Inverted Jenny Die Proofs

The “inverted Jenny,” a rare flawed printing of the first U.S. airmail stamp of 1918, is perhaps the world’s most famous philatelic error. At the request of the Post Office, a very small number of die proofs have been deliberately printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing over the years to illustrate the error. This is the largest collection of these die proofs ever exhibited.

The first two “inverted Jenny” die proofs were produced by the Bureau in February 1922 at the request of Third Assistant Postmaster General William Glover. One was retained for the official U.S. die proof album; the other was used for exhibitions, starting with the Brazilian International Centennial of that year.

Over the years, the Post Office requested die proofs for a limited number of other exhibitions, as well as at least one additional die proof for internal purposes.

This “inverted Jenny” die proof was printed in late February 1960 by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. The Post Office requested it for display that year at the International Philatelic Congress in Barcelona, Spain.
These four "inverted Jenny” die proofs were produced by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing for the United States Post Office.

<< Preceding | Next >>