Scotts #437 US stamps

#437 - 1914 - Perf. 10 - Single line USPS wmk

15¢ Gray, dark gray

Printing Method: FLAT PLATE
Subject: Benjamin Franklin
Number issued: 144,250,000
Perforations: 10
Watermark: Single line USPS wmk
Scott #: 437
Issued: September 16, 1914

Value

Used
$2 - $7
No postmark with gum (MH)
$25 - $80
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
$180 - $240

Useage

The Washington-Franklin fifteen cent stamp when first issued served mainly to pay for overweight letters to European and other foreign points and for packages mailed in this country. After six months the registry fee was raised to ten cents. This made a fifteen cent stamp useful to cover registration fee plus a single letter rate on foreign bound letters and the demand increased very rapidly.

The Watermark

The watermark consists of single lined USPS letters. A stamp may show only part of a letter or letters

A change of color

The color of the flfteen cent stamp was changed to grey on #437 and its predecessor to avoid confusion with the new registry stamp issued three years earlier in the pale blue shade, shown above (#F1).

Earliest Known Use

The earliest known use of #437, September 21st, 1914

Plate Numbers

#437 was issued with the following plate #'s

Imprint, "A" and number
(shown above)
5747-55, 60, 66, 71, 75, 80

"A" and number
5850

Number only
6809-19, 25, 33