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The banknote issues give collectors the most trouble with identification with the possible exception to the Washington/Franklins. I’m going to write a series of guides that will hopefully be a good reference to help you distinguish the small differences between the similar denominations. Ebay only allows ten photos for each guide. Therefore I will break each guide down to one denomination. I shall pick up here with the thirty cent banknote featuring Alexander Hamilton. This is another hard issue to distinguish the differences and again color plays a key role.
Shown below is an example of Scott #143 which was printed in 1870. Scott #143 was printed on white wove paper and embossed with an H grill. Scott #143 was issued by the National Banknote Co. and only 20,000 examples were printed. The color is described as black or full black.
Scott #154 was printed by the National Banknote Co. and issued in 1870. Printed on white wove paper, Scott #154 does not have a grill. 900,000 estimated examples were printed. The color is the same as Scott #143.
Scott #165 was printed on white wove paper and issued by the Continental Bank note Co. in 1873. This stamp generally does NOT have a grill although examples are known with the J grill. 2,000,000 examples were estimated to have been printed. The color of this stamp is described as gray black or greenish black.
Scott #190 was printed on soft porous paper and issued by the American Banknote Co in 1879. 4,000,000 examples were printed. The color of this stamp is noted as full black or greenish black. The easiest way to distinguish this stamp from the earlier issues is by paper type. If you compare Scott #65 and #212 side by side holding them up to bright light you will be able to see the difference in paper types. Scott #65 was always printed on white wove paper and Scott #212 was always printed on soft porous paper.
Notice on the example at left below how upper triangular protrusion in the letter “S” of “CENTS” is narrow and prominent. This is how the “S” appears on Scott #143,154 and 165. At left is shown an example of Scott #190. Notice how the same triangular protrusion is fatter and not as pronounced.
#143,154 and 165 #190
Scott #217 was printed in 1888 by the American Banknote Co. This issue was printed on soft porous paper and 1,700,000 copies were printed. This issue is the easiest of all to identify as the color is orange brown.
Cancels are one clue you can use to distinguish the earlier and later printings. The oval letter and numeral cancels did not come into use until 1876. Before than the cork or woodblock cancels were the norm. If you have a stamp with the oval type cancel it is most likely a #190 while Scott #143,154 and 165 will usually have a cork or killer cancel. Stamp on the left features an earlier killer cancel and the stamp on the right features the oval type that came into use in 1876.
#154 #190
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