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Valued Member
Canada
309 Posts |
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This is the first US 1/2 cent stamp I have seen Is this the only US 1/2 cent stamp issued, or are there others?  |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
1493 Posts |
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It's not even the first Ben Franklin half cent issue. The 1939 presidential series also has a half cent Franklin (Scott 803). Before that there was a Nathan Hale half cent stamp (Scott 551 in 1925). There was also a half cent Washington in the 1932 Washington Bicentennial issue. There may have been more, but these are the only ones that come to mind now.
Added: Just remembered the half cent Postage Due stamps of 1930 and 1959. |
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| Edited by JLLebbert - 05/01/2014 7:34 pm |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
5894 Posts |
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There is Scott 651 Nathan Hale Scott 704 of the Washington Bicentennial set. Scott 803 Benjamin Franklin (Prexie) Scott J68 Postage Due . . . ahh . . I was ninja'ed.  You can visit http://www.1847usa.com/index.htm if you want to see them all. |
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| Edited by smauggie - 05/01/2014 7:37 pm |
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Valued Member
Canada
309 Posts |
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Thanks, JL and smauggie
for the info. I appreciate it. |
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| Edited by Cul_Lector - 05/01/2014 7:40 pm |
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Bedrock Of The Community
United States
12128 Posts |
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No. There were a couple of others: 1/2c Nathan Hale and 1/2c Benjamin Franklin from the Presidential Series and 1/2c George Washington from the Washington Bicentennial issue come to mind.
In fact there have been several fractional ones for odd denominations such as 1-1/4c, 1-1/2c and 2-1/2 cents, among others, too. Later on these denominations converted to decimal denominations such as 3.4c, 4.9c, 8.3c and 10.1c, among others, in the Americana and Transportation Series stamps from the 1970s and 1980s. |
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| Edited by wt1 - 05/01/2014 7:43 pm |
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Rest in Peace
United States
4052 Posts |
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I would go to the Philatelic Counter at the Rockefeller Center post office after school, and buy these by the sheet. 3*4 and 6*2 blocks met the first class rate (6c) and were a nice way to catch whole postmarks & slogan cancels.
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
1947 Posts |
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OI remember buying a 50 stamp pane of the half cent Franklin (Liberty Series) for a whole quarter. I was so proud ( I was only a kid) |
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Pillar Of The Community
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I have always wondered why the 1/2 cent or example 4.3 cents? Was the odd ball amount used, and if so,for some special reason/cause? If so then why weren't they included in the Semi-Postal classification? |
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I collect U.S. Singles, Se-Tenants, Souvenir sheets and Canadian Singles. |
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Bedrock Of The Community
United States
12128 Posts |
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Quote:
I remember buying a 50 stamp pane of the half cent Franklin (Liberty Series) for a whole quarter. They were issued in panes of 100 stamps, so the cost would have been 50 cents for a complete pane of 100 stamps. |
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Bedrock Of The Community
United States
12128 Posts |
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Quote:
I have always wondered why the 1/2 cent or example 4.3 cents? Was the odd ball amount used, and if so,for some special reason/cause? Here's the answer as far as the 1/2-cent Benjamin Franklin Stamp of 1955 is concerned: Quote:
Issued on October 20, 1955, this was the last of the half-cent postage stamps issued by the United States Post Office since 1922. As with all of the other half-cent stamps, there was no specific rate for which this denomination could be used as a single stamp to pay the rate. Although the USPS did not use the term 'make-up rate stamp' until the 1990's, the half-cent Franklin is truly a make-up rate stamp. When it was issued, there were numerous third- and fourth- class postage rates that required a half-cent denomination (e.g., 1.5, 2.5, 4.5 etc), and this stamp was issued to be used to 'make-up' the rate along with another of the Liberty definitives. The other rates, including the decimal rates used into the 1980s and 1990s were designed for use by high volume bulk rate mailers, who had a number of rates in which to choose depending on the specific size and weight of the piece and how much sorting was done to the mailing before it entered the postal system. |
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Pillar Of The Community
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Valued Member
Canada
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United States
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1/2 cent liberty series were the first full sheet stamps I bought as a kid I was so proud of it I had to get the 1-5 cent sheets as well but that was my limit $5.00 was a lot of money to me then. After I had birthday money in hand one year I bought the last remaining sheet in our post office of the 25c Paul Revere. |
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United States
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Quote:
your 1/2c looks like a pre-cancel as well!?? Quote:
It is a precancel, eligies And a great one at that! My brothers were born in that particular city, many, many years ago. I'm collecting ones from there, so if anyone has ones they would like to swap for others, please send me an email. |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
2055 Posts |
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Clerks also gave them as change if someone bought one of the other fractional values and needed a half cent in change back. |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
987 Posts |
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heArtfulHinger Who and in what instance would someone get 1/2 cents back in change? Not in the U.S. anyway. And we are talking about 1/2 cents U.S. stamps. The original question. I think it was what I ask or 4.3 why the odd ball denomination. All U.S.. currency has always been rounded off to a penny. |
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I collect U.S. Singles, Se-Tenants, Souvenir sheets and Canadian Singles. |
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Replies: 41 / Views: 18,249 |
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Posted 05/01/2014 7:26 pm
