Plate impression, 19½ by 25 mm., in color, on white paper, perforated 12.
5 cents, dark chocolate.
Issue of November, 1882.
Without any notice to the postmasters or the public, new plates were made by the American Bank Note Company, and slight changes were made in the engraving. These began to appear in November, 1882, and may be found in the one three, six and ten cent values.
One Cent. The vertical lines of the background are thickened in the upper half and so nearly touch, that the ground now appears solid and in fact from the running of the ink, sometimes really is solid. The curved ornamental lines in the upper corners and the balls are now shaded with one or more interior colored lines, instead of being plain. The exterior shading of horizontal lines is omitted here, at the ends of the upper labels, and also outside of the side lines, and is very faint under the lower ornaments and label.
(a) The first impressions of this altered plate are in an ashey blue and, the upper ornaments are rendered indistinct by the interior lines. There is a whitish space, like a reflection beneath the bust.
(b) Later impressions in 1886, show the upper ornaments more distinctly white, and shaded outside again by lines parallel to their curves. A heavy shadow now appears under the bust, the ground being almost solid where it falls. The color by daylight is again slightly of the ultramarine cast, but differing only slightly from the ashey hue by gaslight.
(c) Later impressions in 1887, show the return to the heavy upper ornaments, but their exterior shading remains as in (b). The ground work of the oval is uniform and there is no light or dark shadow under the bust. The ultramarine is of a more pronounced cast by daylight.
Two Cents. There seems to have been no change beyond that already mentioned, as the design was soon changed.
Three Cents. The altered die beside the other appears quite different, but a close examination is necessary to determine the differences at first. Once detected, they are very apparent. The lines of ground of the oval are heavier. The cross lines can still be seen with the glass, and the part behind the head is now crossed by vertical lines also. The shadows of the upper ornaments are now solid, and the horizontal lines cannot be detected. The shadows of the oval are also solid, and about half as broad as in the other die. The horizontal lines can be seen by the glass, but are very light. This is the most conspicuous difference. The vertical shadow lines under the lower label are omitted. The shield in the old die has a ground of horizontal lines on the right side, with an outside vertical border line, and two fine vertical lines on the horizontal lines form the shadow of the shield. The altered die has the three vertical lines, but the horizontal lines are omitted to the point where the bottom line begins. The color is a blue-green, not yellow-green as before.