BENICIA, CA — History repeated itself when California stamp collector Fred Everett purchased a recently issued $2 version of postage to celebrate the most famous stamp error in U.S. history — the 1918 Inverted Jenny stamp. In this case, Everett’s purchase depicted the biplane flying the wrong way — the image was right-side up.
Last September the Postal Service issued the $2 version of the rare 24-cent stamp in sheets of six to generate interest in stamp collecting by recreating the excitement William Robey experienced in 1918 when he bought the famous sheet of 100 biplane stamps that commemorated the nation’s first airmail flight. Due to a printing error, the stamps were printed with the airplane flying upside down. The postal clerk who sold the stamps had never seen an airplane and the sale helped make philatelic history. One of the original Inverted Jennys recently sold for $977,000.
Everett is the first American to purchase one of 100 Un-inverted Jenny stamp sheets that were randomly inserted among 2.2 million Inverted Jenny stamp sheets distributed nationwide. The first was purchased by a stamp collector through eBay.
Everett, a retired real estate broker and lifelong stamp collector said he was “stunned” when he saw the stamps, thinking the Postal Service had made a second mistake. “I called the Postal Service’s toll-free number I used to order the stamps to make them aware of this error,” he said. “And I was told to put the sheet in a safe place and call the phone number on the card that came with the order — and that’s when the excitement started.”
Only included with the un-inverted stamp sheets, the card Everett referred to is a congratulatory note inside the wrapping, asking the customer to call a phone number to receive a certificate of acknowledgement signed by the Postmaster General.
“I’ve been a stamp collector all my life and this by far is the most treasured addition to my collection,” he added. “Stamps teach us about our nation’s heritage, famous individuals and our diverse culture. I now have a unique stamp sheet that’s coveted by stamp collectors the world over.”
Unique to this stamp issuance, all sheets were individually wrapped in a sealed envelope to recreate the excitement of finding an Inverted Jenny when opening the envelope and to avoid the possibility of discovering a corrected Jenny prior to purchase.
The Un-Inverted Jenny stamp sheets were distributed randomly among the nation’s Post Offices and at the Postal Service’s Stamp Fulfillment Center which accepts stamp orders online at usps.com/stamps, and by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724). Additionally, some of the 100 also were randomly distributed at ebay.com/stamps.
Customers may view the Stamp Collecting: Inverted Jenny Forever stamps, as well as many of this year’s other stamps, on Facebook at facebook.com/USPSStamps, on Twitter@USPSstamps or at uspsstamps.com, the Postal Service’s online site for information on upcoming stamp subjects, first-day-of-issue events and other philatelic news.
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