1879 American Bank Note Company

These stamps have a secret mark, which distinguishes them
from the issues of the National Bank Company. Click here to refer our
guide to the secret marks. Due to the soft porous paper of
this issue the impressions are less detailed than earlier bank note issues.


1c - Dark ultramarine, gray blue or blue
590,000,000 - Soft porous paper - Scott #182 - 1879

 
NY Auction Houses
 
MNH
MH
Used
MNH
Graded
MH
Graded
Spring 2004
-
$30-$50
$1-$3
-
-
-
-
Fall 2004
-
$20-$25
$1-$2
-
-
-
-
Spring 2005
-
$35
$1-$3
$200-$2,100
-
-
-
Fall 2005
$170
$40-$60
<$1
$850  
-
-
-
Spring 2006
$100
$30
$1-$6
-
-
$260
-
Fall 2006
-
$30-$50
$1-$5
$2,900
90
$425
-
-
-
-
$1,500
95
-
-
Spring 2007
-
$30-$35
$1-$7
-
-
$120
85
-
-
-
-
-
$239
95
Fall 2007
$175
-
$1
$950
85
-
-
Spring 2008
-
$30-$40
<$1
-
-
$600
90
Fall 2008
-
$26-$50
$1-$3
$1,050
85
$600
90
-
-
-
-
-
$800
90J
Spring 2009
-
$24-$25
$1-$2
$1,000
90
-
-
Fall 2009
-
$28-$45
$1-$3
-
-
$1,600
98J
Spring 2010
$100
$25-$26
$1-$2
-
-
$2,000
98J
Fall 2010
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2012
-
-
-
-
-
-
-



2c -  Vermilion or orange vermilion
440,000,000 - Soft porous paper - Scott #183 - 1879

 
NY Auction Houses
 
Spring 2004
-
$10-$20
$1-$2
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2004
-
$20-$30
$1-$3
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2005
$95
$30-$45
$1-$3
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2005
-
-
$2-$5
$675
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2006
-
$45-$55
$1-$17
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2006
-
$45-$70
$1-$2
$625
85
$1,450
98
-
-
-
-
-
$850
90
-
-
-
-
Spring 2007
-
$20-$25
$1-$5
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2007
$145
$15-$22
$1
$900
90
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
$5,500
95J
-
-
-
-
Spring 2008
-
$18-$35
$1-$5
$2,600-$2,800
95
$160
-
$170
95
Fall 2008
-
$15-$30
$1-$4
$325
80
-
-
$140
95
-
-
-
$3,250
95J
-
-
-
-
Spring 2009
-
$11-$21
$1-$4
$280
80
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
$700
90
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
$1,600
95
-
-
-
-
Fall 2009
-
$10-$18
$1-$3
$2,300
95
-
-
-
-
Spring 2010
-
$10-$22
$1-$3
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2010
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2012
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


3c - Green, light green or dark green
1,300,000,000 - Soft porous paper - Scott #184 - 1879

 
NY Auction Houses
 
Fall 2003
-
-
-
$150-$450
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2004
$25-$40
$20-$30
$1-$2
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2004
$25-$30
$10-$20
$1-$3
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2005
-
-
-
$325
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2005
-
$10-$25
$1-$3
$600
-
$200
-
-
-
Spring 2006
-
$100
$1-$2
$210-$290
-
$190-$210
-
-
-
Fall 2006
$100
$13-$28
$1-$4
-
-
$180-$190
90
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
$325
90J
-
-
Spring 2007
-
$13-$20
$1-$3
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2007
-
$15
$1-$2
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2008
-
$23
$1-$4
-
-
-
-
$135
95
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
$135
95J
Fall 2008
-
$10-$19
$1-$3
$950
90
-
-
$100
95
Spring 2009
-
$10-$45
$1-$4
$600-$750
90
$260
95
$350
95J
Fall 2009
$75
$14-$35
$1-$3
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2010
$25
$10
$1-$2
-
-
$90
85J
$210
95J
Fall 2010
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2012
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-



3c - Green, light green or dark green
Double Impression - Soft porous paper - Scott #184b - 1879
Less than five known
Spring 2006 Auction - Used $8,000


THE STORY OF THE 5c DESIGN

To this series, a five cents value was added in 1875 to serve for the foreign letter rate. It was suggested to General Grant, by Mr. Jewell, the Postmaster-General, that he, Grant, should permit his portrait to appear on the new stamp. " General Grant did not agree with this Cabinet Offer. Finally, he suggested that if Mr. Jewell would insist upon consulting his wishes he would be well pleased if the portrait of old Zac Taylor, with whom he served in the Mexican war, could be used. Instead of instructing the then contractors to prepare a portrait of General Taylor, which would be in harmony with the other stamps, Mr. Jewell found in the Bureau of Engraving and Printing a portrait of Taylor. This portrait was transmogrified into the five cent stamp. It was poorly engraved and much critized at the time, it was soon replaced by Garfield's portrait.



