This stamp was issued to provide for the single rate to California. ISSUE OF JANUARY 5TH, 1856. FIVE CENTS. Portrait of Jefferson, the third President of the United States, faced three quarters to the right, on an oval disk, 12½ by 15½ mm., with hatched ground, bordered by a colorless line between two fine colored lines, in a broad frame with solid ground, ornamented by colorless lines forming a geometric lathe pattern. This frame is rounded at the corners, with a small projection of about 2 mm. between at the top, bottom and sides, and is surrounded at a little distance by a fine colored line following the same outline. On the back ground, without labels, above "_U. S. Postage_," below "_Five Cents_," in colorless Roman capitals. Plate impression, 19 by 25 mm., in color, on white paper. 5 cents, in shades of yellow brown, red brown, and dark brown. This stamp was issued to prepay the registration fee, but is often found in unsevered pairs upon California letters, and sometimes in triplets including the registration fee and a single postage to California. On the 24th of April, 1856, a stamp of the value of twenty-four cents was approved. TWENTY-FOUR CENTS. Portrait of Washington, after Stewart, faced three quarters to the right, on an oval disk, with hatched ground, bordered by a colorless line, surrounded by a solid band of color, inscribed in colorless Roman capitals, above "_U. S. Postage_," below "_Twenty-four Cents_," separated by a sort of buckle at the sides. A broad solid colored frame, ornamented by colorless lathe work is surrounded, at a little distance, by a fine colored line, and the corners are rounded, with a single swell between them above and below, and three between them at the sides. Plate impression, 18½ by 25 mm., in color, on white paper. 24 cents, lilac. Although made and approved, this stamp is said to have been withheld from issue in this imperforate condition. They were finished and gummed, and some of them seem to have gotten into circulation, as occasional specimens are to be found in collections, and one entire sheet, at least, is known to have existed. OBSERVATIONS. Every collector ought at least to be aware of the nature and character of the varieties that exist in these stamps. Although many of them are very minute, and can be distinguished only by the use of a good magnifying glass, others, once noticed, can readily be selected by the unassisted eye. Few will care, probably, to place more than the most marked varieties in their collections, still fewer will have the patience to explore the necessary piles of common "stock," in order to find these marked varieties, for the most marked are the most uncommon, or to distinguish the more minute varieties from each other.