$3
No postmark with gum (MH)
$80-$200
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
$250 - $325

What the 20¢ was used for?

This denomination was issued primarily for use on parcel post packages.

When the 1902 series was first issued requests were received from business men for some values between the 15 and 50 cent stamps. This request was at that time rejected by the Department. The increased use of mail service for sending packages had increased very rapidly with the introduction of the Parcel Post system and it was found necessary to add additional values to the ordinary. stamps when the discontinuance of special stamps for this service was decided upon.

Precancels

While these stamps were current, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing made the first experimental precanceled stamps. An example of precancel is shown above. Almost all precancels have a solid line above and below the location name. It is not unusual to see the precancel inverted.

A short life

There being only a change in the paper used for printing this stamp most of the collectors failed to get copies of this stamp in the short time it was current it is the scarcest Franklin stamp of this denomination. It was current for only about five months and because of the difficulty in finding the watermark on the previous series it was generally assumed that no change had taken place and dealers and collectors overlooked it.