UNITED STATES Official stamps

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Note: on my website many of the pictures can not be seen! They are of course present in the cd's;
contact me if you want to purchase them: evert@klaseboer.com.

Stamps issued for the different departments of the U.S. government. The use of these stamps was stopped in 1881.

1873 Agriculture

  1 c yellow
  2 c yellow
  3 c yellow
  6 c yellow
  10 c yellow
  12 c yellow
  15 c yellow
  24 c yellow
  30 c yellow

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
1 c	RR	RR
2 c	R	R
3 c	***	***
6 c	R	R
10 c	RR	RR
12 c	RR	RR
15 c	RR	RR
24 c	RR	RR
30 c	RR	RR

1873 Executive

  1 c red
  2 c red
  3 c red
  6 c red
  10 c red

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
1 c	RR	RR
2 c	RR	RR
3 c	RR	RR
6 c	RR	RR
10 c	RR	RR

With 'Specimen' overprint these stamps are much less rare (*** to R).

1873 Interior

  1 c red
  2 c red
  3 c red
  6 c red
  10 c red
  12 c red
  15 c red
  24 c red
  30 c red
  90 c red

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
1 c	***	***
2 c	**	**
3 c	***	**
6 c	***	**
10 c	***	***
12 c	***	***
15 c	***	***
24 c	***	***
30 c	R	***
90 c	RR	R

1873 Justice

  1 c violet
  2 c violet
  3 c violet
  6 c violet
  10 c violet
  12 c violet
  15 c violet
  24 c violet
  30 c violet
  90 c violet

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
1 c	R	R
2 c	RR	RR
3 c	R	***
6 c	R	***
10 c	R	R
12 c	R	R
15 c	RR	RR
24 c	RR	RR
30 c	RR	RR
90 c	RRR	RRR

1873 Navy

  1 c blue
  2 c blue
  3 c blue
  6 c blue
  7 c blue
  10 c blue
  12 c blue
  15 c blue
  24 c blue
  30 c blue
  90 c blue

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
1 c	***	***
2 c	***	***	A 2 c green seems to exist: RRR
3 c	***	***
6 c	***	***
7 c	RR	RR
10 c	R	R
12 c	R	***
15 c	RR	R
24 c	RR	RR
30 c	RR	R
90 c	RR	RR

1873 State

  1 c green
  2 c green
  3 c green
  6 c green
  10 c green
  12 c green
  15 c green
  24 c green
  30 c green
  90 c green

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
1 c	R	R
2 c	RR	RR
3 c	R	***
6 c	R	***
7 c	R	R
10 c	R	R
12 c	RR	RR
15 c	RR	RR
24 c	RR	RR
30 c	RR	RR
90 c	RR	RR

Larger size

(Genuine, image obtained from a Bennett auction)

  2 $ green and black
  5 $ green and black
  10 $ green and black
  20 $ green and black

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
2 $	RRR	RRR
5 $	RRR	RRR
10 $	RRR	RRR
20 $	RRR	RRR

I have seen forgeries of the dollar values, example:

(Forgeries! Between 'Department' and 'State', 'FACSIMILE' is written, are these Senf forgeries?)

(Zoom in on the 'FACSIMILE' overprint)

I've also seen a similar forgery of the 2 $ value (also with overprint 'FACSIMILE' at the same place).

Other sources (Schweizer Illustr. Briefmarken-Zeitung April 1885 or http://briefmarken.ag/) talk about forgeries with 'FACSIMILE' overprint made by a certain Mr. Dauth (maybe the printer of the Senf forgeries?).

1873 Treasury

  1 c brown
  2 c brown
  3 c brown
  6 c brown
  7 c brown
  10 c brown
  12 c brown
  15 c brown
  24 c brown
  30 c brown
  90 c brown

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
1 c	R	***
2 c	***	**
3 c	**	**
6 c	***	**
7 c	R	R
10 c	***	***
12 c	***	**
15 c	***	***
24 c	RR	RR
30 c	***	***
90 c	R	***

1873 War

24 c

  1 c red
  2 c red
  3 c red
  6 c red
  7 c red
  10 c red
  12 c red
  15 c red
  24 c red
  30 c red
  90 c red

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
1 c	*	*
2 c	**	**
3 c	*	*
6 c	*	*
7 c	R	R
10 c	***	***
12 c	***	***
15 c	***	***
24 c	***	***
30 c	***	***
90 c	***	***

Envelopes of the War Department, example:

envelope 1 c red

These envelopes were issued in 1873 in the values: 1 c, 2 c, 3 c, 6 c, 10 c, 12 c, 15 c, 24 c and 30 c (all in red, with the portrait of a different person in the center).

1873 Post Office Dept. Official Stamp.

  1 c black
  2 c black
  3 c black
  6 c black
  10 c black
  12 c black
  15 c black
  24 c black
  30 c black
  90 c black

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
1 c	***	***
2 c	***	***
3 c	*	*
6 c	***	**
10 c	R	R
12 c	***	***
15 c	***	***
24 c	***	***
30 c	***	***
90 c	R	R

Cut from an envelope, inscription "POST OFFICE DEPT OFFICIAL STAMP.":

The following values were issued in 1873: 2 c black, 3 c black and 6 c black. All values exist in two types. Forgeries seem to exist of the 3 c and 6 c values.

Postal Savings Stamps

1911 Inscription 'US POSTAL SAVINGS OFFICIAL MAIL'

  1 c violet
  2 c black
  10 c red
  50 c green
  1 $ blue

These stamps have perforation 12 and watermark 'USPS'.

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
1 c	***	*
2 c	R	*
10 c	***	*
50 c	RR	R
1 $	RR	R