Designs of the 1908 Series
Washington Franklins with the "Franklin" Design
Printed by The Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Designer: Claire Aubrey Huston Engravers: Marcus W. Baldwin, Robert F. Ponickau and E. M. Hall
Design size: 18½-19 x 22mm (reversed for the $2-$5 stamps)
"EDU" = Earliest Documented Usage "Wmk" = Watermark "SE" = Straight-Edge "booklet" = pane of 6
Note that only one Franklin stamp was issued rotary, the 10¢ coil Scott 497. Quantity issued are approximations based on USPOD records.
Click on underlined Catalog Numbers below to see more details.
"ONE CENT" Franklin
Series of 1908
Quantity Issued: 11,781,508,390
541,000,000 booklet stamps 94,307,000 coil stamps
|
| Number | Issue Date | EDU | Type | Perf | Wmk | Possible SE | Colors/Varieties | Design Size | Usage |
| 331 | 12/14?/1908 | 12/1/1908 | sheet | 12 x 12 | double-line | on any side | yellow to bright to dark green; double transfer; cracked plate Imprints: BEP with no star; large hollow star or small solid star; blocks with 2mm or 3mm spacing |
the
design size is consistent at 18½-19 x 22mm all one cent stamps with this design were printed on flat plate presses |
The 1¢ stamp saw
heavy usage paying the post card rate, but was also used with
other stamps to complete the rate on other mail.. On unsealed matter, one cent paid the 2nd-class rate, per ounce up to two ounces, and the 3rd-class rate for the first two ounces. Forth class matter was uniformly one cent per ounce and this stamp paid for the first ounce. The one-cent stamp also paid the local, intra-city, first-class rate at post offices without carrier services. Cities with carrier service charged the going first class rate, that is two cents. For more on local rates. two-cent Washington |
| 331a | 12/2?/1908 | 12/2/1908 | booklet | 12 x 12 | double-line | on any side | green to bright green | ||
| 343 | 12/23?/1908 | 1/4/1909 | sheet | imperf. | double-line | --- | yellow to bright to dark green; double transfer |
||
| 343V | --- | 5/24/1910 | vert. coil | imperf. | double-line | --- | guideline pair; paste-up pair | ||
| 343H | --- | 8/25/1910 | hor. coil | imperf. | double-line | --- | guideline pair; paste-up pair | ||
| 348 | 12/29/1908 | 1/25/1909 | vert. coil | 12 horiz. | double-line | --- | green; dark green; guide-line pair | ||
| 352 | 1/2?/1909 | 3/30/1909 | horiz. coil | 12 vert. | double-line | --- | green; dark green; guide-line pair; double transfer; 2mm or 3mm spacing (pair) |
||
| 357 | 2/16/1909 | 2/21/1909 | blue paper | 12 x 12 | double-line | on any side | green; 2mm or 3mm spacing (block) | ||
| 374 | 11/23/1910 | 2/7/1911 | sheet | 12 x 12 | single-line | on any side | light green to dark green;
double transfer; cracked plate; block of 60 2mm or 3mm spacing (block) |
||
| 374a | 10/7/1910 | 2/28/1911 | booklet | 12 x 12 | single-line | on any side | green to dark green | ||
| 383 | ~1911 | 1/28/1911 | sheet | imperf. | single-line | --- | yellow to bright to dark green; double transfer; 2mm or 3mm spacing (block) |
||
| 383V | --- | 4/13/1911 | vert. coil | imperf. | single-line | --- | double transfer; guideline pair; paste-up pair |
||
| 383H | --- | 8/3/1911 ? | hor. coil | imperf. | single-line | --- | guideline pair; paste-up pair 2mm or 3mm spacing (pair) |
||
| 385 | 11/1/1910? | 1/231911 ? | vert. coil | 12 horiz. | single-line | --- | green to dark green; guide-line pair | ||
| 387 | 11/1/1910 | 11/5/1910 | horiz. coil | 12 vert. | single-line | --- | green; guideline
pair; 2mm or 3mm spacing (pair) |
||
| 390 | 12/12/1910 | 10/5/1911 | vert. coil | 8½ horiz. | single-line | --- | green to dark green; guideline pair; double transfer |
||
| 392 | 12/12/1910 | 5/3/1911 | horiz. coil | 8½ vert. | single-line | --- | green to dark green; guideline pair; double transfer |
8¢ Franklin
Series of 1911
Quantity Issued
825,500,000
|
| Number | Issue Date | EDU | Type | Perf | Wmk | Possible SE | Colors/Varieties | Design Size | Usage |
| 414 | 2/14/1912? | 4/20/1912? | sheet | 12 x 12 | single-line | on any side | pale olive green to olive green | the
design size is consistent at 18½-19 x 22mm all eight-cent stamps with this design were printed on flat plate presses |
On November 1 ,
1909 the registry fee was raised from eight cents to ten cents.
