The coil format of the Prominent Americans 1¢ Jefferson was produced specifically for vending machines and automated postal equipment, a workhorse of the late 1960s postal infrastructure that most people used without a second thought.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Catalog Number: Scott #1299

• Denomination: 1 cent (1¢)

• Date of Issue: January 12, 1968

• Printing Method: Rotary Press, Engraved (Intaglio)

• Perforation: 10 Vertically (Coil - straight edges top and bottom)

• Color: Green

• Subject: Portrait of Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of the United States

CONDITION ANALYSIS (Seller-Assessed)

• Status: Used

• Grading: Very Fine

• Postmark: Faint residual markings consistent with a light or incomplete postmark. No full dated postmark is clearly visible.

• Obverse: Design is clear and well preserved. Light handling marks and faint traces consistent with postal use are visible but do not obscure the portrait or principal design elements.

• Reverse: Clean with no original gum present, consistent with a used coil stamp.

• Centering / Margins: Straight imperforate top and bottom edges intact, consistent with genuine coil format. Perforations clear of the design frame.

• Perforations: Vertical perforations present on left and right sides only. No visible tears or missing perforations. Minor edge roughness along side perforations typical for used coil issues.

HISTORY

The Prominent Americans Series ran from 1965 to 1978, one of the longer-lived definitive series in U.S. postal history. Thomas Jefferson appeared on the 1¢ denomination, a rate that served supplemental and makeup postage needs throughout the series' run. The coil version, Scott #1299, was issued January 12, 1968, the same date as the sheet stamp Scott #1278, and was produced specifically for use in vending machines and automated affixing equipment that were becoming standard in post offices and businesses across the country.

The distinction between the coil and sheet versions of the Prominent Americans Jefferson matters to collectors building complete sets of the series. The coil carries vertical perforations only, with straight-cut top and bottom edges, while the sheet stamp is perforated on all four sides. Both carry the same portrait, rendered in the restrained engraved style consistent across the Prominent Americans Series, but they represent separate catalog entries.

Jefferson's selection for the 1¢ denomination followed a long tradition of placing him on lower-rate definitives, a convention that stretched back through the Prexies and earlier series. His authorship of the Declaration of Independence, his presidency, and his founding of the University of Virginia gave him a stature that warranted a permanent presence on American postage regardless of denomination.

STEVEN SAYS

The coil and the sheet stamp look nearly identical. The difference is the edges: straight top and bottom on this one, perforated on all four sides on the sheet. Two separate entries in the catalog. Worth keeping straight if you collect the Prominent Americans series.