Got Any Black Jacks?

The 2 cent black Andrew Jackson stamp (Scott #73) has always been a favorite of mine. Does anyone have a black jack or a black jack on cover? I bought this one back in the eighties.

Very cool. When was it issued.

Hi Amazon99! Welcome to the forum!
The Black Jack was first issued on July 1, 1863.

Hello everyone....

Here's my Black Jack on cover......Canceled Feb. 29, 1864.....the only leap day during the Civil War. Just a month & a half before the end of the war.

Beautiful cover! It looks very clean and neat. Good looking stamp with essentially a face-free cancel. The leap day cancel makes it really special. I am still looking for a nice Black Jack cover. There always seems to be a strong demand for them, especially nice ones like this.

Thanks T....

I really like this cover too and it's in great condition, front and back, & Feb 29 just adds something extra to the value.(from the Metzger collection)) There are only four earlier leap dates in US stamps...60'..56'..52'..& 48'......60' & 56' are scarce but readily affordable but I think 52' & 48' could dent a wallet.

I came home from the SOPEX show today with a #93 Black Jack on cover:



It has a New York circle of wedges fancy cancel:



Hopefully you will be able to see the 9mm x 13mm "F" grill on President Jackson's forehead, near the center of this scan:



Since the earliest documented usage of the F-grill Black Jack is March 27, 1868, and the earliest documented usage of its 1869 pictorial issue replacement, Scott #114 2c Post Horse and Rider, was March 20, 1869, chances are good this cover is from that period.

I have a blackjack in the album and 1 spare..but nowhere near a blackjack cover !

Andy Jackson was some strange dude..seemed to be alot of larger than life people running around the newnited states in those days !!

T360, can you tell us anything about the star-shaped cancel? Was that common during that period?

Cool cover, by the way.

Charles.

The cancellation devices from this period were carved from circular corks. A number of geometric patterns began to appear in various cities. This one is known as the "circle of wedges" which is a pattern that appeared in several cities including New York.

Nice clean cover.....and I think you've nailed the time period. I've heard some folks call this type of cancel "a pie wedge cancel".

On the Wikipedia link from your post it is stated:

"During the Civil War, the "Black Jack" was supposed to have been favored by both North and South, but as soon as the South got wind of the North making a stamp depicting one of their own heroes, they printed a 2-Cent stamp of their own in reaction."

Was the stamp that the South made also of Andrew Jackson? From the article it appears like both are of Jackson. Am I reading the article correctly?

Jim.......

You're right......they even took the image from the same painting. Can't remember the artist....it'll come to me......probably around 4 am.

The Confederacy issued the "Red Jack" in 1863:

Patricia Kauffman states that the earliest recorded date of use of the Red Jack is April 21, 1863 (as does the Scott catalogue), which was before the Black Jack was issued on July 1, 1863. So if they did get find out about the Black Jack before it was released, they must have worked fast to get the Red Jack out first. The Confederacy had also already issued a "Green Jack" in 1862.

I like this one also Tom. Is it part of youre collecttion? Do you have the green Jack as well. I don't have any US stamps that old yet. Though I think in the last batch I received off ebay there may be a couple of late 19th century.

Diannne.