Postage Stamps of the United States First Issued in 1915
President: Woodrow Wilson · Postmaster General: Albert S. BurlesonDomestic Letter Rate: 2¢ per oz. · Postcard Rate: 1¢ · Registry Fee: 10¢ · Foreign Rate: 5¢
The Panama-Pacific Exposition Issue - Perf 10 of 1915
Flat Plate - Perf 10 - 280 Subject Plates
The Pedro Miguel Locks at Panama Canal
approximately 180 million issued
Earliest Known Cover: not availableThe Golden Gate at San Francisco
approximately 15 million issued
EKC: Feb. 6, 1915
In 1914 and 1915 the U.S. began experimenting with a slightly wider perforation to keep stamps from separating from the sheets in the post office drawers. The perforation change from 12 to 10 was gradually implemented until nearly all U.S. postage stamps were available in the perf 10 format. This included the Special Delivery and Postage Due stamps as well as the ordinary issue, the perf 10 Washington Franklins. It is interesting to note that the air mail stamps did not arrive until 1918 and were never printed perf 10. The Pan Pacific Exposition stamps hold the distinction of being the only flat plate U.S. commemorative stamps to have more than one type of perforation.
The Post Office did not recognize the change in perforation as a new variety, and apparently neither did collectors. Although nearly equal amounts of the perf 12, Scott 397-400, and perf 10, Scott 401-404, stamps were issued, the perf 10 stamps are much rarer, particularly in blocks.
Although possibly more than 8 million of the perf 10 ten cent stamps were issued, the plate block is exceptionally scarce. ( The 10¢ stamp is not illustrated here). Eight million is not a particularly small printing, dwarfing the 5¢ Norse American for example, yet nice mint copies are quite scarce. A nominally centered perf 10 ten cent Pan Pacific will bring more than 100 times the amount that a beautifully centered 5¢ Norse American will, illustrating the role the stamp collector provides in assuring specimens for future collectors. Obviously, collectors of the era saved far more of the Norse American commemoratives than the perf 10 Pan Pacific stamps.
The 11¢ Franklin of 1915
Flat Plate - Perf 10 - 400 Subject Plates
The 11¢ Franklin of 1915
estimated 15 to 20 million issued - First Day: August 11, 1915
The eleven cent Franklin was issued primarily for use in prepaying postage on parcels, but also paid the postage and insurance fee on insured parcels. The 11¢ stamp completed the Washington Franklin series from the 1¢ through the 12¢, with the 13¢ stamp not being issued until 1919. A 14¢ stamp was never issued in the Washington Franklin Series.
Both Scott and Johl list this stamp in two color varieties, a bluish green and a dark green, although most of the copies we have seen have a decidedly bluish tint.
The following postage stamp varieties were first issued by the U.S. in 1915:
Ordinary issue:
Scott 434 - 11¢ Franklin perf 10 watermarked - EKU: 9/8/15
Scott 440 - 50¢ Franklin perf 10 watermarked - EKU: unknown
Scott 448 - 1¢ Washington rotary coil perf 10 horiz. S/L Wmk - EDU: 12/11/15
Scott 449 - 2¢ Wash. rot. coil perf 10 horiz. S/L Wmk Type I - EDU: 10/29/15 on cvr: 11/1/15
Scott 450 - 2¢ Washington rot. coil perf 10 horiz. S/L Wmk Type III - EDU: 12/21/15
Scott 454 - 2¢ Washington rotary coil perf 10 vert. S/L Wmk Type II - EKU: 8/4/15
Scott 455 - 2¢ Washington rot. coil perf 10 vert. S/L Wmk Type III - EDU: 12/15/15
Scott 457 - 4¢ Washington rotary coil perf 10 vert. S/L Wmk - EDU: 11/5/15
Scott 460 - $1 Franklin perf 10 double-line watermarked - EKU: 5/25/16
Scott 461 - 2¢ Washington perf 11 S/L Wmk (experimental) - EKU: 7/19/15Commemoratives:
Scott 402 - 2¢ Panama Pacific Exposition perf 10 - EKU: unknown
Scott 403 - 5¢ Panama Pacific Exposition perf 10 - EKU: 2/6/15
Scott 404 - 10¢ Panama Pacific Exposition perf 10 - EKU: 8/27/15Special Delivery:
No new varieties of the Special Delivery stamps were issued in 1915
Postage Dues:
No new varieties of the Postage Due stamps were issued in 1915
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