In 1860, the United States was on the threshold of major changes. A great Civil War loomed on the horizon, threatening to split the country apart, and in Washington, the Post Office Department faced the fact that a new contract would have to be signed for the production of a set of stamps of new designs to replace the current issue. The current issue 30 cent and 90 cent denominations had been in use for less than a year. Bids were sought from printing companies to manufacture new stamps. The National Bank Note Company submitted a set of designs to the Post Office Department for approval and received the contract.
Their stamps, properly called essays and trial colors, are better known as “August Issues” or “Premiere Gravures” (first designs). The finished “second” designs for the 30 cent and 90 cent denominations, with color variations from the 30 cent and 90 cent designs of the 1857-60 Issues, were approved by the Postmaster General, and printing began.
The 30 cent and 90 cent stamps were designed by James MacDonough. Both denominations were engraved by Joseph E. Pease (portrait) and William D. Nichols (frame). Horizontal plates of 200 subjects were printed and cut into panes of 100. All 30 cent stamps were printed from a single plate engraved as Plate #7. All 90 cent stamps were printed from a single plate #18. Records estimate that 3,300,000 copies of he 30 cent denomination and 388,700 copies of the 90 cent denomination were printed and delivered to Post Offices during August of 1861.
Click on the images below to view large, detailed panels with descriptions.
.comSiegel Encyclopedia (1857-60 Issue)
Civil War Timeline, at Siegel Encyclopedia
