POST OFFICE IN PARADISE - Bank Notes: 1864 2¢ ORANGE-RED KAMEHAMEHA IV: SCOTT NO. 31

This page last updated: 26 February 2005

::: BANK NOTE ISSUE - 1864 2¢ ORANGE-RED KAMEHAMEHA IV: SCOTT NO. 31 :::

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Hawaii's first perforated stamp was the 2¢ orange red Kamehameha IV, issued in June, 1864. It is known used by August, 1864. There were seven printings of this stamp by the NBNCo., the last being a small printing made in 1875 as an emergency measure to assure a continuing supply of 2¢ stamps while dies and plates of the 1875 Kalakaua brown stamp were being made. The seven printings vary in shade and paper. The gum of all seven printings was brownish or yellowish. A few of the orange-red stamps from the NBNCo. printings were still in stock in 1893 and were overprinted - an uncatalogued variety of Scott No. 65. A plate of fifty subjects arranged five across and ten down using Layout I was made for printing Scott No. 31. See Bank Note Plate Layouts.

When Hawaii and the United States put the 1870 Postal Convention into operation, effective July 1, 1870, Hawaiians needed 6¢ postage to send letters to the United States. (See Mail Rates – Convention Period) However, Hawaii had no supply of 6¢ stamps and none would arrive until February, 1871. Meanwhile, people could use three of the 2¢ Scott 31 stamps (or six for a double rate letter). When it appeared the Post Office might exhaust its supply of 2¢ stamps (needed for local and interisland letters), the Postmaster General authorized the use of a bisected 2¢ stamp with a 5¢ Scott No. 32 to pay the 6¢ rate. A bisect of Scott No. 31 used on cover is designated in the Scott Catalogue as Scott No. 31b. Eleven covers bearing Scott No. 31b are recorded postmarked during the period August 25, 1870 to March 2, 1871. (See Scott 31b Covers) Several examples are known of Scott No. 31b on a piece with a Scott No. 32.

In 1887, the post office placed with the American Bank Note Company (successor to the National Banki Note Company) the first of three orders for small printings of the 2c Kamehameha IV stamps. To fulfill this order, the ABNCo. used the old NBNCo. plate. Specialists find evidence of retouching or acid washing in the eyes and in the beard, but only some of the plate positions were retouched. Also, the new stamps were printed in a vermilion color, entirely lacking the orange of the old NBNCo. printings. Vermilion 2¢ Kamehameha IV stamps constitute a re-issue and are assigned Scott No. 31a in the Scott Catalogue. (See Comparison of Scott Nos. 31 and 31a) Scott No. 31a was intended for sales to stamp collectors and dealers. Apart from retouching or acid washing the old plate, the ABNCo. added its own monogram to the sides of the plate and it appears in the selvage of each sheet alongside two positions. (See Layout of the Monogram)

For discussion of uses of Scott No. 31 on local and interisland mail.
For discussion of uses of Scott No. 31 on foreign mail in the Treaty Period.
For discussion of uses of Scott No. 31 on foreign mail in the Convention Period.

Gum of Scott 31
Note the oval impression from the vignette shows through the hard paper

SHADES OF SCOTT NO. 31

Areas of more intense color show the varying shades best. On Scott 31, the areas I use most are the top of the oval vignette and the ribbon ends on either side of the word "HAWAII" at the top.

Color comparisons of top grill and ribbon ends from the Seven Printings and from the 1887 ABNCo. vermilion re-issue (Scott No. 31a):

		First Printing, deep reddish copper shade June, 1864; 250,000 stamps
		Second Printing, light orange March, 1866; 100,000 stamps
		Third Printing, dark orange-red shade January, 1867; 200,000 stamps
		Fourth Printing, medium orange-red August, 1868; 330,000 stamps

Fifth Printing, medium orange-red on thinner, slightly buff paper compared to other printings; some stamps are on pelure paper. Paper samples shown on left are: top - first printing, middle - 5th printing buff, bottom - back of translucent pelure paper stamp.
January, 1870; 555,000 stamps from which a small number of stamps were overprinted

		Sixth Printing, light orange-red August, 1871; 600,000 stamps
		Seventh Printing, still lighter orange-red April, 1875; 25,000 stamps
		ABNCo. vermilion, Scott No. 31a April, 1887; 50,000 stamps August, 1888; 12,500 stamps October, 1890; 62,500 stamps from which 6,250 stamps were overprinted

PROOFS OF SCOTT NO. 31

	Die proof of incomplete vignette and details of shirt and cheek showing incomplete design compared to finished design
		More highlight was added on the shirt
		More highlight was added to the cheeks