1879 1c Postage Due, Orange, Trial Color Plate Proof, Small Die on India Paper

Get this Trial Color Proof of America’s First Postage Due Stamp

When the American Bank Note Company was preparing to produced Postage Due stamps, trial color proofs were created to decide what color to make the new stamps.  This stamp was part of that trial.  The small die proof was printed on India paper.  The ink used in this trial would ultimately be used for the final stamps.

Trial Color Proofs

Trial color proofs are created when a printer wants to experiment with different ink colors before deciding on the final color scheme for a stamp. These proofs can be found in a variety of colors, some of which were never used in the final production. Collectors prize these proofs for their rarity and the insight they provide into the decision-making process behind a stamp’s design.

Postage Due Stamps

Beginning in 1879, Postage Due stamps were issued to be placed on packages to indicate insufficient postage.  Understated elegance defines the 1879 Postage Due stamp. It features an ornate numeral and simple frame executed in finely crafted engraving. Its beauty was appreciated – Australia duplicated the same design for its first Postage Due stamp in 1902.
In 1855, prepayment of postage was made mandatory. If letters didn’t have sufficient postage, postal clerks would hand write the amount due on the envelope. There was no accountability for greedy clerks who would collect more than was due and pocket the difference. The solution to the problem was Postage Due stamps. Each postmaster had to balance his books between the value of the Postage Due stamps used and the money collected.
The first issues were printed by the American Bank Note Company and were released on July 1, 1879. Unlike regular postage stamps that paid for the delivery of mail, they denoted the amount of postage due on mail that was insufficiently prepaid. This amount was paid not by the sender, but rather by the recipient of the letter. Insufficient payment may have been because the letter was heavier than the sender realized, and they had not put enough postage on it to cover the extra weight. The stamps were also used on advertised letters or unpaid ship or steamboat letters.
Designed solely for functional purposes, the stamps were plain with large numerals indicating the amount to be paid. For twenty-five years, this design remained unchanged – although the colors varied from a brown to red brown to a deep red.

This Trial Color Proof of the first US Postage Due stamp would make an unusual addition to your Postage Due stamp collection.  Order yours today.