This was well before this stamp was issued, so this stamp saw limited
usage. It did pay the UPU double rate, five cents for the first ounce and three cents for the second oz., eight cents total. |
| 431 | 9/26/1914 | 1/20/1915 | sheet | 10 x 10 | single-line | on any side | pale olive green to olive green; double impression |
||
| 470 | 11/13/1916 | 1/26/1917 off cover |
sheet | 10 x 10 | none | on any side | olive green to dark olive green; Springfield MA exp. precancel |
||
| 508 | 3/24/1917 | 7/7/1917 | sheet | 11 x 11 | none | on any side | olive bistre; olive to dark olive green; vert. pair imperf. between | ||
| 508c | --- | --- | 11 x 10 at top or bottom | --- | --- | ||||
9¢ Franklin
Series of 1914
Quantity Issued
312,250,000
|
| Number | Issue Date | EDU | Type | Perf | Wmk | Possible SE | Colors/Varieties | Design Size | Usage |
| 415 | 4/?/1914 | 5/1/1914 | sheet | 12 x 12 | single-line | on any side | salmon red; rose red | the
design size is consistent at 18½-19 x 22mm all nine-cent stamps with this design were printed on flat plate presses |
The 9¢ stamp was
used primarily with other stamps to pay parcel postage. This was
the first regularly issued U.S. nine cents stamp. |
| 432 | 10/6/1914 | 10/7/1915 off cover |
sheet | 10 x 10 | single-line | on any side | salmon to dark salmon red | ||
| 471 | 11/16/1916 | 12/27/1917 | sheet | 10 x 10 | none | on any side | salmon red; Springfield MA exp. precancel |
||
| 509 | 3/?/1917 | 10/2/1917 | sheet | 11 x 11 | none | on any side | pale to deep salmon; light to salmon red; double transfer | ||
| 509a | --- | --- | 11 x 10 at top or bottom | --- | --- | ||||
10¢ Franklin
Series of 1911
Quantity Issued: 1,846,000,000 regular issue stamps
13,480,000 coil stamps
|
| Number | Issue Date | EDU | Type | Perf | Wmk | Possible SE | Colors/Varieties | Design Size | Usage |
| 416 | 1/?/1912 | 2/12/1912 | sheet | 12 x 12 | single-line | on any side | yellow to orange yellow; double transfer |
the
design size for all but Sc497 is 18½-19 x 22mm (flat plate) Sc497 was a rotary printing and measures 19½+ x 22mm |
The 10¢ Franklin stamp paid the registry fee, with up to $50 indemnity. It also paid the Special Delivery fee and could be used in lieu of the 10¢ Special Delivery stamp. |
| 416a | --- | --- | sheet | 12 x 12 | single-line | --- | brown yellow | ||
| 433 | 9/9/1914 | 11/13/1914 | sheet | 10 x 10 | single-line | on any side | orange yellow to golden yellow | ||
| 472 | 10/17/1916 | 10/24/1916 | sheet | 10 x 10 | none | on any side | orange yellow; Springfield MA exp. precancel |
||
| 497 | 1/31/1922 | 1/31/1922 FDC |
rotary horiz. coil |
10 vert. | none | --- | orange yellow; joint line pair |
||
| 510 | 3/?/1917 | 3/27/1917 | sheet | 11 x 11 | none | on any side | orange yellow to golden yellow | ||
| 510a | --- | --- | sheet | 11 x 11 | none | --- | brown yellow |
11¢ Franklin
Series of 1914
Quantity Issued
169,500,000 regular issue stamps
|
| Number | Issue Date | EDU | Type | Perf | Wmk | Possible SE | Colors/Varieties | Design Size | Usage |
| 434 | 8/11/1915 | 10/8/1915? | sheet | 10 x 10 | single-line | on any side | bluish green to dark green | the
design size is consistent at 18½-19 x 22mm all eleven-cent stamps with this design were printed on flat plate presses |
The 11¢ stamp was
often used with other stamps to make up a parcel rate. Solo usage: triple the UPU rate, five cents for the first ounce and three cents for each additional ounce. Solo usages are scarce. |
| 473 | 11/16/1916 | 4/13/1917 | sheet | 10 x 10 | none | on any side | dark green; Springfield MA exp. precancel |
||
| 511 | 5/?/1917 | 12/1/1917? | sheet | 11 x 11 | none | on any side | light to deep green; dark green; double transfer |
||
| 511a | --- | --- | 11 x 10 at top or bottom | --- | --- | ||||
12¢ Franklin
Series of 1914
Quantity Issued
383,060,000 regular issue stamps
|
| Number | Issue Date | EDU | Type | Perf | Wmk | Possible SE | Colors/Varieties | Design Size | Usage |
