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Designs of the 1902 Series - The Second Bureau Issue
Printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing on Double-line USPS Watermarked Paper
Straight-edge Possibilities: 1¢-15¢ all four sides possible - 50¢-$5 left and right edges only

  1¢ Franklin of 1903 

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith · Vignette: G.F.C. Smillie · Frame: Robert F. Ponickau · Lettering: Lyman F. Ellis   
Year Scott EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors/Varieties Purpose
1903 300 2/3/1903 sheet stamp 11 billion 12 blue green; green to deep green; yellowish green; gray green; double transfer; worn plate; cracked plate the one-cent stamp paid the
 post card rate
1907 300b 3/22/1907 booklet pane of 6 --- 12 booklet pane of 6
1906 314 12/20/1906 imperforate 5 million none blue green; green to deep green; double transfer the imperforate stamps were supplied to automatic vending machine manufacturers, 
who then added their own  private perforations
--- 314V --- imperforate vertical coil --- none blue green; 
with coil leader attached
--- 314H 3/9/1908 imperforate horizontal coil --- none blue green; guide line pair; 
paste-up pair
1908 316 --- vertical coil --- 12 horiz. blue green;
guide line pair		 these were experimental, 
among the first coils produced 
by the U. S. Post Office
1908 318 7/31/1908? horizontal coil --- 12 vert. blue green;
guide line pair; double transfer
  2¢ Washington of 1903 

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith · Vignette: G.F.C. Smillie · Frame and Lettering: R. F. Ponickau and G. Rose  
Year Scott EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors/Varieties Purpose
1903 301 1/28/1903 sheet stamp 3.3 billion 12 carmine; bright to deep carmine; carmine rose; double transfer; cracked plate the two-cent stamp paid the 
first class letter rate
1903 301c bklt single: 3/28/1903

bklt pane: 4/4/1903		 booklet pane of 6 --- 12 carmine
  2¢ Washington "Shield Design" of 1903

Designer: Claire Aubrey Huston · Engravers: G.F.C. Smillie, R. F. Ponickau and G. Rose    
Year Scott EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors/Varieties Purpose
1903 319 11/19/1903 sheet stamp/type I 21 billion 12 carmine; bright carmine; red; 
double transfer; vert. pr. imperf. horiz.; horiz. pair imperf. or rouletted between		 Types of the Two-Cent 
Redesign of 1903

the two-cent stamp paid the 
first class letter rate

the change to the "Shield Design" was in response to complaints about the prior two-cent stamp
--- 319a carmine lake Type 1 - EDU: 9/23/1904 --- 12 lake; carmine lake
--- 319b carmine rose Type 1 - EDU: 11/3/1903 --- 12 carmine rose
--- 319c scarlet Type 1 - EDU: 12/16/1903 --- 12 scarlet
--- 319f carmine lake Type II - EDU: 9/25/1908 --- 12 lake; carmine lake; gash on face
--- 319g booklet - carmine Type I - EDU: 12/7/1903 --- 12 carmine; horizontal watermark
--- 319h booklet - carmine Type II - EDU: 6/8/1908 --- 12 carmine
--- 319i carmine Type II - EDU: 6/5/1908 --- 12 carmine; red
--- 319j carmine rose Type II - EDU: 6/30/1908 --- 12 carmine rose/type II
--- 319k scarlet Type II- EDU: 4/12/1904 --- 12 scarlet/type II
--- 319n booklet (pane of 6) carmine rose Type 1 --- 12 carmine rose
--- 319p booklet (pane of 6) scarlet Type 1 --- 12 scarlet/type I booklet pane
--- 319q booklet (pane of 6) lake Type II --- 12 lake/type II booklet pane
1908 320 10/16/1906 imperforate/type I --- none carmine; double transfer the imperforate stamps were issued and sold to automatic vending machine manufacturers, who then added their own private perforations
--- 320a (imperf) carmine lake Type II - 10/1/1908 --- none lake; carmine lake; gash on face
--- 320b (imperf) scarlet Type I --- none scarlet
--- 320c (imperf) carmine rose Type I --- none carmine rose
--- 320d (imperf) carmine Type II --- none carmine
1908 320 4/9/1908 imperforate vertical coil --- none carmine made by the Bureau from imperforate sheet stock
1908 320 9/17/1908 imperforate horizontal coil --- none carmine
1908 321 10/2/1908 vertical coil perf 12 horiz./type I --- 12 horiz. carmine these were experimental, 
among the first coils produced 
by the U. S. Post Office
1908 322 7/7/1908 horiz. coil perf 12 vert./type II --- 12 vert. carmine
 3¢ Jackson of 1903

