Postage Stamps of the United States First Issued in 1897
Presidents: 1/1-3/3: Grover Cleveland · 3/4-12/31: William McKinleyPostmasters General: 1/1-3/4: William L. Wilson · 3/5-12/31: James A. Gary Domestic Letter Rate: 2¢ per oz. · Card Rate: 1¢ · Registry Fee: 8¢ · Foreign Rate: 5¢
Ordinary Postage Stamps First Issued in 1897
Double-line watermarked USPS · Perf 12 · 200 Subject Plates
2¢ Carmine Type IV
The following postage stamp varieties were first issued by the U.S. in 1897:
Ordinary issue:
see also: Distinguish Scott 267 - Type III from the 279B's - Type IV
Scott 267a - 2¢ Design of 1894 Watermarked Pink Type III - Nov. 1897 - EDU:12/8/97
Scott 279Bf - 2¢ Design of 1894 Watermarked Carmine Type IV - EDU:11/18/97
Scott 279Bg - 2¢ Design of 1894 Watermarked Pink Type IV - EDU:12/1/97
Note: Although the Type IV two cent stamp is sometimes considered an "1898" stamp, the new (Type IV) die was first issued in the Carmine and Pink shades at least as early as November 1897. Scott lists "Red" as the main color for the 279B stamp, but our research show the red shade is not documented before May 1899. Plates using the type IV dies started with number 505, any of the watermarked two cent stamps printed from an earlier plate is a Scott 267. (see Bibliography below)
Commemoratives:
No new varieties of Commemorative stamps were issued in 1897 Special Delivery:
No new varieties of the Special Delivery stamps were issued in 1897 Postage Dues: See Postage Dues of 1917 for Designs of 1894
Scott J43 - 30¢ Deep Claret Design of 1894 - Issue date: August 21, 1897 Bibliography:
The 2¢ Stamps of the First Bureau Issue by Kenneth Diehl - U.S. Specialist, Feb.1996
Durland Standard Plate Number Catalog 2000 Edition
Scott 2006 Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps and Covers