| 417 | ~4/1914 | 5/5/1914 | sheet | 12 x 12 | single-line | on any side | claret brown to deep claret
brown; double and triple transfer |
the
design size is consistent at 18½-19 x 22mm all twelve-cent stamps with this design were printed on flat plate presses |
The 12¢ Franklin stamp paid for 1st class postage and the registry fee, with up to $50 indemnity. Note that the registry fee was raised to ten cents in 1909, leaving quite a gap between when this stamp would have first been useful and when it was first issued. |
| 435 | 9/10/1914 | 2/22/1915 | sheet | 10 x 10 | single-line | on any side | claret brown to
dark claret
brown; double and triple transfer |
||
| 435a | --- | --- | sheet | 10 x 10 | single-line | on any side | pale to deep copper red | ||
| 474 | 10/?/1916 | 10/6/1916 off cover |
sheet | 10 x 10 | none | on any side | claret brown to deep claret
brown; double and triple transfer; Springfield MA exp. precancel |
||
| 512 | 5/12/1917 | 8/15/1917 | sheet | 11 x 11 | none | on any side | claret brown to bright claret
red; double and triple transfer |
||
| 512a | --- | sheet | 11 x 11 | none | on any side | pale to deep brownish carmine | |||
| 512b | --- | --- | 11 x 10 at top or bottom | --- | --- | ||||
13¢ Franklin
of 1919
Quantity Issued
32,285,000 regular issue stamps
|
| Number | Issue Date | EDU | Type | Perf | Wmk | Possible SE | Colors | Design Size | Usage |
| 513 | 1/10/1919 | 1/25/1919 | sheet | 11 x 11 | none | on any side | pale to deep apple green; pale to bright yellowish green note that the 13¢ Franklin stamp was only issued perf 11 on unwatermarked paper, Scott 513 |
the
design size is consistent at 18½-19 x 22mm all thirteen-cent stamps with this design were printed on flat plate presses |
This stamp was useful for only about 5 months. From the date it was issued until July 1, 1919 when the War Emergency Rate was rescinded, it paid for the letter rate plus registry fee. After July this rate dropped to 12¢. Used copies of this stamp are not common |
15¢ Franklin
Series of 1911
Quantity Issued
382,550,000 regular issue stamps
|
| Number | Issue Date | EDU | Type | Perf | Wmk | Possible SE | Colors/Varieties | Design Size | Usage |
| 418 | 2/14?/1912 | 4/26/1912 | sheet | 12 x 12 | single-line | on any side | gray to dark gray; double transfer |
the
design size is consistent at 18½-19 x 22mm all fifteen-cent stamps with this design were printed on flat plate presses |
The 15¢ Franklin stamp paid the registry fee of 10¢, plus the UPU rate of 5¢. A few of these registered covers with solo usage were caught up in the Russian revolution and are very collectible today. The stamp also saw usage on heavier letters and parcels. |
| 437 | 9/16/1914 | 9/21/1915 | sheet | 10 x 10 | single-line | on any side | gray to dark gray | ||
| 475 | 11/16/1916 | 3/2/1917 | sheet | 10 x 10 | none | on any side | gray to dark gray; Springfield MA exp. precancel |
||
| 514 | 5/21?/1917 | 11/15/1917 | sheet | 11 x 11 | none | on any side | gray to dark gray; double transfer |
||
| 514a | --- | --- | 11 x 10 at bottom | --- | --- | ||||
20¢ Franklin
Series of 1914
Quantity Issued
466,800,000
|
| Number | Issue Date | EDU | Type | Perf | Wmk | Possible SE | Colors/Varieties | Design Size | Usage |
| 419 | 4/?/1914 | 5/1/1914 | sheet | 12 x 12 | single-line | on any side | ultramarine to dark ultramarine | the
design size is consistent at 18½-19 x 22mm all twenty-cent stamps with this design were printed on flat plate presses |
The 20¢ stamp saw heavy use on parcels particularly due to the introduction of the Parcel Post system and the discontinuance of the Parcel Post stamps. To a lesser extent it saw use on multiple weight and foreign mail. |
| 438 | 9/19/1914 | 11/28/1914 | sheet | 10 x 10 | single-line | on any side | ultramarine to dark ultramarine | ||
| 476 | 12/5/1916 | 3/2/1917 | sheet | 10 x 10 | none | on any side | pale to bright