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith · Engravers: G.F.C. Smillie, R. F. Ponickau, G. Rose and Edward M. Weeks   
Year Scott EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors/Varieties Purpose
1903 302 3/19/1903 sheet stamp 276,212,074 12 Johl lists the following shades: bright violet, violet, purplish, violet, deep purplish violet 
and bleached violet

varieties: double transfer; 
cracked plate		 the three-cent stamp was 
used as an all-purpose 
stamp to complete postage requirements as needed

there was no great demand for this stamp and hence it was 
never issued imperforate or 
in coil form as were the other values between 1¢ and 5¢
  4¢ Grant of 1903 

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith · Engravers: G.F.C. Smillie, R. F. Ponickau, G. Rose and Lyman F. Ellis   
Year Scott EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors/Varieties Purpose
1903 303 3/10/1903 sheet stamp 346 million 12 brown, yellow brown,
dark brown, orange brown, 
red brown;
double transfer		 the four-cent stamp paid double the first class letter rate and was sometimes used 
as a substitute, using two stamps for the eight-cent stamp, to pay the registry rate
1908 314A 5/27/1908 imperforate --- none; all copies known have Schermack type III perforations brown;
guide line pair
  5¢ Lincoln of 1903

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith · Engravers: Robert F. Ponickau, G. Rose and L. F. Ellis      
Year Scott EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors/Varieties Purpose
1903 304 2/9/1903 sheet stamp 550 million 12 pale blue to deep, dark blue; bright blue; indigo; deep indigo;
double transfer; cracked plate 		 the five-cent stamp paid the U.P.U. rate for foreign mail
1908 315 9/15/1908 imperforate --- none blue to deep blue the imperforate stamp was sold to automatic vending machine companies, who then added their own private perforations
1908 317 9/18/1908 vertical coil perf 12 horizontally --- 12 horiz. blue these were experimental, 
among the first coils produced 
by the U. S. Post Office
  6¢ Garfield of 1903 

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith · Vignette: G.F.C. Smillie and Marcus W. Baldwin · Frame: R. F. Ponickau, G. Rose and L. F. Ellis   
Year Scott EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors/Varieties Purpose
1903 305 5/8/1903 sheet stamp 117,567,474 12 claret, bright claret, 
deep claret;
dull brownish lake;
double transfer		 like the three-cent stamp this stamp had small demand, but 
did pay triple the first class 
letter rate and was used as an 
all-purpose stamp to complete postage requirements
  8¢ Martha Washington of 1903 

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith · Engravers: Robert F. Ponickau, G. Rose and G.F.C. Smillie   
Year Scott EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors/Varieties Purpose
1902 306 12/27/1902 sheet stamp 176,841,474 12 violet black;
black, slate black;
double transfer		 the eight-cent stamp paid 
the registry fee
  10¢ Webster of 1903  

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith · Engravers: M. W. Baldwin, R. F. Ponickau, G. Rose and Lyman F. Ellis   
Year Scott EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors/Varieties Purpose
1903 307 3/12/1903 sheet stamp 260,010,574 12 pale red-brown, red-brown, deep red-brown;
double transfer		 the 10¢ stamp paid the combined first class letter fee and registry fee on domestic mail and double the U.P.U. rate on foreign mail
  13¢ Harrison of 1903  

