#123 - 1869 Hard Paper 1¢ Reissue
See below for details
Basic Info
1¢
Buff
NO GRILL
HARD PAPER (see below)
Subject:Benjamin Franklin
Number issued: not known
Perforations: P12
Printer: National Bank Note Co.
Scott #: 123
Earliest known use: 1875
Value
Used
$25 - $450
No postmark with gum (MH)
$200 - $500
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
No sales recorded
Multiples
A block of 4, one of four surviving blocks.
Stamp usage
The stamp paid the rate for drop letters in places without carrier delivery
Earliest known date of use
The earliest known date of use, December 9th, 1877
Pressed out grills
#112, the grilled version of this stamp has a much lower value than #123. There is a temptation for some to press the grill out of #112 to make it appear as it it was a #123. Many #112's have weak or faint grills and this makes the task of pressing out the grill easier. This is done by soaking the stamp and pressing out the grill and any loose or stray fibres.
In my reason for this reason #123's need to be certificated
The design inspiration
The vignette was based on Giuseppe Ceracchi's 1791 bust of Benjamin Franklin
Hard paper vs soft paper
The snap test
Some people can also ID hard paper be “flicking” the edges and thereby “feeling” the stiffness of the paper versus the feel of soft paper if flicked in the same way. Hold the stamp between the thumb and forefinger and "snap" it close to your ear. A high pitched reply is hard paper. A dull thud, "flop", or no sound, is soft paper. This is not a particularly accurate test.
The 1869 Pictorial Reissue
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