The distance between the stamps varies considerably in different plates. In some, they are only 7/10 mm. apart between the tops and bottoms, in others a little over 1mm. In some they are only 9/10 mm. apart between the side lines, in other fully 1 2/10 mm. apart. Specimens with broad, white margins show the the paper to have extended, sometimes 15mm. beyond the stamps. The vertical lines are then 6mm. or 2 1/2, 3 and 3 1/2 mm. from the center rows. The makers imprint is about 1 1/2mm. from the outer rows, but varies slightly in different sheets.

Not until April 1st 1855 did it become compulsory to pre-pay (via a stamp or stamped envelope) to have your letter mailed.

The three cent stamp paid the ordinary letter rate, and two or more would be required on double, triple, etc., letters. The single postage to California was six cents which was the double letter rate. There was also the double rate to California supplied by four three cent stamps, etc. Double rate was defined as a distance exceeding 3,000 miles. A letter weighing less than 1/2 an ounce was single rate. Each additional 1/2 ounce was charged an additional single stamp (with the exception of CA, where it would an additional two stamps.

The foriegn rate was supplied by the 10 and 20c rate, so strips or singles of the 3c can be found on these as well. At this time pre payment of envelopes was optional. Many chose to have the letter paid for by recipient at the foreign destination.

If the letter was a drop letter (left at the post office) then the rate was only 1c. This was common of most advertising circulars.

The process of making these plates is said to have been ;

first to mark out on a soft plate of steel the points at which the right vertical line of each vertical row of stamps was to come, by a dot at the top and bottom of the plate. These dots were sometimes too large and too heavily put in, and may be found in some specimens at or near, the upper or lower right hand corner of the stamp.

The lines however were not always accurately drawn so that the dot appears (on the top or bottom line, at a distance to the left of the corner, or, above the line, or below the line, or entirely outside of the stamp to the right. These lines having been drawn, the next step in the process was to put in the body of the design, which had been engraved on a soft steel punch or die, and then hardened, by placing the die successively in the position to be occupied by each stamp on the plate, and " rocking" it back and forth under pressure.

As this process was not as perfect as that now employed, the die was not always placed in exactly the proper position, not infrequently being too near or too far from the vertical side lines, or the die was not rocked far enough, and the edges were left imperfect. In the design, it was evidently intended that the outside lines should be equally distant from the top and bottom labels, and the side edges of the block, and that the corners should be exactly mitered.

The top and bottom lines are practically always at the same distance from the labels, and one engraver maintains that they were engraved on the die. But specimens are plentiful in which the top and bottom line projects beyond the side line, or does not touch it, or rarely is double or split, or again the side line projects beyond the top or bottom line, or does not touch it.

Again, instead of the side line being at the proper distance from the corner blocks, it is not infrequently too far from one or more of them, or too near one or more of them, or touches one or more of them. Again, the side line is found connecting with the next stamp above or below, and occasianally there is a second line near this between two stamps.

In the die itself it will be noticed that the lower left block is almost always a little further to the left than the top one, in fact, that the distance from the right of the right block to the left of the left block is about 1/4 of a mm. greater at the bottom than at the top of the stamp.

The lower right rosette is a little too far also to the right, ordinarily at least.

The blocks vary in size in the same and different stamps, as well as the diamonds in them, which are not of uniform shape or size. The labels above and below are crowded upon the rosettes. The sides of the groundwork should terminate in a straight line, formed by the bases of the little colored triangles, which touch each other. But this line is often broken in appearance as parts of it are too finely cut, or the die was not rocked far enough. In some cases this seems to have been remedied by re-engraving this line.