New Bank Note Issues (1882-1890)

The 1-cent Franklin of the new Bank Note Issues was first used in July 1887. It was actually the last of the new designs created and released by American Bank Note Company. The previous Franklin issues, which had been designed and engraved by National Bank Note Company, had been in continuous use for seventeen years (1870-1887).

The first-class rate was reduced by one cent in 1883, from three cents to two cents per ounce. A single 1-cent stamp could have paid the postcard rate; two 1-cent stamps, the double-weight first-class domestic rate; or, in combination with other denominations, larger rates. Approximately 1,325,000,000 stamps of the 1-cent Franklin were printed by American Bank Note Company.

Alexander T. Haimann, National Postal Museum

The new 2-cent Washington stamp went into use a few months after the first-class domestic rate was reduced from three cents to two cents. Washington’s image replaced Andrew Jackson (who had been on the earlier two-cent stamp) because Washington had been on every stamp that paid the single-weight first-class rate.

The new 2-cent Washington was issued in a red brown color in 1883. When it was printed again (1887-1890), it was printed in green. It is one of the most common stamps in American philately because almost eight billion were printed.

Alexander T. Haimann, National Postal Museum

The 3-cent Washington of the 1882-1890 New Bank Note Issue was released in a vermilion color during the fall of 1887. Though printed from the same plate as the stamp in the the 1881-1882 Re-Engraved Issue, its color departed dramatically from the green shades of the previous issues. This re-engraved design differs slightly from its predecessors. See the shading that outlines the outside of the oval frame line around Washington’s portrait. That shading on the re-engraved stamp has a narrower width than the previous issues. There is also an added horizontal dash under the frame line below the "T" of "CENTS."

Because the domestic rate for a half-ounce first-class letter was two cents, the 3-cent Washington stamp served no direct single-weight use. Instead, it was frequently used to pay multiple-weight rates or, in combination with other denominations, higher foreign destination rates. Approximately 15 million stamps of this issue were printed by American Bank Note Company.

Alexander T. Haimann, National Postal Museum

The 4-cent Andrew Jackson stamp of the 1882-1890 New Bank Notes Issue was the first four cent denomination stamp issued by the United States. It used the same portrait as the 2-cent Jackson of the previous series. It was released in coordination with the first class domestic mail rate change from three to two cents. The stamp was issued to fulfill the double weight rate. The stamp was at first issued in a green color, then later in 1888 printed in a carmine color. The four cent denomination would be represented in every regular issue series for the rest of the Classic Period and throughout the Bureau Period. It was most often used to pay the double weight domestic first class rate or in combination with other denominations to fulfill larger foreign destination rates. A total of approximately 103,000,000 4-cent stamps were printed by American Bank Note Company.

Alexander T. Haimann, National Postal Museum

The 5-cent Garfield was the first stamp released in this Issue and the second U.S. postage stamp to honor an assassinated president within the year following his death. The 15-cent Lincoln of 1866 was the first instance. This Garfield stamp was released on April 10, 1882, a little less than seven months after Garfield’s death. His portrait appeared on a surprising number of stamps throughout the Classic and Bureau Periods despite his brief presidency (March 4–September 19, 1881). The stamp was printed in yellow brown for the 1882 Issue, and in indigo for the 1888 release.

The 5-cent Garfield stamp is one of the most distinctive regular issues that American Bank Note Company created during its time as the engraver and printer for United States postage stamps. It typically paid the U.P.U. international rate. Approximately 252,351,000 stamps of the 5-cent Garfield were printed by American Bank Note Company.

Alexander T. Haimann, National Postal Museum

American Bank Note printed the 30-cent Hamilton in 1888. It was the last Hamilton stamp created by a private printing firm. The Hamilton portrait did not appear on another U.S. stamp until the 1956 Liberty Issue.

National Bank Note Company had designed and engraved this stamp for its 1870-1871 Issue. NBNCo, Continental Bank Note, and American Bank Note printed the design for nearly twenty years. The same was true for the 90-cent Oliver Perry. This was the longest printing of a single design of any regular issue during the Classic Period.

This last 1888 printing of the 30-cent Hamilton was released in an orange brown color, which was a complete departure from the full black ink used to print the 1879 Issue. The 1888 stamp was used primarily in combination with other denominations to fulfill expensive rates. American Bank Note Company printed approximately 915,000 stamps of the 30-cent Hamilton.

Alexander T. Haimann, National Postal Museum

The 90-cent Oliver H. Perry of the New Bank Notes Issues was the final, large, bank note-size rendition of the famous stamp. The original National Bank Note Company design had been in continuous use since 1870, almost twenty years. This was the longest printing of a single design of any of the regular issues during the Classic Period. The 30-cent denomination of this 1888 Issue shared this distinction.

American Bank Note Company used a purple color for the 1888 printing. This was the first and only major color difference in all its printings. The 90-cent denomination was the highest denomination of the entire Bank Note stamp era.

The stamp was typically used in combination with other denominations to fulfill expensive rates. American Bank Note Company printed approximately 135,000 stamps of the 90-cent Perry.

Alexander T. Haimann, National Postal Museum