1879 10¢ Jefferson Type I - U.S. #187

U.S. #187
1879 10¢ Jefferson Type I

Earliest Known Use: September 5, 1879
Quantity issued: 11,000,000 (estimate)
Printed by: American Bank Note Company
Method: Flat plate
Watermark: None
Perforation: 12
Color: Brown

Two types of 10¢ Americans exist. Type I is similar to the National, in that it bears no secret mark. The difference between the two is the paper used.

The Type II variety, like the Continental stamp, has a dash in the ball to the left of the numeral “I”. Once again, the soft paper identifies this stamp as an American issue.

American Bank Note Printing
Continental Bank Note Co. was awarded a second contract spanning 1877-1881. On February 4, 1879, the American Bank Note Company took over Continental, assuming the ongoing contract. Since American acquired all the old plates previously utilized by National during their consolidation, the American Bank Note stamps all bear the same secret marks. Plates lacking prior secret marks remained unaltered.

Distinguishing between the stamps printed by Continental and American can be achieved by identifying which type of paper was used. Both National and Continental employed hard paper, characterized by its fairly white hue, smooth surface, and uniform thickness, with a degree of translucency when held up to light. Hard paper is sometimes described as having a grayish or bluish white appearance.

American, on the other hand, utilized soft paper, which is characterized by being thicker and having a coarser and uneven texture, presenting a yellowish tint and reduced translucency compared to hard paper.

(Photo is of Actual Product)