Before leaving these interesting dies we must not fail to mention that, on the three cents and six cents, there is often a small dot on Washington's face shaped like a mole, about one mm. under the ear. It is of little importance, and is evidently merely a flaw.
In addition to the 3 and 6 cents, Nesbitt produced, in 1864, a new design for the 9, 12, 18 and 30 cents, while the old design of the former 24 and 40 cents was changed in December 1865. The main difference between the new and the old design is that the oval band and small circular disks are with colored background bordered by colorless lines. The inscriptions and numerals are now colorless. The branches have eight leaves.
Of these values no die varieties are known; but, excepting the 40 cents pink, there are several distinct shades of each stamp.
Commencing with the Nine Cents, we have a decided lemon-yellow and an orange; the Twelve Cents appears in dark brown and red-brown; the Twenty-four Cents in two shades of blue; the Eighteen Cents exists in red and dark red, and the Thirty Cents in yellow-green, dark green and olive-green.
This concludes the Nesbitt issues of United States envelopes. His connection with the Postal Department ceased March 31, 1870, when a new contract was awarded to George H. Reay, of New York.
To the philatelists the Nesbitt issues are by far the most interesting series of all the United States Postal issues and, as the years pass on, the intrinsic value of these die varieties will increase rapidly. Specialization is the watchword of the now growing class of collectors, and there is no field so inviting and which will repay a student so richly for his labor as a specialized collection of the Nesbitt issues. What is wanted to-day is a special album for United States envelopes, which would insure to this prominent branch of United States philately that measure of official recognition for which collectors have long and earnestly contended. An equally valuable aid would be the formation of a Society of Collectors of United States envelopes. The writer confidently expects that this suggestion will soon assume a more tangible form.
If this series of articles has, in even the slightest degree, helped collectors of United States envelopes to a wider knowledge and better appreciation of these hitherto unknown die varieties, the writer will feel well repaid for the many hours of labor. In closing, he again asserts; "Variety is the spice of life!"