In 1863, the Union issued a 2¢ black stamp featuring Andrew Jackson. Nicknamed the “Black Jack” or “Big Head,” it marked the first time Jackson appeared on a US stamp. It paid the drop letter and circular mail rates, and two could be combined to cover the new four-ounce third-class rate for newspapers and periodicals. The design was based on a portrait miniature by American painter John Wood Dodge — the last likeness of Jackson completed before his death in 1845. To the North, Jackson’s image also carried symbolic weight. He was remembered for his forceful stand against secession during the Nullification Crisis, making him an apt figure to appear on a Civil War issue.

Not long after, the Confederacy released its own 2¢ Jackson, this one printed in red. The South’s postal system struggled with limited resources and had relied on lithography and typography to produce stamps. That changed when engraver John Archer, formerly of the American Bank Note Company, was persuaded to relocate from New York to Richmond. There, he modified the central design of the Union’s Black Jack to create the Confederate 2¢ Jackson. Issued in 1863, it became the first engraved stamp produced by the Confederate States. Choosing Jackson let Southern leaders point to his roots and claim him as one of their own, even as the Union did the same.

Order now and own a piece of Civil War history. The black Union issue and the red Confederate issue are mounted side by side on a special album page, creating a striking display of a nation divided. It’s a simple, powerful way to bring this story into your collection — reserve yours today.

In 1863, the Union issued a 2¢ black stamp featuring Andrew Jackson. Nicknamed the “Black Jack” or “Big Head,” it marked the first time Jackson appeared on a US stamp. It paid the drop letter and circular mail rates, and two could be combined to cover the new four-ounce third-class rate for newspapers and periodicals. The design was based on a portrait miniature by American painter John Wood Dodge — the last likeness of Jackson completed before his death in 1845. To the North, Jackson’s image also carried symbolic weight. He was remembered for his forceful stand against secession during the Nullification Crisis, making him an apt figure to appear on a Civil War issue.

Not long after, the Confederacy released its own 2¢ Jackson, this one printed in red. The South’s postal system struggled with limited resources and had relied on lithography and typography to produce stamps. That changed when engraver John Archer, formerly of the American Bank Note Company, was persuaded to relocate from New York to Richmond. There, he modified the central design of the Union’s Black Jack to create the Confederate 2¢ Jackson. Issued in 1863, it became the first engraved stamp produced by the Confederate States. Choosing Jackson let Southern leaders point to his roots and claim him as one of their own, even as the Union did the same.

Order now and own a piece of Civil War history. The black Union issue and the red Confederate issue are mounted side by side on a special album page, creating a striking display of a nation divided. It’s a simple, powerful way to bring this story into your collection — reserve yours today.