#414 1912 8¢

Basic Information

Color: Pale Olive Green
Subject: Benjamin Franklin
Watermark: SINGLE-lined USPS
Printing method: Flat plate
Perforations: 12
Scott #: 414
Quantity issued: 82,000,000
Issued: February 12th, 1912

Value

An unused stamp with perfect gum: $14-$21
An unused stamp with gum and a hinge mark: $8-$12
A used stamp: 50¢-$1

About #414

Old and new design

Misidentified values

When the Post Office Department originally issued the Washington-Franklin series in 1908, they lacked enough uniquely coloured inks for every individual denomination. As a result, multiple stamps shared nearly identical design frameworks and ink colours:

Both the 1¢ stamp and the previous 8¢ stamp (which featured a profile of George Washington) were printed using similar shades of green ink. Other pairings, like the 3¢ and 50¢ stamps (purple) or the 5¢ and 15¢ stamps (blue), suffered from the same issue.

In fast-paced environments and under the dim, artificial lighting of early 20th-century post offices, clerks routinely confused the 1¢ and 8¢ values. This led to significant financial losses from undetected short-paid mail, especially because postmark cancellations frequently smudged the printed numbers.

The Solution

Splitting the Series
After experiments with printing different inks on coloured paper failed, postal officials decided to split the entire definitive series in half based on denomination:
Denominations of 7¢ or lower retained the portrait of George Washington.
Denominations of 8¢ and higher (including the new #414) were changed to feature Benjamin Franklin.
A New Design
To create an even stronger visual distinction, the new 8¢ Franklin stamp was given a brand-new border design that replaced Washington's original frame. While the stamp retained an olive-green shade, the completely different portrait and border allowed postal workers to instantly recognize it as a high-value stamp.

Usage

Earliest known use of #414, May 23rd, 1912

In 1912 the registration fee at the time was 10¢ it was common to add the 8¢ stamp to the standard first class stamp of 2¢. The stamp was also used in combination with other stamps to pay special delivery and heavy mail postage.

The Plates

#414 was issued with the following plate #'s

Imprint, "A" and number
5718-19, 21-22

Essays

414-E1

Click image to enlarge

414-E2

Click image to enlarge

414-E2d

The Watermark

The SINGLE lined USPS watermark

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 portrait of Benjamin Franklin used for the vignette was adapted from a sculpted bust created by the renowned French artist Jean-Antoine Houdon in 1778. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing's primary designer, C. Aubrey Huston, utilized the profile from this famous sculpture for the Franklin profile, which was then engraved by artists Marcus W. Baldwin, Edward M. Hall, and Robert Ponickau.