5c - Blue, bright blue, light blue or dark blue
42,000,000 - Soft porous paper - Scott #185 - 1879

 
NY Auction Houses
 
Spring 2004
-
-
$2-$5
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2004
$275-$325
-
$2-$7
-
-
$600-$700
-
-
-
Spring 2005
-
$60
$2-$4
-
-
$1,400
-
-
-
Fall 2005
-
-
$3-$4
-
-
$700-$1,000
-
-
-
Spring 2006
-
$50
$1-$10
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2006
-
$45-$55
$1-$6
$2,000
85
$850
95
-
-
Spring 2007
-
$130-$190
$2-$7
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2007
-
-
$2-$8
-
-
$3,250
98
-
-
Spring 2008
-
-
$2-$13
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2008
-
$50-$95
$1-$7
-
-
-
-
$75
90
Spring 2009
-
$35-$65
$1-$3
-
-
$260
80
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
$475
85
-
-
-
-
-
$2,600
90
-
-
-
-
Fall 2009
-
$45
$2-$8
-
-
$600
85J
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
$1,200
95
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
$1,600
98
-
-
Spring 2010
-
$50
$1-$4
-
-
$2,100
98
$2,100
98
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
$4,750
98J
Fall 2010
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2012
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-



6c - Pink, dull pink or brown rose
24,000,000 - Soft porous paper - Scott #186 - 1879

 
NY Auction Houses
 
Spring 2003
-
-
-
-
-
$350
-
Fall 2003
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2004
-
-
$3-$10
-
-
-
-
Fall 2004
-
-
$3-$7
-
-
-
-
Spring 2005
-
-
$2-$9
-
-
$250
-
Fall 2005
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2006
-
$100
$3-$36
-
-
$2,100
-
Fall 2006
-
-
$3-$30
-
-
$1,900
85J
Spring 2007
-
-
$4-$13
-
-
$425
70
Fall 2007
-
$315
$4-$10
$12,000
90
$270
85
Spring 2008
-
$635
$3-$6
-
-
$400
-
Fall 2008
-
$230
$2-$4
-
-
$3,500
95
Spring 2009
-
-
$2-$6
$650
80
-
-
Fall 2009
-
-
$2-$6
-
-
-
-
Spring 2010
-
$190
$2-$10
-
-
-
-
Fall 2010
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2012
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


10c - Brown or yellow brown 
Without secret mark
16,000,000 - Soft porous paper - Scott #187 - 1875

 
NY Auction Houses
 
Spring 2003
-
-
-
-
$900-$1,900
-
-
-
Fall 2003
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2004
-
-
$3-$6
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2004
-
-
$3-$8
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2005
-
-
$4-$10
-
$1,600
-
-
-
Fall 2005
-
$300
$3-$30
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2006
-
-
$2-$8
-
$4,000
-
-
-
Fall 2006
-
$255
$3-$4
-
$8,000
90
-
-
Spring 2007
-
$210-$470
$6-$11
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2007
-
-
$6-$10
-
$3,000-$3,500
-
-
-
Spring 2008
-
-
$3-$11
-
$2,600
-
-
-
Fall 2008
-
$230
$5-$8
-
$4,250
90
$1,000
95J
Spring 2009
-
-
$3-$5
-
$1,400
-
$180
90
-
-
-
-
$5,500
90J
-
-
Fall 2009
-
-
$5-$16
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2010
-
-
$2-$6
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2010
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2012
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


10c - Brown, black brown or yellow brown 
With secret mark
22,000,000 - Soft porous paper - Scott #188 - 1875

 
NY Auction Houses
 
Spring 2003
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2003
-
-
-
-
-
$1,000-$3,000
-
-
-
Spring 2004
-
-
$3-$6
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2004
-
-
$6-$12
-
-
$2,000-$4,250
-
-
-
Spring 2005
-
-
$3-$9
-
-
$2,500
-
-
-
Fall 2005
-
-
$3-$9
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2006
-
-
$3-$55
$6,250
-
$800-$1,700
-
-
-
Fall 2006
$4,000
-
$2-$28
-
-
$2,700
90
-
-
Spring 2007
-
-
$3-$35
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2007
-
-
$2-$10
-
-
$4,000
90J
-
-
Spring 2008
-
-
$2-$11
-
-
$3,000-$4,750
-
-
-
Fall 2008
-
-
$4-$9
-
-
-
-
$180
90J
Spring 2009
-
$90 (ng)
$2-$5
-
-
$1,100
85
$140
90
Fall 2009
-
-
$3-$15
$18,000
95
-
-
-
-
Spring 2010
-
-
$3-$13
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2010
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2012
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


