The banknote issues give collectors the most trouble with identification with the possible exception of 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 am going to start with the ninety cent banknotes. There was no known secret mark added to this issue and the only way to distinguish the difference is between color an paper types.

Shown below is Scott #144. This is the easiest issue to identify as it was the only one that was grilled.Scott #144 was printed in 1870 by the National Banknote Co. on white wove paper. The stamp features Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry. The stamp was embossed with an H grill. Only an estimated 30,000 of these stamps were printed. The color is carmine and seems to have a very slight bluish tint to many observers.

Scott #155 was printed in 1870 by the national banknote company. The stamp was printed on the same white wove paper. The color is about the same as Scott #144. An estimated 200,000 examples of this issue were printed. This stamp was not embossed with a grill and that is how it can be distinguished from Scott #144. An Example of #155 is shown below.

Scott #166 was printed in 1873 by the Continental Banknote Co. on white wove paper. Again, an estimated 200,000 stamps were printed. The color is the only way to distinguish this stamp from it’s earlier counterparts. The color of this stamp is described as rose or rose carmine with a very slight yellow tint to it, as seen below.

Scott #191 was issued in 1879 by the American Banknote Co. The color of this stamp can swing either way. It can be close to the National or Continental printings. An estimated 200,000 of these stamps were printed. This stamp is easier to distinguish from the earlier examples because it was printed on soft porous paper. 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.

That brings us to the last ninety cent large banknote. Scott #218 is the easiest to identify as it’s color is purple. It was printed by the American Banknote Co. in 1888. It was printed on soft porous paper and about 200,000 examples were printed.

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. On earlier issues the cork or woodblock cancels were the norm. If you have a stamp with the oval type cancel it is most likely a #166 or #191 as Scott #144 & #155 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.