Among U.S. collectors, the 1¢ green Benjamin Franklin stamps of the 1920s are among the most common—and yet there exist two very rare varieties: Scott 594 and Scott 596. If you happen to own either one of them, you could be holding in your hand a treasure worth tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. Here’s how to identify your 1¢ green Franklin stamp as one of these valuable rarities.
Learning about common and rare Franklin stamps
The 1¢ green Franklin type A155 design was printed in several different ways between 1922 and 1938, including sheet stamps, coils, and booklets, with varying perforations and printings. Most of the stamps are common and not worth much, although the Scott Specialized Catalogue catalogs 16 stamps with this design, including the very rare Scott 594 and 596.
Scott 594 and 596 both were printed by rotary press in 1924 and both share the same engraved Benjamin Franklin image. They are almost impossible to distinguish from the regular issues to the naked eye, but so rare and valuable due to the fact that they contain subtle differences in perforations, size, and printing history.
How to distinguish Scott 594 and 596
- Perforation measurements: The secret to their discovery as such a scarce stamp lies in their perforations. Scott 594 and 596 have the all sides perforation gauge 11, which is unusual relative to other Franklin stamps of mixed gauges such as 11 by 10½ or gauge 10 perforations. It is crucial to use a perforation gauge when measuring accurately because an error between a gauge 10½ and 11 would make them incorrectly classified.
- Size and design differences: Scott 594 is a square, blocky stamp measuring about 22¼ mm high, whereas Scott 596 is just a bit taller at some 22½ mm. The reason for this discrepancy is that Scott 596 was printed from sheet waste wound round the rotary press cylinder in a different way, and therefore had a higher design. One of the utilitarian methods of verifying Scott 596 is to overlay it with an authenticated Scott 581 stamp (another rotary press item) to verify frame lines, as Scott 596 measurements are an exact fit.
- Color and printing details: Scott 594 is a light gray-green, and Scott 596 is pale and bluish-green. Both are waterless and printed by rotary presses. Scott 596 stamps usually have Kansas City, Missouri precancels, and Scott 594 specimens usually have New York postmarks or precancels.
Rarity and known examples
Scott 594 is rare, with fewer than 100 copies, and Scott 596 is even rarer, with some 15 to 18 existing examples. Both were never publicly issued by the Post Office, being printed on sheet waste or coil waste not meant for the public. The fact that they were produced illegally only contributes to their mystique and worth.
Why Scott 594 and 596 are so valuable
Since they are so scarce and mysterious in regards to how they were produced, Scott 594 and Scott 596 especially are priceless to collectors. Scott 596 in pristine condition is one of the most valuable United States stamps from the 20th century, with used examples selling for as much as $190,000 or more and much higher for mint—although no mint Scott 596s have been recorded.
Scott 594, while less scarce, nonetheless is highly valuable, with mint examples in existence and documented collector demand. Both stamps are both collectible due to their singular position within the annals of U.S. stamp collecting history and due to their scarcity.
What to do if you have one
If you think your 1¢ green Franklin stamp is either Scott 594 or 596, the initial step is to accurately measure its perfs with a precision gauge. Make sure each of the four sides is gauge 11. Next, measure the height of the stamp in order to separate the square Scott 594 from the taller Scott 596.
Second, verify the color and any precancels. If your stamp also possesses these extraordinary features, it is highly advisable to obtain professional authentication and grading by an esteemed philatelic specialist or certification agency. Proper certification can significantly increase the market value of the stamp and leave you with a genuine rarity.
Though most 1¢ green Franklins are abundant and cheap, rare Scott 594 and 596 are among the most valuable and coveted U.S. stamps. They are treasures for collectors due to their scarceness, subtle variations in perforation and size, and intriguing production history. If your stamp meets the criteria, you might well have a small fortune winner in your collection.
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