ultramarine; Springfield MA exp. precancel |
||
| 515 | 5/12?/1917 | 5/4/1918 | sheet | 11 x 11 | none | on any side | pale to deep
ultramarine; pale to deep blue; gray blue; vert. pair imperf. between;
double transfer; double impression |
||
| 515d | --- | --- | 11 x 10 at top or bottom | --- | --- | ||||
30¢ Franklin
Series of 1914
Quantity Issued
181,440,000 regular issue stamps
|
| Number | Issue Date | EDU | Type | Perf | Wmk | Possible SE | Colors/Varieties | Design Size | Usage |
| 420 | 4/1914 | 5/1/1914 | sheet | 12 x 12 | single-line | on any side | orange red to dark orange red | the
design size is consistent at 18½-19 x 22mm all thirty-cent stamps with this design were printed on flat plate presses |
The 30¢ stamp saw heavy use on parcels particularly due to the introduction of the Parcel Post system and the discontinuance of the Parcel Post stamps. To a lesser extent it saw use on multiple weight and foreign mail. |
| 439 | 9/19/1914 | 2/13/1915 | sheet | 10 x 10 | single-line | on any side | orange red to dark orange red | ||
| 476A | --- | --- | sheet | 10 x 10 | none | on any side | orange red | ||
| 516 | 5/12/1917 | 1/12/1918 | sheet | 11 x 11 | none | on any side | pale reddish orange; orange red to dark orange red; double transfer; double impression |
||
| 516a | --- | --- | 11 x 10 at top or bottom | --- | --- | ||||
50¢ Franklin
Series of 1911
Quantity Issued
125,600,000 regular issue stamps
|
| Number | Issue Date | EDU | Type | Perf | Wmk | Possible SE | Colors/Varieties | Design Size | Usage |
| 421 | ~5/1/1914 | 5/1/1914 | sheet | 12 x 12 | single-line | on any side | violet to bright violet; note that this stamp was issued two years after Sc422; frame line offset on reverse is common | the
design size is consistent at 18½-19 x 22mm all fifty-cent stamps with this design were printed on flat plate presses |
The 50¢ stamp saw heavy
use on parcels, particularly after the introduction of the Parcel Post
system in 1913 and after the discontinuance of the short-lived Parcel Postage stamps designed specifically for the purpose of mailing parcels. |
| 422 | 2/12/1912 | 10/31/1914 | sheet | 12 x 12 | double-line | left or right | violet; note that this stamp
was issued two years before Sc421; there is no offset on reverse |
||
| 440 | 12/10/1915 | 8/31/1917 | sheet | 10 x 10 | single-line | on any side | violet | ||
| 477 | 3/2/1917 | 8/31/1917 | sheet | 10 x 10 | none | on any side | pale violet to violet | ||
| 517 | 5/19/1917 | 12/28/1917 | sheet | 11 x 11 | none | on any side | light violet to violet; red
violet; double transfer; vertical pair imperforate between and at bottom |
||
| 517c | --- | --- | 11 x 10 at top or bottom | --- | --- | ||||
$1 Franklin
Series of 1911
Quantity Issued
21,950,000
|
| Number | Issue Date | EDU | Type | Perf | Wmk | Possible SE | Colors/Varieties | Design Size | Usage |
| 423 | 2/14/1912? | 7/15/1915 | sheet | 12 x 12 | double-line | left or right | violet brown; double transfer |
the
design size is consistent at 18½-19 x 22mm all one dollar stamps with this design were printed on flat plate presses |
The $1 Franklin stamp saw heavy use on parcels, particularly after the introduction of the Parcel Post system in 1913 (see also:1912) and after the discontinuance of the Parcel Post stamps, although they remained valid for postage and were still delivered to post offices as late as June 1917. |
| 460 | 2/8/1915 | 5/25/1916 | sheet | 10 x 10 | double-line | left or right | violet brown; double transfer note that the $1 Franklin was never printed on single-line watermarked paper |
||
| 478 | 12/22/1916 | 5/24/1917 | sheet | 10 x 10 | none | left or right | violet black; double transfer | ||
| 518 | 5/?/1917 | 5/19/1917 | sheet | 11 x 11 | none | left or right | dull to dark violet brown; violet black; double transfer | ||
| 518b | no trace of violet color | sheet | 11 x 11 | none | left or right | deep brown | |||
$2 Franklin
of 1918?
