USA postage stamp Department of Justice year 1873 6c stamp

USA postage stamp Department of Justice year 1873 6c stamp Henry Clay

U.S. Official Mail Stamp, 6-cent Department of Justice issue from 1873.

Here are the key details about it:

• Scott Catalogue Number: O28
• Purpose: It was an Official Mail stamp, meaning its use was strictly limited to mail sent by the U.S. Department of Justice. These stamps were never available for general public use at post offices.
• Historical Context: These departmental Official stamps were first issued on July 1, 1873, when the “franking privilege” (allowing government mail to be sent free with an authorized signature) was abolished to prevent abuse.
• Design: The central image is a portrait of Abraham Lincoln.
• Color: Purple. (Each government department had its own distinct color for its set of official stamps).
• Printer: Continental Bank Note Co.
• Perforations: 12.

The Department of Justice set, from 1-cent to 90-cents, all featured a purple color and bore the inscription “DEPT. OF JUSTICE” instead of the usual “U.S. POSTAGE.”