#68 1861 10¢ Type II
Basic Information
Color: Green
Subject: George Washington
Printing method: line-engraved intaglio on flat plates
Printer: The National Bank Note Company
Perforations: 12
Watermark: none
Scott #: 68
Type: II
Plates: 15, 26
Quantity issued: 27,000,000
Issued: August 20th, 1861
Value
An unused stamp with perfect gum: $400-$900
An unused stamp with gum and a hinge mark: $200-$500
A used stamp: $7-$15
Usage
#68 on a patriotic cover to Germany
#68 was primarily issued to meet new, higher postage rates and to replace earlier, demonetized issues at the start of the Civil War
Transcontinental Mail: From 1861 to July 1, 1863 primary use of the 10¢ stamp was to pay the 10¢ rate for letters traveling across the country (over 3,000 miles). Thereafter the Post Office moved to a uniform domestic rate of 3 cents regardless of distance.
Foreign Mail: Covering part of the postage for foreign mail. The cover above would have been sent via the Bremen or Hamburg steamship lines. A more reliable rate would have been via a British packet ship, however the rate was double at 30¢.
Canada Mail: The standard rate to Canada was 10¢.
Crossing the Mason-Dixon Line: The 1861 issue, including the 5-cent, was part of the new series that replaced demonetized, older stamps, and saw use on authorized mail during the early, chaotic months of the war, particularly in August 1861. A more detailed explanation can be found below.
Identifying #68
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.
Encased Stamps
Currency Substitute
Stamps were encased in brass and mica holders during the US Civil War (1862) to serve as durable, small-denomination emergency currency (commonly 1¢, 5¢, or 10¢). This innovation by John Gault addressed a severe, wartime coin shortage caused by citizens hoarding gold and silver, while allowing businesses to make change and advertise their services.
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.
Notable stamps
Dark Green
(#68a)
Double Transfer
The Double Transfer
The double transfer can be most clearly seen in the letters “T” and “G” of “POSTAGE". Known as the ”TAG” double transfer. It occurs on both #36 and #36a
Crossing the Mason-Dixon line
Dealing with the Confederacy
Union authorities assumed that a large number of the 1856 3¢ issue remained unaccounted for in the hands of Confederate Postmasters. To prevent fraudulent use of these stamps, Congress authorized the design and production of the 1861 3¢ to replace the old stamp design as soon as possible.
A notice went out to Postmasters declaring that they could exchange the old design for the new design, but they only had seven days to do so. After that point, all the old designs would be demonetized and therefore of no value. This notice was an abject failure, and the period of grace was twice extended, all the way up to November.
Some of the border states of the confederacy kept the stocks of the new design. Although invalid in the Southern States, they were happy to sell at 50¢ on the dollar to postmasters in Union Kentucky.
The Postmaster General declared that no mail from the North would be delivered to the South by the US Postal Service. This did not sit to well with the southerners. It prompted two companies in Kentucky to start a roaring business delivering mail across the border. These companies then smuggled guns, slaves, and all sorts of contraband during the course of the civil war. These companies were Whitesides and The Adams Express, an example of a mail from each is shown here.