US stamps Inverted Jenny T-shirt
by William
(San Francisco)
US stamps Inverted Jenny T-shirt
(CafePress)
The inverted Jenny is perhaps the most famous US postage stamp.
In 1918, three US airmail stamps were issued with the same design, a 6c orange, a 16c green and 24c red and blue. As this 24c stamp was in two colors, it was printed in two stages, first the red frame, then those sheets were fed back in to print the blue airplane.
Seems one sheet of 100 stamps were fed back in upside down and thus we have the inverted Jenny.
I believe some 97 of the stamps are still accounted for. Some are damaged, one was put in a locket, yet another was a collector's pride and joy, but fell on the floor unnoticed and was eventually found mangled inside the vacuum cleaner.
Gotta have one? Expect to pay upwards of $400,000, though I suspect the one which went through the vacuum would be somewhat cheaper.
Alternatively, you can save the thick end of four hundred grand by buying an Inverted Jenny T-shirt, tote bag or other gift item. They even have baby bibs, T-shirts and onesies (pictured at top right). You'll be wearing a piece of US philatelic history AND a smile that says, "I have a decent copy of the Inverted Jenny and still can afford to buy a house."