C3a - 1918 24ยข Inverted Curtiss Jenny
See below for details
Basic Info
24¢
Carmine-rose and blue
Printing Method: Intaglio printing on a hand-operated press
Printer: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Subject: Curtiss Jenny Biplane (inverted)
Number issued: 100
Perforations: 11
Watermark: Unwatermarked
Scott #: C3a
Purchased: May 14, 1918
Value
Used
$2- $6
No postmark with gum (MH)
$10 - $20
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
$20 - $65
The 2013 Stamp
In 2013 a $2 version of the stamp was issued as a block of sic on a souvenir sheet. As a tribute to the original error 100 sheets were issued with the plane the correct way up, of which 43 are known to survive.
The Inspiration for the Design
A U.S. Army two seat JN-4 trainer equipped with a 90-horsepower OX-5 motor
Curtiss JN-4HM, the Jenny conversion, equipped with a more powerful 8-cylinder, 150-horsepower Hispano-Suiza motor, used for the first air mail flights. The forward student seat had been removed in order to become a hold for mail bags.
The vignette was designed before the Jenny's used for the airmail flights had been assembled. To overcome the problem of depicting the plane a standard JN-4 army trainer was used for the vignette. However the future serial numbers of the JN4HM's employed were known and one of these numbers was used on the body of the JN-4 used in the vignette. In actuality the plane as shown never existed.
The Story behing the stamp.
The stamp was fed through the printer twice, the first time for the frame, the second for the vignette. One sheet wad fed upside down on the second printing, resulting in the plane being printed upside down
On the second day of issue a stamp collector purchased the full sheet and instantly realised it was a major error. Something that the stamp inspection at the Bureau of Engraving, had not noticed. The Post Office attempted to claim the sheet back, however Robey was well aware of its future worth and declined.
After many attempts at finding a buyer who would give him a reasonable offer it was sold to a well known dealer, Eugene Klein for $15,000. Two days later Klein sold it to Col. Green for $20,000. Green instructed Klein to break the sheet up, keeping some for himself the rest were sold.
The Plate Block
Probably the most famous item in US Philately is the unique plate block of the inverted Jenny. It was last sold in 2021 for $4,860,000. However in October 2024 a single inverted jenny was sold for $2,000,000 therefore logically the plate block could be valued above 8 million.
Essay's and Proofs
C3-P
Blue and black proof without the serial number, awaiting notification of the serial numbers to be used on the air mail planes.
C3-P
C3-P
Large die proof in approved colors die mounted on card
C3-P
C3-P
Die proof of the frame
C3-P
C3-P
Die proof of the vignette
C3-P
1918-23 Airmails
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