very rarepre-1900

Benjamin Franklin, 1c Blue, First US Postage Stamp

Name: Benjamin Franklin, 1c Blue, First US Postage Stamp
Brand: United States

United States · 1847 · 1c

This stamp features a portrait of Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, based on a drawing by James B. Longacre. As one of the first two federally issued postage stamps in the US, it marks a pivotal moment in the nation's postal history. The design is simple, with Franklin's bust framed by ornate scrollwork and the denomination 'ONE CENT' at the bottom.

Issued in 1847 alongside the 5c George Washington stamp, this was the second denomination of the first general issue of U.S. postage stamps, standardizing mail prepayment across the country.

Printing Method

Engraved

Themes

presidents founding-fathers famous-people first-issue

Catalog Numbers

scott2

Image: · License:

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Estimated Values by Condition

Superb(S)

Perfectly centered, fresh, no faults

$25,000

Extremely Fine(XF)

Well centered, fresh colors

$15,000

Very Fine(VF)

Nicely centered, minor flaws

$8,000

Fine(F)

Average centering, acceptable

$3,000

Good(G)

Off-center or visible wear

$800

Prices are approximate market estimates for educational purposes. Actual values depend on specific factors including cancel type, margins, and provenance.