Scotts #300 US stamps

#300 - 1903 1¢

1¢
Pale yellowish green, yellowish green, deep yellowish green, pale gray
green, gray green, dark gray green, blue green, deep green, dark green

Printing Method: FLAT PLATE
Subject: Benjamin Franklin
Number issued: 11,067,482,974
Perforations: 12
Watermark: Double Line USPS
Scott #: 300
Issued: February 3rd, 1903

Value

Used
5¢ - 15¢
No postmark with gum (MH)
$1 - $2.50
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
$3.50 - $5

#300b

300b
1¢ Blue Green booklet pane six

Value of #300b

Used
$425
No postmark with gum (MH)
$225
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
$500 - $600

300b (Bk10)
1¢ Blue Green booklet
Four panes of six, two staples
Value unexploded - $1,600 - $2,500

#300 Plate #'s

With 11 billion #300's being issued by the Bureau there are hundreds of plate numbers, too many to list here.

#300b Plate #'s

#300b was issued with the following plate #'s

3339-42
3468-69, 71-72, 74-75, 79-80
3503-08, 10, 14
4544-50, 53, 57

Plate numbers are on the top right of the booklet pane. The example above shows a plate number that was misplaced on the top left of the booklet pane, these command a considerable price premium.

The story behind the 1902 Series

'Mr Dooley'

Other than small tweaks there had not been a change in the design of definitive stamps for twelve years. The 1901 Pan-American series had been a critical success both with the public and the media. Upon seeing this success the Post Office sought to capitalize on it by issuing a new highly designed definitive set.

This set would be heralded by a new value, the 13¢ denomination, meant for foreign mail and the first American Woman on a stamp, Martha Washington. The first woman to be depicted on a US stamp was Queen Isabella on the Columbian Series of 1893.

The bureau hoped that the new 'artistic' designs would create interest in the Post Office. Sadly the reverse were true. The new designs were much disliked by the public and the press. Particularly disliked were the 1¢ Franklin and 2¢ Washington portraits. They were considered caricatures of the presidents and were called Mr Dooleys, after a popular newspaper comic character of the time. So fierce was the backlash against the 2¢ design that it was replaced within a year by the 2¢ shield design.

Although the stamps say 1902 on the design, only two stamps were issued that year, the 8¢ Martha Washington and the 13¢ Benjamin Harrison. The Post Office stated that the date referred to the date of design, not issue. At one time it was proposed that there should be a further series, the 1907 series, including a separate issue for each of the United States twenty seven post offices. This would meant a large expense to philatelists to collect all twenty seven sets, so the idea was dropped.

The 1902 series begat some new experiments, the booklet stamp and coil stamps, both of which proved to be a great success. It also saw the introduction of the imperforate stamp, meant primarily for vending and affixing machine manufactures.

The Inspiration for the Design

For the vignette was based on this Joseph Siffred Duplessis (1725–1802) | Oil on canvas, c. 1779. Now located in the North Carolina Museum of Art. The resultant engraving is poorly done giving the impression that Ben is looking upward and is smiling.