10¢ Jefferson Large Banknote

The 209 was from a new master die and transfer rolls and did not have the Continental secret mark. This is the re-engraved 209. You can ID this without counting the lines as it also has the distinctive American guide dot in the portrait oval at 9 o'clock.

Fascinating Russ! I wish I could pick your brains for a bit and I'd just love to know your banknote information sources. Probably just from experience huh? Are there any books or reference material you could suggest?

I have a similar stamp, on cover (see photos) so I can't tell if it has a grill or not. Back of envelope also,pictured is dated 1874 or 1879, I can't really tell. Help id'ing the stamp(s)?

Thanks!

The American Philatelic Society issues a booklet summarizing the Bank Note stamp issue including grills and secret marks. Also, Bill Weiss and I presented a four day course at Summer Seminar two years in a row. I also presented the course on the road in Los Angeles and Orlando. For more information, joining the American Philatelic Society and the United States Philatelic Classics Society is a must.

In any case 1879 is much too late a date to expect grills. A long wave UV light will be needed to determine if the stamps were printed on hard or soft paper, probably the latter considering the date. Hard paper is relatively bright under UV while soft paper is relatively "dead" looking.

Clark

Your ten cent is not "similar" to the stamp about which the late ILS had originally inquired. His was a 209. Yours is earlier. Its similarity is that it is one of a number of 10c large Banknote types.

The CDS on the cover obverse has a year date in which the top half of the last digit is clearly rounded. In view of the docketing you show it should be read as 1879. Using a UV light as Clark suggested will nail down the stamp paper, which looks to me like soft paper at least for the 3c and probably for both.

As for grilling: as Clark observed, grilling was over for several years by the time this came along, but more than this the 10c has a secret mark and so is from the Continental Bank Note Co. or from American using Continental plates. The only grill it could have had at all was the strongly impressed J-grill, which was only used experimentally by Continental, and none are known to have been cancelled or to have gone through the mails. You need not concern yourself about the stamps on this cover having authentic grills.

Thanks EssayK, that's good information. I don't have my catalog where I am at the moment, so if my 10 cent is earlier than 209 do you know the Scott # for it (or which two it could be, based on paper?)

Thanks again!

Dave

If it is hard paper it is 161. If soft paper it could be an intermediate paper 161 but because of the dating of the cover should be regarded as a 188.

Thanks!