#62B 1861 10¢ First Design

Basic Information

Colors: Dark green or dark yellow green
Plate: 4
Type: I
Subject: George Washington
Printing Method: die-to-relief-to-plate intaglio engraving process
Printer: National Bank Note Co.
Perforations: 12 (the original is 15½)
Watermark: none
Scott #: 62B
Quantity Recorded: 500,000
Issued: September 17th, 1861

Value

An unused stamp with perfect gum: $17,500
An unused stamp with gum and a hinge mark: $2,200-$3,750
A used stamp: $550-$650

Identifying #62B

Type I (#62B)
The outer oval frame line above “U.S. POSTAGE” is NOT present. The background around the stars is filled in, and the shadows around the stars are less prominent.

Type II (#68 + 10¢ grills)
There is an additional bit of scrollwork above the center the edge of the frame design.

Usage

#62B on a patriotic cover paying the single-weight
rate to Bremen by direct Bremen packet

Usage
#62B was primarily issued to pay for specific, higher-cost mail services during the American Civil War, including:

Transcontinental Rate: A major use for the 10-cent rate was to pay for letters traveling over 3,000 miles, particularly between the East Coast and the Pacific Coast (California/Oregon).

Double-Weight Domestic Letters: It was commonly used to pay the 10-cent rate for letters weighing up to one ounce (double the 3-cent rate for a 1/2 oz letter plus extra weight).

Foreign Mail: It was used to pay the required postage to various foreign destinations under treaty rates, including parts of British North America.

Double-Weight Letters: It was used to pay the 10-cent rate for a double-weight letter (up to 1 oz) traveling between 3,000 and 6,000 miles, or to prepay registered letters.

Earliest date of use

The earliest recorded date of use, September 17th, 1861

#62B was originally produced as a sample for the Post Office Department, upon approval it was issued on August 16th, 1861. It was first placed on sale at Baltimore and NY, NY P.O.'s the following day.

The inspiration for the design

The inspiration for the US Scott #13 10¢ stamp, issued in 1855, was based on a portrait of Geroge Washington by Gilbert Stuart.

The frame and lettering were engraved by Henry Earle. Earle is credited with engraving the lettering and frames for the 1851–1861 Issue of U.S. stamps. This includes well-known denominations like the 1c, 3c, and 10c stamps of that era, but not the 5¢ Jefferson

The 10-cent stamp is noted for being more faithful to the original Stuart painting than the 12-cent version, specifically in retaining more of the portrait's details.