Quantity Issued
791,380 regular issue stamps
|
| Number | Issue Date | EDU | Type | Perf | Wmk | Design Size | Colors | Possible SE | Usage |
| 523 | 8/19/1918? | 12/17/1918 | sheet | 11 x 11 | none | 22mm x 18½-19mm |
orange red and black; red orange and black |
none | The $2 Franklin stamp |
| 547 | 11/1/1920 | 12/6/1920 | sheet | 11 x 11 | none |
22mm x 18½-19 mm |
carmine and black; Johl notes a double transfer | none | |
| 547a | --- | --- | sheet | 11 x 11 | none |
22mm x 18½-19 mm |
lake and black | none |
$5 Franklin
of 1918
Quantity Issued
296,650 regular issue stamps
|
| Number | Issue Date | EDU | Type | Perf | Wmk | Design Size | Colors | Possible SE | Usage |
| 524 | 8/19/1918 | 3/20/1920 | sheet | 11 x 11 | none | 22mm x 18½-19 mm |
deep green and black | none | The $5 Franklin stamp |
* Issue dates are primarily from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing records and updated from the Sisken/Berkun information where appropriate. If the date of issue is the same as the EDU the cover is considered a First Day Cover. Sometimes the date precedes the date of issue.
*Possible SE - This information is given in order to determine whether a stamp can be reperfed and at which sides:
1. "on any side" means that a straight-edge is possible on any of the four sides
2. "left or right" means that a straight-edge will not occur naturally at top or bottom
3. "none" means that straight-edges did not occur naturally on these stamps
Straight-edge information is given only for sheet stamps and booklet stamps.
Bibliography and suggested additional reading:
The 2010 Scott U.S. Specialized Stamp Catalogue (Amos Press 2009)
Why Collect the U.S. Washington-Franklin Heads? A 100th Anniversary Tribute, a 10-part series by Larry Weiss (USSS)
Washington-Franklins 1908-1921, by Martin Armstrong (1979 2nd edition)
United States Coil Issues, by Martin Armstrong (1980 2nd edition)
The Expert's Book, by Paul Schmid (1990)
Washington Franklin's Simplified, by Larry Weiss (available from the USSS, see below)
Preservation of United States Stamps (Supplement to Encyclopedia of Colors), by Roy White (1981)
The U.S. Postage Stamps of the 20th Century, Volume I revised, by Max Johl (1937)
Rates:
Exploring the Washington-Franklin Era (a 19-part series), by Paul Bourke (USSS from Jan. 2003 to July 2004)
U.S. Domestic Postal Rates 1872-1999, by Beecher and Wawrukiewicz (1999)
U.S. International Postal Rates 1872-1999, by Beecher and Wawrukiewicz (1996)
Colors:
The Micarelli Identification Guide to U.S. Stamps: Regular Issues 1847-1934 by Charles N. Micarelli
The Encyclopedia of the Colors of United States Postage Stamps - Volume 4 - Issues of 1908-1918, by Roy H. White (1981)
Notable Auction Sales:
The Dr. Joseph Agris Gold Medal Collection of United States Coil Issues - Shreves Philatelic Galleries Sep. 5, 1997
The Chesapeake Collection of U.S. 1914 Compound Perforations - Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries #877 June 12, 2004
The North Fork Collection of Superb 20th Century U.S. - Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries #903 October 20, 2005
The Alpha Collection (EDUs) - Shreves Philatelic Galleries Feb. 16, 2006
The Alan B. Whitman Collection, Pt. III: 1902-1934 Issues B-O-B - Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries #968b Sep. 22-25, 2009
