Six Cents. The ground work of the oval, is practically solid or mottled, that of the panel nearly so. The border line cannot be distinguished from the ground, while in the original issue, not only is the border line distinct, but in the "sallie" the fine vertical shadow lines can be counted inside, and on the right side three, very close together, and four lines besides these between the panel and the edge, counting the outside line. In the new, none of these shadows exist, and there are only three lines between the panel and the edge, including the outside line. In the old, on the right side, there are fourteen lines in the frame above and below the projection. In the new there are thirteen above, and eleven below. The color is a brick red, neither the cochineal or pink previously used.
Ten Cents. The frame lines have all been strengthened as well as those of the background, so that the entire stamp is more uniform in engraving and color, but has entirely lost its light look. The edges no longer fade away, but stand out sharp from the paper. It is apparent to the eye that the space between the oval and the shield, is reduced one-third its width. There are only four vertical lines between the line of the shield and the line of the oval at their nearest point on the left, or six lines in all; in the originals, there were five lines, or seven in all. Beneath the ribbon containing the value in the old stamps, the horizontal lines of the background are scarcely visible, the vertical shade lines being conspicuous. In the new the horizontal lines are strong and clear.
| (a) | The earliest impressions are in muddy yellow brown, quite uniform all over the stamp. |
| (b) | Later impressions, in 1886, are in a clearer shade of yellow-brown, and the light on the face has been increased, much improving the effect. |
| (c) | An odd purple-brown shade appeared in 1886. |
| (d) | A dark black-brown shade is now, 1887, in use. |
The Issue of October, 1883.
The Act of the 47th Congress, Session II, Chapter 92, approved March 3d, 1883, provided that:
"Upon all matter of the 1st class [as defined by chapter 180 of the laws of Congress, approved March 3d, 1879, entitled: An Act, etc.] postage shall be charged on and after the first day of October, A. D. 1883, at the rate of two cents for each half ounce or fraction thereof, and all acts so far as they fix a different rate of postage than herein provided upon said first class matter, are to that extent hereby repealed."
The report of the Third Assistant Postmaster General under date of November 8th, 1883, says:
"Soon after the passage of the Act of March 3d, 1883, preparations were begun to carry the new law into effect. The change left the 3 cent denomination of postage stamps of little utility, it no longer representing the single rate of postage on any class of matter, and it was determined to discontinue its issue. As the public would have undoubtedly regarded with disfavor, the dropping of Washington from portraits, forming the distinguishing feature in the series of postage stamps, it was decided to replace the old 2 cent stamp by a new one bearing the profile of the first president, thus restoring it to its old place on the stamp in most general use. It was also decided to issue a new stamp of the value of four cents, a denomination not previously in use, and designed to cover two rates of letter postage. The portrait of Jackson, formerly on the 2 cent stamp, was transferred to this new (four cent) stamp. The following is a brief description of the new stamp:
Two Cent Stamp.