Atlanta Trial
Color Proofs
For
display at the Atlanta International Cotton Exposition (October 5th
to December 31, 1881), the government had the American Bank Note Company
print full sheets of all U.S. stamps designs produced to date (including
Officials, but excluding revenue stamps). Five sheets of each design
were printed on thin white cardboard in each of five colors: red,
blue, green, black, and brown.

106TC Atlanta Trial Color Proofs
(Scan courtesy James Lee)
Bi-color stamps
such as the 1869 series and the high value State Department stamps
were printed in up to 14 different combinations of colors.
Scans of 15c blue/black
and blue/brown courtesy James Lee
Scans of 15c green/black and 90c black/brown courtesy Siegel Auction
Galleries
While these
are generally referred to as Trial Color Proofs, they are actually
government commissioned reprint proofs. Arguably, these could be classified
as "cinderellas" or "fantasy stamps" although
they are de rigeur items for exhibitors wishing to display
a "complete" exhibit of any particular issue up to and including
the stamps of 1875.
These sheets found their way into the hands of
collectors at the end of the Exposition, having since been cut up
into singles and blocks Since only one sheet of each stamp was printed
in each color/color combination, every individual Atlanta Proof --
that is, each plate position in each distinct color -- is necessarily
unique.
Below, right, is a "normal" cardboard
proof of #122 for comparison with the Atlanta. Note the orange and
black position dots in the Atlanta proof, visible in the lower right
corner.
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