The Story Of Postage Currency

I think you meant the BEP, but that's actually not accurate either. The fronts were printed by the National Bank Note Co. and the backs by American BNC. That's a spectacular sheet, I really like it!

Thanks for the correction. I like it too and I gave it to my daughter for something to remember me by!

Continuing with cft's for 1st issue Postage Currency. Here is a 25C example. There are at least 25 different varieties that are known. Here is one example that I have plus a genuine note to compare.

Counterfeits were made of all first issue Postage Currency notes and none were found as a perforated variety. Shown below is a 50 cent variety. What makes this note interesting it is that it is the only no-monogram variety known. In the 50 cent category, there are 25 known different varieties but only one variety of this type. The census for this note is only five known and this is in the top 2 in quality.

I gotta say, these were pretty low quality counterfeits -- they wouldn't be hard for a merchant to spot. But I suppose they were so common that no one paid them close attention.

It sounds like the average merchant might not ever see enough legitimate examples to be able to recognize the counterfeit ones.

"I gotta say, these were pretty low quality counterfeits -- they wouldn't be hard for a merchant to spot. But I suppose they were so common that no one paid them close attention."

"It sounds like the average merchant might not ever see enough legitimate examples to be able to recognize the counterfeit ones."

I have to disagree with both of you. I've posted my rarest and ugliest examples of counterfeit Postage Currency. These are the ones I am keeping in my type collection. Most of my collection has come from ebay where even the most astute collector doesn't realize what has been posted as legitimate but in fact is a counterfeit. My type collection is probably the best as I have two of the three unique examples. It is better than the highly acclaimed author of the book on fractional counterfeits. He has the only one unique example that I don't have. If you go on ebay, there are always several counterfeits that have been mis-attributed.

Counterfeits were so prevalent at this time that the BEP printed Fractional Shields to be posted in Banks and Post Offices, etc., during that time. They were sent 'free of express' for a grand total of $4.50 each. They didn't go over very well and many were stored at the Treasury and were damaged in a flood. Only 3,263 were sold. They consist of green shields (12 known), pink shields (about 24 known) and the rest were grey shields. Shown below is my 'pink' shield. The pink shields were of a magenta color but were oxidized in sunlight to a pink color. Mine is actually the original color and not oxidized. If you look closely, you can see Postage Currency on this shield. Enjoy!

Not Postage Currency but this is an example of a 4th issue fractional note. Would you think this is genuine or counterfeit?

It is actually the first and only known counterfeit of this Liberty 10 cent note. Now, you can see why these notes were not recognized by vendors as not being legitimate. Most of the counterfeits were washed as to make them hard to detect...wrinkled, folded and rubbed with dirt to hide the fact that they were not genuine.

'Look-a-like' Postage Currency was even used advertisements and used like a coupon. Check out the example shown below. It is based on a 50 cent 1st issue Postage Currency. The reverse is remarkable. These type of notes are highly collectable. These types of 'look-a-like' notes were also found in the 2nd through the 4th issues.

Interesting and informative, and I thank you.
Cheers, mark

The counterfeiting of Postage Currency was a big problem during this time. The Government tried to stem this counterfeiting by issuing the 2nd through 5th issues of fractional currency notes by printing surcharges with much more complex designs. This did not stop counterfeiting and many examples for each of the new series issues exist.

I hope I don't get into trouble with the moderators but I would like to post a link to my informational and educational web site which deals with fractional currency which started with Postage Currency. Back in 2005, I taught myself basic HTML and created this site. I did all the source code. This site has no sales nor ads and is purely educational. (moderators...please check it out ffirst before deleting it as was once done previously)

http://myfractionalnotes.com

It is fine (you now have enough posts), and note that I did 'check it out' last time and it pisses me off that you insist on making these kinds of remarks above.
As I stated before, if we start making exceptions and allow some new members to promote their websites then we open the door for snarky comments and push back like 'well, you allowed his site, why not mine'. If you had simply read and followed the rules to start with, this would never have been an issue.
Don

Don, if you were to read my previous post, I was asking if my link was OK. I was not trying to get into a "pissing" match with you. I didn't mention your name and now I feel you are attacking me in your above post. I read the rules and it stated that under 50 posts is tightly monitored for "Drive by links", "profile links" and "competing links" and my original link was none of the above. I do admit that at the time I had less than 50 posts but I thought an educational link might be OK. I did apologizeat for it at that time. I feel you are making a mountain out of a mole hill. I did make a mistake of not having 50 posts but now you have put a damper on this educational thread. My suggestion is for you to remove this post and for you to remove your previous post of condemning me. I want to be a good forum member but you are making it hard for me. Please delete this single post and your above post and maybe we can get along and we can start on a better foot and share information.

From the rules...
The posting of external links by new members (under 50 posts) is tightly monitored for...

Drive-By Links: Promotion by new members of other sites. These type links are sometimes very obvious, sometimes they are not. We are not a free advertising site. Posting links to sites you own is not allowed until you reach 50 quality posts. Please do not be offended if you have a link removed. It's not a reflection on the quality of the site and it's not personal.


Profile Links: Search engines are blocked from member profiles, so if you are thinking of signing up just to get a back link in your profile, keep moving and don't waste our time and yours. It will be worthless.


Competing Links: From time to time links may be posted that are in a direct conflict with a Stamp Community revenue stream. These links may be removed depending on the possible affects on this site.

BS, more push back. You clearly do not know when to stop digging. I'll repeat it one more time even though I have explained it twice now. You did not make a single mistake, you keep making snarky comment just like your post above. 'Gee, I think that I will quote the rules back to the Moderator'. Real smart.

Read this slowly and carefully.
We do not make exceptions for posting links to someone's website. If we did, then we would get endless numbers of people claiming that that their site was' educational', make much more work for the staff, and increase risk for the community by potentially having malicious code included in the links or website.

As such, the rule is short and simple, no drive by links. Join, enjoy the community for a few weeks, participate so everyone gets to know each other before posting links to your website. We are not here to promote your website and having people like you push back on rules that everyone here have followed makes you look unprofessional, self-serving, and inconsiderate to the staff and other members. This is stupid, time wasting push back and an argument that you will not win. This is the last time I am responding to you, I have already invested too much time in your push back, if I have to intercede one more time your account will locked and you can find another forum.
Don

This is my last post on this thread as it has finished the theme of Postage Currency. I hope that those who read it, have enjoyed it. As you can tell I really like this area of collecting. I put a lot of time and love in creating my informational web site. Hopefully others will read and get enjoyment for Postage Currency and Fractional Currency. If anyone has questions about this segment, please ask and I will try to answer.