#357 1909 1¢ Bluish Paper

Basic Information

Color: Green on Bluish Paper
Subject: Benjamin Franklin
Watermark: Watermarked double-lined USPS
Printing method: Flat plate
Perforations: 12
Scott #: 357
Quantity issued: 1,480,000
Issued: June, 1909

Value

An unused stamp with perfect gum: $60-$120
An unused stamp with gum and a hinge mark: $40-$60
A used stamp: $40-$55

About Bluish Paper

This was a printing on special paper containing about one third rag stock. It was hoped that this grade would materially reduce the great waste due to irregular or "off center" perforating, caused by the unequal shrinkage of the ordinary paper used. This "rag" paper did not help the question of shrinkage to any extent and was soon abandoned.

According to the official report of the Post Office Department 1,480,000 copies of the one cent were issued on this bluish paper. They were sent to the Washington Post Office for sale as ordinary stamps, the Bureau not considering them as anything special. Most of them were printed from the standard spaced plates and blocks of four with the 3mm spacings are almost impossible to obtain, while the others are far from common.

Although this group of stamps have always been noted as having been printed on bluish paper, the safest check as to their proper identification is by noting the greyish, color of the paper through the gum on the back, when compared to the ordinary stamps.

Usage

#357 earliest known date of use is February 21st, 1909

The 1¢ Benjamin Franklin stamp was used specifically for:
Postcards: The standard rate for sending a postcard anywhere in the United States. It was the primary use for this stamp.
Third-Class Mail & Printed Matter: Bulk circulars, newspapers, and printed items (priced at 1¢ for every 2 ounces).
Make-up Rate: Combined with other denominations to meet higher or odd postage rates.

The Plates and a pane

#357 was issued with the following plate #'s

Imprint and number
4889-90, 92, 94, 99

Imprint, star and plate number
4994-97

A pane of #357, there were two panes of 100 to a sheet of 200

Identifying the Watermark on #357

The DOUBLE lined USPS watermark found on #331

The SINGLE lined USPS watermark

Between 1895 and 1916 the U.S. government used two different watermarks, double line and single line with the letters "USPS".

By placing the watermark face down on a dark surface or holding it up to bright light you might be able to see the watermark. If you cannot see the watermark it might be a good idea to invest in watermark fluid and a watermark tray. Ronsons lighter fluid works just as well as watermark fluid. Both fluids evaporate quickly.

Pour a little fluid in the tray, lay the stamp face down. In a few seconds the stamp will absorb the fluid and reveal the watermark to you.

As you will see from the illustrations the letters can span several stamps, so on the watermark, for instance, you can see only part of the letter S in one corner and only part the letter P in the other corner.

The Inspiration for the Design

Benjamin Franklin bust by Jean-Antoine Houdon

The design of the orginal 1869 1¢ stamp with this vignette (#112) was inspired by a sculpture of Benjamin Franklin by Jean-Antoine Houdon, which is currently located in the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia.

It has been much debated whether Franklin actually sat for Houdon or if the sculptor captured his vividly accurate image from mere passing acquaintance. He would have had ample opportunity to observe the American minister at the Masonic lodge of the Nine Sisters to which they, as well as many other artists and patrons in the expatriate community (e.g., Count Stroganov; see Voltaire and Diderot), belonged. This cleanly truncated version, in modern dress, was clearly preferred by contemporary American statesmen and anticipates George Washington's insistence that Houdon's statue of him.