A Very high-quality and very rare U. This is very rare piece of American history. Excellent quality, no damage, clean, fine centering, no gum, previously hinged — see photos. Centering is much better than usual, with no faults. Total Quantity Issued: 785,843 (estimated). As the first Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton developed a plan to pay the national debt, founded the Bank of the United States, and set up the U. Due to the unpopularity of the 1869 Pictorial series, the Postmaster General issued new stamps in 1870. Complaints about the 1869 series included that the stamps were too small, unattractive, and of poor quality. Therefore, the new 1870 issues were not only larger and better quality, but they also carried new designs. Heads, in profile, of famous deceased Americans were chosen as the new subject matter. These stamps were nicknamed “Bank Note” stamps because they were printed by three well known Bank Note printing companies – the National, Continental, and American Bank Note Companies. Each company printed the stamps with slight variations, and identifying them can be both challenging and complex. These classic stamps are a truly fascinating area of philately. I have been an avid collector of U. Stamps for most of my life. I’m not a dealer so I cannot answer complex questions or questions suited for a dealer / expert.