Basic Information
Subject: Benjamin Franklin
Printing Method: Line engraved
Printer: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Perforations: imperforate
Watermark: none
Scott #: 3
Quantity Issued: 3,833
Issued: January 1st, 1875
Value
An unused stamp without gum (as issued): $600-$850
As this was a reprint there are no used copies
How to identify this reprint
Click the image to enlarge
To distinguish between the 1847 original 5¢ Benjamin Franklin (Scott #1) and the 1875 official reproduction (Scott #3), you must look for specific design deviations caused by the loss of the original printing plates.
Primary Design Differences
Shirt Frill (The "5" Test): This is the most reliable visual test. On the 1875 reproduction, the white shirt frill on Franklin’s chest touches the oval frame directly level with the top of the numeral "5" in the lower-left corner. On the 1847 original, the frill touches lower down, level with the top of the letter "F" in "FIVE".
Letter "N" of "CENTS": On the reproduction, the bottom of the right side of the "N" in "CENTS" comes to a sharp point. On the original, this part of the letter is squared off.
Printer Initials: The initials "R. W. H. & E." (Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson) at the very bottom are sharply legible on the 1847 original but often appear blurred or faint on the 1875 reproduction.
How to identify the reprint
Click the image to enlarge
To distinguish between the 1847 original 5¢ Benjamin Franklin (Scott #1) and the 1875 official reproduction (Scott #3), you must look for specific design deviations caused by the loss of the original printing plates.
Primary Design Differences
Shirt Frill (The "5" Test): This is the most reliable visual test. On the 1875 reproduction, the white shirt frill on Franklin’s chest touches the oval frame directly level with the top of the numeral "5" in the lower-left corner. On the 1847 original, the frill touches lower down, level with the top of the letter "F" in "FIVE".
Letter "N" of "CENTS": On the reproduction, the bottom of the right side of the "N" in "CENTS" comes to a sharp point. On the original, this part of the letter is squared off.
Printer Initials: The initials "R. W. H. & E." (Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson) at the very bottom are sharply legible on the 1847 original but often appear blurred or faint on the 1875 reproduction.
The Inspiration for the Design
Benjamin Franklin
Click the image to enlarge
First use of the engraving
Click the image to enlarge
The Inspiration & Design Evolution
The transformation from initial concept to final essay followed a specific political and artistic path:
Initial Candidate (Andrew Jackson): Postmaster General Cave Johnson originally instructed the engraving firm, Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson, to use a portrait of the recently deceased President Andrew Jackson for the 5¢ denomination.
The Switch to Franklin: By March 1847, the printers suggested replacing Jackson with Benjamin Franklin. Franklin was chosen as a more "unifying icon" for a nation facing sectional tensions over slavery and the Mexican-American War, primarily because of his role as the first Postmaster General and a key diplomat.
The Portrait Source: The final design used an existing engraving by Asher B. Durand, which was based on a painting by James B. Longacre. These dies were already in the printers' stock, having been used previously for private banknotes.
The Story of this Stamp
Proof #3P1
Click the image to enlarge
The 1875 US 10¢ stamps were not a single new design but rather a series of reprints, reissues, and special printings created for the 1876 Centennial International Exhibition in Philadelphia. The Post Office Department intended to showcase and sell examples of every US stamp design issued since 1847 to the public. Unlike the original issues, these 1875 reproductions were not valid for postage and were sold primarily as collectibles.
Because many original printing plates had been lost or destroyed, the 1875 versions often required newly engraved plates, leading to subtle evolutionary differences.
No engraved counterfeits of Scott 3 and 4 are known. Counterfeits produced by photogravure or lithography are easily identified. Authentication is easy. Certificates are only needed for quality, if you are unsure
The Story of this Stamp
Proof #3P1
Click the image to enlarge
The 1875 US 10¢ stamps were not a single new design but rather a series of reprints, reissues, and special printings created for the 1876 Centennial International Exhibition in Philadelphia. The Post Office Department intended to showcase and sell examples of every US stamp design issued since 1847 to the public. Unlike the original issues, these 1875 reproductions were not valid for postage and were sold primarily as collectibles.
Because many original printing plates had been lost or destroyed, the 1875 versions often required newly engraved plates, leading to subtle evolutionary differences