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith · Vignette: Marcus W. Baldwin · Frame: Lyman F. Ellis    
Year Scott EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors Purpose
1902 308 11/18/1902 sheet stamp 31,290,174 12 purplish black, brown violet this was the first thirteen-cent denomination issued by the 
U.S. Post Office Department

13¢ paid the combined letter and 
registry fee on international mail
  15¢ Clay of 1903

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith - The engravers are unknown to this author, but certainly from the team on this page  
Year Scott EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors/Varieties Purpose
1903 309 9/11/1903

a registry tag dated 
July? 1903 
is known		 sheet stamp 41,205,754 12 olive green,. deep olive green;
double transfer		 the fifteen-cent stamp was used mainly for letters over 2 oz. to Europe and on fourth class mail and parcel post packages; also
 to pay triple the U.P.U. foreign mail rate and as an  all-purpose stamp to complete postage 
  50¢ Jefferson of 1903

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith · Vignette: G.F.C. Smillie · Frame and Lettering: R. F. Ponickau and G. Rose  
Year Scott EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors Purpose
1903 310 10/6/1903 sheet stamp 2,651,774 12 orange, deep orange the fifty-cent stamp was 
used on multiple rate 
letters and parcels 
 $1 Farragut of 1903 

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith - The engravers are unknown to this author, but certainly from the team on this page   
Year Scott EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors (from Johl) Purpose
1903 311 9/30/1903 sheet stamp 504,374 12 grayish black, gray black, black the one-dollar stamp was 
used on high multiple rate 
letters and parcels 
 $2 Madison of 1903 

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith · Engravers: G.F.C. Smillie, R. F. Ponickau, G. Rose and Lyman F. Ellis  
Year Scott EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors Purpose
1903 312 2/17/1904 sheet stamp 37,872 perf 12
double line USPS watermark		 blue to dark blue the two-dollar stamp was used 
primarily on  parcels 
1917 479 4/6/1917 sheet stamp 305,380 perf 10 
with no watermark		 blue this stamp was often used on 
parcels to Russia
 $5 Marshall of 1903 

Designer: R. Ostrander Smith · Engravers: G.F.C. Smillie, R. F. Ponickau, G. Rose and Marcus W. Baldwin 
Year Scott EDU Type No. Issued Perforation Colors Purpose
1903 313 2/17/1904 sheet stamp 49,211 perf 12
double line USPS watermark		 dark green the two-dollar stamp was used 
primarily on  parcels 
1917 480 4/6/1917 sheet stamp 217,167 perf 10 
with no watermark 		 green this stamp was often used on 
parcels to Russia

 

Notes: The EDU information is based on the best information available. If you know of a documented usage earlier than the one listed, please let me know and the information will be updated as appropriate. 
Bibliography and suggested additional reading:

Basic Information: 
The U.S. Postage Stamps of the 20th Century, Volume I revised, by Max Johl (1937)
The 1949 Scott U.S. Specialized Stamp Catalogue Scott Publications, Inc.

Rates:
U.S. Domestic Postal Rates 1872-1999, by Beecher and Wawrukiewicz (1999)
U.S. International Postal Rates 1872-1999, by Beecher and Wawrukiewicz (1996)
Notable Auction Sales:
The Dr. Joseph Agris Gold Medal Collection of United States Coil Issues - Shreves Philatelic Galleries Sep.5, 1997
The Roger S. Brody Gold Medal Collection · the United States 1902 Series - Shreves Philatelic Galleries Dec. 6, 2002
The Cheshire Collection of 1902-1908 Issues - Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries March 12, 2004
The North Fork Collection of Superb 20th Century U.S.  - Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries #903 October 20, 2005
The Alan B. Whitman Collection, Pt. III: 1902-1934 Issues B-O-B  - Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries #968b Sep. 22-25, 2009


Websites of interest to the 1902 collector: 
United States Stamp Society - Second Bureau Issues/Series 1902 Committee - Nick Lombardi at USSS
 


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