The first S/S I ever bought -- already posted by Nells250 and jamesw, but I'm going to post it again anyway!
A very inexpensive stamp, it remains my favorite S/S. As a young kid, I figured it was going to be the closest I could get to a real US #1 and #2.
US #948
Date of Issue: 19May1947 in New York City
Quantity Issued: 10,299,600
Michel #557 Block 9
SG #MS 945
2011 Scott catalog value = 55˘
Some tidbits:
Also known as the CIPEX S/S, because it was issued at the Centenary International Philatelic EXhibition (19-25May1947) honoring the 100th anniversary of the first national US postage stamp. The exhibition was held at Grand Central Palace, New York City.
It shows an approximate image reproduction of the first 2 stamps, but not in original color.
Benjamin Franklin on the 5˘ stamp, was the 1st Postmaster General of the US.
George Washington on the 10˘ stamp, was the 1st President of the US.
Robert E. Hannegan was the 52nd Postmaster General of the US. Interestingly, while Postmaster he also served as the Chairman of the Democratic National Committee. He got the DNC post courtesy a nomination by Harry Truman, who had declined the post. Hannegan repaid the favor by being instrumental in replacing the previous Vice-President (Henry Wallace) with Truman at the 1944 convention. Of course, Truman became President when Roosevelt died in office in 1945. Historian James Chace noted Hannegan would remark he wanted the following on his tombstone: "Here lies the man who stopped Henry Wallace from becoming President of the United States."
The CIPEX S/S was the first US bicolor S/S -- but oddly enough, there are no plate numbers to be found on the S/S. The plate numbers were trimmed off during packaging. All previous US S/S's had the plate number on the S/S or in the selvage. Plate numbers would not re-appear on US S/S's until 30 years later in the selvage of the CAPEX '78 issue.
As a bicolor S/S, you can expect some degree of mis-registration between the two colors (blue, brown orange). I once bought a brick of these (remember, over 10 million were printed, so lots of bricks still around), and fished out the noticeable mis-registrations.
Here is brown orange shifted high (10˘ stamp is higher than 5˘ stamp):
Here is brown orange shifted low (10˘ stamp is lower than 5˘ stamp):
Low catalog value stamp, but lots of pleasure!
k
Posted 09/12/2012 4:33 pm
No misteaks ever again 
