1879 3¢ Washington - U.S. #184

U.S. #184
1879 3¢ Washington

Earliest Known Use: July 2, 1878
Quantity issued: 1,270,843,200 (estimate)
Printed by: American Bank Note Company
Method: Flat plate
Watermark: None
Perforation: 12
Color: Green

Continental Bank Note Co. secured a second contract spanning 1877-1881. On February 4, 1879, the American Bank Note Company took over Continental, assuming the ongoing contract. With this transition, American acquired all the old plates previously utilized by National during their consolidation, resulting in American Bank Note stamps all bearing the same secret marks. Plates lacking prior secret marks remained unaltered.

Distinguishing between stamps printed by Continental and American can be achieved by identifying the type of paper utilized. Both National and Continental employed hard paper, exhibiting a 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, used soft paper, characterized by its thicker, coarser, and uneven texture, presenting a yellowish tint and reduced translucency compared to hard paper.

(Photo is of Actual Product)