This $2.00 Franklin the color of the frame is an orange red shade. In November 1920 it suddenly appeared in a carmine and black combination (#547). This caused considerable interest on the part of philatelists who believed this new shade was an error.

Upon investigating this new color philatelic writers were told by the Bureau that "this stamp has always been this color". A comparison of the #547 shade and the this stamps shade was called to their attention and it was learned that the early printing was an error in color and the new shade was the correct one.

#523 was issued with the following plate #'s

Number only
Frame: 8177
Vignette: 8179

This stamp was printed in sheets of 100 subjects and so delivered to Postmasters. Horizontal and vertical guide lines divided the sheets into panes of twenty-five for aid in perforating. These were left intact and enabled collectors to obtain all position blocks. The frame and vignette number appear only on the top, above the second stamps on either side of the center line. Plate number blocks are usually collected in blocks of eight showing both numbers and the top arrow.

The source for the design was this bust by Jean-Antoine Houdon