1889 30c Alexander Hamilton, Full Black, Specimen Type K

Scarce 30¢ Hamilton Specimen Stamp Can Be Yours

Specimen stamps are an often-overlooked area of philately.  They were produced and distributed primarily to serve as samples for local and foreign postal authorities.  Having reference collections allowed clerks to distinguish valid postage from counterfeits, which encouraged the exchange of international mail by discouraging fraud.

Specimen stamps were created by adding overprints to regular stamps to render them invalid for postage.  The red overprint is all in capital letters and measures 12 mm long.  These stamps were produced in very limited quantities.

The stamp you'll receive when you order today will be in unused condition with small flaws which are a reminder of this stamp’s history and age. 


U.S. #190
This #190 stamp was overprinted with “SAMPLE.”  This is a Type K overprint.
The earliest-known use of the 1879 30¢ Full Black Hamilton was April 5, 1881.   Approximately 4,097,910 of the stamps were printed by the American Bank Note Company on a flat plate press and perforated 12. 

The History Behind the American Bank Note Company:

Continental Bank Note Co. was awarded a second contract that covered the period of 1877-1881. On February 4, 1879, the American Bank Note Company took over Continental, and the contract was assumed by the new company. Since American acquired all the old plates used by Continental when the two companies consolidated, the American Bank Note stamps all bear the same secret marks. Those plates that did not previously have secret marks were not altered in any way.

One can, however, differentiate between the stamps printed by Continental and American by determining which type of paper was used. Both National and Continental used hard paper, which is fairly white, has a smooth surface, and is uniform in thickness. In addition, the stamp is fairly translucent when held up to a window or a bright light. Hard paper is sometimes better referred to as being a grayish or bluish white.

American, on the other hand, used soft paper, which is characterized by being thicker and having a coarser and uneven texture. When compared to hard paper, it is yellowish in appearance and is not as translucent.