Variety 2:--"C" of "CENTS" high in the frame.
Wide label, measuring 20 mm. horizontally, with square ends; lower label short (17 mm.) but also with straight ends. 7 loops on each side.
Luckily the engraver has seen fit to use but one head for this issue and it is our old favorite, HEAD I, and needs no further description. There is but one variety, and none of the envelopes have the Nesbitt seal.
Variety 1:--Letters of "THREE" very widely spaced, especially the last two letters. "T" nearer to left label than "E" to the right. "ENT" of "CENTS" nearer to each other than "C" to "E" and "T" to "S".
The die has been used for note and letter size, i.e., Knives 1 and 2, on white, and for the latter on both white and buff paper.
Short labels (measuring 15 mm. horizontally) with curved ends.
9 loops on the left; 8-1/2 loops on the right.
This die appeared in March, 1854, and remained in existence until October, 1860. On account of its six years of constant use, it was not strange that the die should need repairing and retouching. Nevertheless, while admitting the necessity of repairs, this does not account in any way for the fact that we have thirty distinctly different dies in this series, many of which cannot be explained by the above theory. Of course, the various curves of the labels may be accounted for by repeated retouching, but no one who compares many of these dies would attempt to give the same reason for the totally different lettering and the great variety in the spacing. As a matter of fact, most of the so-called varieties are far more distinct dies than some of the well-known Reays and Plimptons of equal denominations. In spite of the great number of varieties of this issue, the engraver has seen fit to use but one head of Washington, which is totally different from any of those preceding.
Two fine, very short side-locks, reaching to the middle of the ear-lobe, which is rather large. There are seven very thin locks of hair, almost hair lines, in the upper part of the head, extending to the back of the head, each with a curve in the centre. Below these there is a short, thick bunch, or lock, bent upwards into the space left by the curve of the seventh thin lock. There is one short, thick front-lock and three in the back row, side by side, nearly at right angles to the bunch of hair which is bent upwards. The lowest front-lock slants a considerable distance across the ear, while the lock immediately above it is much longer and reaches into the queue. The latter is very thin and shows no subdivisions.