Basic Information
Color: Blue
Subject: Golden Gate, San Francisco
Watermark: SINGLE-lined USPS
Printing method: Flat plate
Perforations: 10
Scott #: 403
Quantity issued: n/k
Issued: July 17th, 1915
Value
An unused stamp with perfect gum: $60-$120
An unused stamp with gum and a hinge mark: $30-$60
A used stamp: $3-$5
About Pan-Pacific Series
Three of the four ideas were used in later designs
This change in attitude on the part of philatelic interests is evidenced by the various ideas for the "new commemoratives to be issued to celebrate the opening of the Panama Canal" suggested by stamp publications in 1911 and 1912. The leader in this movement was the Philatelic Gazette, whose editor, Wm. W. Randall, as a native Californian, had a two fold interest, in the advertising of the exposition and in the philatelic value of distinctive new' stamps. In the issue of lMay 15, 1911, he suggested the following six stamps to depict the great scenic effects of the West:
1c - The giant Geyser at Yellowstone National Park*
2c - The Golden Gate entrance to San Francisco Harbor
4c - The Grand Canyon of Colorado*
5c - The Locks of the Gatun Dam, Panama Canal
6c - The Big Trees of California*
10c - The Bridal VeiI Falls in Yosemite Valley*
* Four of the suggestions were not taken up, but, as you can see by my illustration above they were designed later in the century. Only the Bridal Falls of Yosemite did not make it on to a stamp.
By the middle of August 1912 the designs for the 1 cent and 5 cent had been accepted by Postmaster General Hitchcock, the 5 cent bearing his signature "approved July 16." The 2 cent was almost ready for approval at this time, pending the acceptance of a satisfactory picture of the Gatun Locks. The l0 cent stamp did not make as satisfactory progress as the others as no suitable photo could be found of any of the subjects under consideration. It had been intended to use a portrait of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, who in 1542 discovered the California mainland, on the highest denomination, but all efforts to find a picture of him proved futile. I. E. Bennet, who represented the exposition in Washington, finally discovered a painting acceptable to the Department, of one of the subjects under consideration and this was then used. Once the vignette subject had been accepted, work on the 10 cent stamp progressed rapidly, on the 22nd of August the latter stamp was approved, while the 2 cent stamp was not approved until August 27th.
Usage
The earliest documented use of #403, February 6th, 1915
In 1915, a 5¢ stamp served two distinct primary postal purposes depending on which specific type of stamp was used:
International First-Class Mail: A standard 5¢ definitive stamp paid the standard rate for a one-ounce letter sent to a foreign country.
Domestic Letter Add-Ons: Within the US, domestic letter postage was only 2¢ per ounce. A 5¢ stamp was commonly used to pay for a heavy, multi-ounce domestic letter or combined with other stamps to pay the 10¢ registry fee.
From June 26th, 1913 the 5¢ stamp could also be used for Parcel Post. Since January 1st, 1913 only the parcel post stamps could be used for the purpose of sending parcels.
The Plates
#403 was issued with the following plate #'s
Number only
6129-34, 38
The Vera Cruz Post Office
While these stamps were current, a post office was established at Vera Cruz, Mexico, and various denominations of these stamps, perf. 12, may be found with this Vera Cruz cancellation. The station was opened April 24th, 1914 and was discontinued November 23rd of the same year. Covers franked with stamps of this issue and cancelled Vera Cruz are much sought after. 'Whereas, the two lowest values are still quite common, covers bearing five or ten cent stamps of either perforations have become very desirable.
The above photo shows United States sailors at the door of a post office during the U.S. occupation of Veracruz, Mexico which took place during the Mexican Revolution. The U.S. troops entered the city on April 21, 1914 and stayed through November 1914.
The Golden Gate
The Golden Gate bridge under construction
Many wanted to build a bridge to connect San Francisco to Marin County. San Francisco was the largest American city still served primarily by ferry boats. Because it did not have a permanent link with communities around the bay, the city's growth rate was below the national average. Many experts said that a bridge could not be built across the 6,700-foot (2,000-metre) strait, which had strong, swirling tides and currents, with water 372 ft (113 m) deep[16] at the center of the channel, and frequent strong winds. Experts said that ferocious winds and blinding fogs would prevent construction and operation.
The name Golden Gate has nothing to do with the gold rush of 1849. It was named the Golden Gate because it reminded John C. Fremont (a sea captain at the time) in 1846 of the Golden Horn near what was then Constantinople (Istanbul). To be accurate he gave the straits the Turkish name "Chrysopylae" of which the direct English translation is 'Golden Gate'. It is just as well that the English translation found favor, can you imagine pronouncing the Chrysopylae Bridge?
John Fremont does not have the honor of being the first to sail through the straits, that belongs to the Spanish sea captain, Juan de Ayala back in 1775. History does not record what he named the straits at the time, however it did record what he named the island in the bay behind the straits, he called it the Island of the Pelicans or in Spanish "Isla de Alcatraces".
The bridge-opening celebration began on May 27, 1937, and lasted for one week. The day before vehicle traffic was allowed, 200,000 people crossed either on foot or on roller skates.
The Inspiration for the Design
Source photograph of the Golden Gate
The Golden Gate, San Francisco, 1912, source photograph for the vignette design. The vignette for the stamp was designed in 1912. The photo was taken before the construction of the Golden Gate bridge.
Essays and Proofs
398-E
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399-E1
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399-E1
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399-E1a
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397-400 TC's
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The Pan-Pacific Exposition
A 1915 photograph of the Palace of Fine Arts
A 1915 painting of the Palace of Fine Arts
Reconstructed by the city of San Francisco, this is how the Palace of Fine Arts looks today
The Exposition lit at night
A 1915 painting of the Palace of Fine Arts
The Tower of Jewels
Encrusted with over 100,000 Novagems to make it sparkle in the sunlight and at night by spotlight
A 1915 painting of the Palace of Fine Arts
Before demolition the jewels were removed from the tower and sold to the public, boxed, at $1 each
View of the exposition
View of the exposition
The exposition was a commercial success and as result efforts were made to save as much as possible, unfortunately most of the buildings were temporary in nature, including the tower. Furthermore almost all the Expo was on leased land and the owners expected to have their land back. Much of the exposition was built of plaster and wood. The Palace of Fine Arts was left to decay by the lagoon, only to be demolished in 1930, since then four replica's have been built in its place.