This 30 cents Benjamin Franklin postage stamp was issued by America in 1861 (= Scott Catalogue # 71). It is part of a set of 9 definitives issued from 1861 to 1866 and denominated 1 to 90 cents. The set replaced previous postage stamps that were declared invalid for postage at the onset of the American Civil War in the 1860s. This was done to prevent southern states from making money by selling older stamps.
Varieties with grills (= a grid of tiny punctures in the paper) were produced and issued in later years. The original 1861 issue has no grills.
Unlike most modern postage stamps, classic stamps were engraved - they look better when magnified. Modern stamps look worse when magnified.
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