This article by Lewis A Miers, BIA 1875, has been extracted, revised, and/or copied from
United States Specialist. Journal of the Bureau Issues Association, Inc.

A Review of the Stamps and Its Shades
February 1962, Page 36

by LEWIS A MIERS 71 Parkman Street, Brookline 46, Massachusetts

Quite often it is asked which one of the U.S. postage stamps came in the greatest number of shades. A few of the stamps have appeared in a fairly large range, both in the Bureau issues and also in the Bank Notes issues which preceded them. Some might say that it is the 11c Hayes Stamp of 1922-25; others the 24c stamps of 1861-1866. I believe that most collectors interested in shades, agree the 2c Shield Stamp of 1903 comes close to holding the record.

This shield stamp was inscribed "Series 1902" but it did not make its appearance until late in 1903. It seems that the original 2c flag stamp met with so much criticism from both the public and press, that the Postmaster General decided to replace it with a new stamp.

The background for this new stamp is a modified version of the United States Shield and this is how it got its name the "Shield Stamp." The Post Ofice Department lists it as the "Revised Design" and its official color is red.

The sheet stamp was issued on November 12, 1903 and continued until November 16, 1908.

The plate used for flat bed power printing was laid out so that sheets of 400 subjects resulted. It was quartered into Post Office panes of 100. Each Post Office pane had two plate numbers and imprint V. Altogether there were eight imprints and plate numbers, all collectible. The paper was soft, porous, and watermarked horizontally, USPS. The stamps were perforated 12 and the gum was white. During the stamp's life more than 20 billion were printed and issued. Durland lists 1,675 plates. There were 1,450 Die I plates and 225 Die II plates. Stamp book leaflets added 232 Die I plates and 40 Die II plates. Imperforate stamps added 37 Die I plates and 6 Die II plates.

Let's discuss the shades. The POD lists the color as red. Scott's U.S. Specialized Catalogue names: carmine, bright carmine, carmine rose, lake, carmine lake, and scarlet. These only scratch the surface as there are other distinct colors such as red or vermilion. There are light and dark shades of combinations caused by one color blending into another. Miers has 30 different shades and he thinks it is only a start because he knows a collection that has 100 blocks all in different shades and it has been said by others that by cutting it fine at least 200 shades were possible.

Booklet Pane
Soon after the regular revised shield stamp was issued on November 12, 1903, it was followed on December 3, 1903, by the stamp issued in booklet form. Special plates of 180 subject were made for this purpose and the stamps were printed on the same watermarked paper, only the USPS ran vertical to the sheets. The perforations were 12 and the gum white. (Durland lists 272 plates, 232 Die I and 40 Die II). The basic colors shown in Scott's US Specialist catalogue are: carmine, carmine rose, lake, and scarlet.

There are some combinations of these where one color blends into another but nowhere near the number shown for the regular stamp. The carmine rose shade is scarce and the other carmine shades are the most plentiful. Some of the panes are Die II stamps and these come in the lake shades only.

Imperforates
Late in 1906 the shield stamp was issued imperforate in full sheets of 400 stamps principally for use of manufacturers of private vending machines who perforated or slotted the sheets and then converted them into coils in order to fit their machines. There were more than 10 million of the stamps issued imperforate and although a large percentage went to vending machine manufacturers, some did reach the hands of dealers and collectors. The stamps were current a little more than two years and during that time a long range of shades were issued, probably due to using sheets taken out of regular stamp stock which had been gummed but not perforated. JohlÕs book shows a total of 30 plates found to have been used for these imperforate sheets. (Durland lists 37 Die I plates and 6 Die II plates).

The catalogue lists three basic shades, carmine, scarlet, and lake, but Johl shows the following: red, carmine, scarlet, carmine lake, deep carmine lake, lake, and deep lake red. There were light and dark shades and some combinations. The lake shades are scarce. The full sheets contain other collectible block forms such as corners, imprint and plate number, center cross line, arrow, etc.

Coil Stamps
On February 18, 1908 the Post Office Department issued the 1c green and 2c carmine stamps in coil form. They were the endwise type, (150), with the perforations 12 running horizontally, prepared from imperforate sheets taken from regular stamp stock. They were issued as an experiment along with the 5c blue coiled stamp which was issued February 24, 1908. Their existence was not very well known at the time and dealers and collectors paid slight attention to them as they were not considered to be a separate variety. This resulted in the stamps being used for postage with very few being saved for posterity. All three stamps are rare and genuine copies are in great demand even though they have premium prices.

Five months later, July 21, the sidewise coil (170) made its appearance along with the 1c green of the 1902 issue. Although these were current less than four months there are a few that are scarcer today than the endwise coil stamps. Nevertheless, they too, are rare.

The catalogue shows carmine to be the shade of both stamps and Johl says carmine red and carmine for both, but in view of the fact that both were made from imperforate sheets taken from regular stamp stock there could have been several shades issued. Be that as it may, any of us who are fortunate enough to own a genuine copy of either of these coils shoud not be too concerned about the shade. I am not one of the lucky ones.

Overprint
The regular issue perforated 12 stamps can be obtained overprinted "canal zone panama" in black letters in two lines running vertically to the stamp, also overprinted "Philippines" also in black runnung diagonally across the stamp from the lower left corner to the upper right corner. Booklet Panes can also be found with the latter overprint but these are rather scarce. The shades of the Canal Zone stamps are listed as carmine and scarlet and the Philippines as carmine. It would appear that shades of both of these stamps could run to some variations.

Facts and Conclusions
After reviewing the stamp in all of its different forms, we find that it holds the following records:

1. The first redesigned stamp issued by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
2. The first imperforate stamp issued by the Bureau along with the 1c green of 1902.
3. The first United States coil stamps ever issued were the 1902 series 1c green and 2c shield.

There is one point which we have not touched upon and that is, what was the real reason for so many shades? What took place at the Bureau during the time that these stamps were being printed which created so many shade variations? We all know that experimentation is constantly going on at the BEP as it is at any live manufacturing concern but why so many shades during this period? Single stamps have been printed in large quantities before this and in tremendous quantites since, with only a normal number of shades produced.

We do know that at about this same time the cost of stamp production at the Bureau was steadily increasing, so much so that the American Bank Note Company was called upon to submit bids for the printing and gumming of our stamps. Their figures resulted in a substantial saving but it was considered that this saving would be greatly offset through losses in stamp printing machinery. It would also have resulted in a reduction of personnel at the BEP and for this and other political reasons the Bureau was permitted to continue with the contract.

It was, no doubt, in the light of all of this that the Bureau was desperately endeavoring to reduce its printing costs, which of course would include trying out of many different ink formulas in order to prolong the life of the plates, resulting in the large number of shades produced.

This is only supposition on my part and it is the only plausable explanation which I can offer at this time. Can any of the membership add anything further to this? If so, I would be very pleased to hear from them.