  The 1c and 3c stamps of 1868 were so alike in color that it was soon found that confusion was easily possible between the two values. Early in 1869, therefore, the color of the 1c was changed to orange to prevent further mistakes. The exact date at which this change took place is not known, but in the Stamp Collector's Magazine for March 1st, 1869, we read:— We have just received copies of the one cent printed in brilliant orange. No doubt this colour has been adopted in order better to distinguish it from the 3 cents, which it has hitherto too nearly approached. From the above extract it would seem that the orange colored stamps were in use at least as early as February and though it has been asserted that the change took place on January 1st, 1869, we believe there are no official documents or early dated specimens in existence that would substantiate this statement. These 1c stamps may be found in both orange and yellow shades as well as a combination of both. So far as is known they were printed from the same plate or plates as the earlier brown-red stamps. The paper is the same as that used for the other denominations, i.e. wove, and the fact that this variety is not known with the watermark of the papermaker's trade mark is generally adduced as the strongest evidence in support of the theory that this watermarked paper was only of a provisional nature and was used some time during 1868. The perforation is the usual 12 and specimens are known entirely imperforate. |
|