15c - Yellow orange, pale orange or reddish orange 
Centering is commonly better
15,000,000 - Soft porous paper - Scott #189 - 1879

 
NY Auction Houses
 
Spring 2003
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2003
-
-
-
-
-
$500-$1,000
-
Spring 2004
-
-
$4-$9
-
-
-
-
Fall 2004
-
$85-$100
$8-$19
-
-
$190
-
Spring 2005
-
-
$2-$9
$1,400
-
-
-
Fall 2005
-
-
$2-$6
-
-
$450
-
Spring 2006
-
$50-$280
$8-$28
-
-
$200-$375
-
Fall 2006
-
-
$2-$9
$2,300
-
$1,800
90
-
-
-
-
-
$2,000
95
Spring 2007
$210
$50-$90
$2-$10
-
-
$375
85
Fall 2007
-
-
$2-$20
-
-
-
-
Spring 2008
-
-
$3-$20
$5,750
95
$325
-
Fall 2008
$505
$50-$150
$3-$10
$1,800
90
$750
95
-
-
-
$4,000-$5,000
95
-
-
Spring 2009
$295-$415
$35-$75
$3-$7
$850
85
$400
90J
-
-
-
$700
90
-
-
-
-
-
$4,000-$4,250
95
-
-
Fall 2009
-
$55-$150
$3-$10
$4,250-$8,000
98
-
-
Spring 2010
-
-
$3-$6
-
-
$400
95
Fall 2010
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2012
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


30c - Full black or greenish black
XF centering is hard to find on this issue
4,000,000 - Soft porous paper - Scott #190 - 1879

 
NY Auction Houses
 
Spring 2003
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2003
-
-
-
-
$350-$2,000
-
-
-
Spring 2004
-
$5-$25
$5,000
-
$1,000
-
-
-
Fall 2004
-
$10-$30
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2005
-
$10-$40
-
-
$1,450
-
-
-
Fall 2005
-
$7-$20
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2006
-
$5-$30
-
-
$240-$2,300
-
-
-
Fall 2006
$1,750
$5-$35
-
-
$3,250
95
-
-
-
-
-
-
$8,500
95J
-
-
Spring 2007
-
$9-$35
-
-
$1,700
90
-
-
-
-
-
-
$4,500
95
-
-
Fall 2007
-
$6-$25
-
-
$6,000
95
-
-
Spring 2008
-
$10-$35
$4,500
90
$450-$800
-
-
-
Fall 2008
$435
$5-$20
-
-
$850
80
$130
85
-
-
-
-
$2,700
95
$500
95
-
-
-
-
$6,250
95J
$1,400
98
Spring 2009
-
$9-$30
-
-
$525-$2,500
80
$135
90
-
-
-
-
-
-
$160
90J
Fall 2009
-
$7-$16
-
-
$800
85
-
-
Spring 2010
-
$7-$15
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2010
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2012
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


90c - Carmine, rose or carmine rose
200,000 - Soft porous paper - Scott #191 - 1879

 
NY Auction Houses
 
Spring 2003
-
-
-
-
$7,000
-
-
Fall 2003
-
-
-
-
$6,000
$1,150-$1,800
-
Spring 2004
-
-
$30-$70
-
-
-
-
Fall 2004
-
-
$30-$70
-
-
$1,550
-
Spring 2005
-
-
$45-$70
-
-
-
-
Fall 2005
-
-
$45-$70
-
-
$3,000
-
Spring 2006
-
-
$40-$75
-
$11,500
$2,300
-
Fall 2006
-
-
$35-$100
-
-
$3,250
-
Spring 2007
-
$375-$625
$35-$75
-
-
$2,200
-
Fall 2007
-
-
$40-$150
-
-
$3,750
90
Spring 2008
-
-
$55-$85
-
-
$7,500
95
-
-
$170
75
-
-
-
Fall 2008
-
-
$80
-
-
$625
70
Spring 2009
-
-
$50-$60
-
-
$1,800
90
Fall 2009
-
-
$65
-
-
-
-
Spring 2010
-
-
$55-$105
-
-
-
-
Fall 2010
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2012
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


90c - Carmine, rose or carmine rose - imperf
200,000 - Soft porous paper - Scott #191b - 1879

Fall 2008 Auction - $1,200
Spring 2010 Auction - $2,700

NEXT