The Pre-Arch Issue American Bank Note Company Papers - 1897-1930
This table looks at the papers used to print the American Bank Note Company Issues for the period from 1897 to 1911, which for Canada covers the Jubilee through to the Quebec Tercentenary Issue, and for Newfoundland covers the John Cabot Issue through to the 1908 Map stamp.
| Type Code | Characteristics | Seen On |
| ABN-A | Stout, opaque vertical wove with fine vertical mesh, which appears coarser when held up to back light. Both wire and felt sides are semi-porous. Gum is deep cream with a semi-gloss sheen. | Numeral Issue, Imperial Penny Postage Issue, Edward VII issue, , Quebec Tercentenary Issue, Admiral Issue - wet printings |
| ABN-B | Stout, opaque vertical wove with clear, coarse vertical mesh, which appears the same when held up to back light. Both wire and felt sides are semi-porous. The gum is yellowish cream semi-gloss. | Numeral Issue, Edward VII issue, Quebec Tercentenary Issue, Early Admiral Wet Printings |
| ABN-C | Stout, thicker vertical wove with clear, coarse vertical mesh, which appears the same when held up to back light. The felt side is non-porous and the gum is yellowish cream semi-gloss. | Admiral Issue - wet printings |
| ABN-D | Stout, thick, opaque vertical wove paper with no visible mesh, even when held up to back light. Gum is cream with a satin sheen and slightly mottled appearance. The felt side is porous. | Admiral Issue - wet printings |
| ABN-E | Stout, vertical wove, that is opaque, with no visible mesh, but fine vertical mesh visible to backlighting. Gum is light yellowish cream with a semi-gloss sheen. The felt side is porous. | Admiral Issue - wet printings, Some printings of King Edward VII Issue |
| ABN-F | Stout, vertical wove that is nearly opaque, showing no visible vertical mesh unless held up to backlight, when fine vertical mesh is visible. Gum is cream coloured with a satin sheen. | Admiral Issue - dry printings |
| ABN-G | Stout vertical wove that is nearly opaque, showing no visible, vertical mesh, even when held up to backlight. The felt side is non-porous, with paper fibres visible, but burnished into a finished surface. The gum is a streaky cream gum with a satin sheen. | Admiral Issue - dry printings |
| ABN-H | Stout, vertical wove, that is opaque, with no visible mesh, but fine vertical mesh visible to backlighting. Gum is light yellowish cream with a slightly mottled, semi-gloss sheen. The felt side is porous. | Admiral Issue - wet & dry printings |
| ABN-I | Thinner, crisp translucent vertical wove with no visible mesh, until held up to backlight, when coarse mesh is visible. Gum is a streaky yellowish cream semi-gloss gum. | Admiral Issue - dry printings |
| ABN-J | Thick, stout opaque, vertical wove paper, with no visible vertical mesh until held up to backlighting, when fine mesh is highly visible. The felt side is smooth and non-porous. The gum is streaky cream gum with a satin sheen. | Admiral Issue - dry printings |
| ABN-K | Stout, opaque vertical wove paper with fine mesh, which appears coarser when viewed against backlight. The felt side is smooth and non-porous. Gum is cream with a satin sheen. |
Admiral Issue - wet printings First Postage Due Issue |
| ABN-L | Crisp, stout opaque horizontal wove paper, with no clear mesh unless held up to backlight, when coarse horizontal mesh is visible. The felt side is non-porous. The gum is deep cream semi-gloss. | First Postage Due Issue - dry printings |
| ABN-M | Crisp, stout opaque vertical wove paper, with no clear mesh unless held up to backlight, when fine vertical mesh is barely visible. The felt side is non-porous. The gum streaky cream semi-gloss | Admiral Issue - dry printings, Confederation Issue |
| ABN-N | As ABN-G, but fine vertical mesh is visible in this paper when held up to backlight | Admiral Issue - dry printings |
| ABN-O | Crisp, stout opaque wove paper with no visible mesh unless held up to backlight when coarse vertical mesh is highly visible. The felt side is non-porous and the gum is smooth cream, semi-gloss gum. | Admiral Issue - dry printings |
| ABN-P | As ABN-E but horizontal wove paper. | Second Special Delivery Issue |
| ABN-Q | As ABN-I but horizontal wove paper. | Confederation Special Delivery Issue |
| ABN-R | As ABN-Q, but gum is smooth, cream semi-gloss. | Confederation Special Delivery Issue |
| ABN-S | Thick, opaque vertical wove paper, with fine mesh that is only visible with backlighting. Semi-porous felt side. Mottled brownish yellow gum with a satin sheen. | First Postage Due Issue |
| ABN-T | Medium translucent vertical wove paper with no visible mesh, even when held up to backlighting. Streaky, semi-gloss gum. | Admiral Issue - dry printings on "thin" paper. This paper is distinctly different from the thin experimental paper of 1924 that was used on the 2c, 5c and some of the first postage due stamps. |
| ABN-U | Medium, nearly opaque horizontal wove paper with coarse horizontal mesh. Semi-porous felt side and porous wire side. Gum is deep yellowish cream with a satin sheen, or a semi-gloss sheen. Occasionally the gum can have horizontal or vertical streaks that run in a regular pattern. | Diamond Jubilee Issue |
| ABN-V | Similar to ABN-U, except that the mesh is not nearly as obvious. The mesh on ABN-U is very coarse and readily visible without backlight. | Diamond Jubilee Issue |
| ABN-W | As ABN-U, but mesh is vertical. | Diamond Jubilee Issue |
| ABN-X | Stout, hard vertical wove that is nearly opaque, with coarse vertical mesh that is visible both with and without backlight. Both felt and wire sides are semi-porous. The gum is yellowish with a semi-gloss sheen. | Maple Leaf Issue & Numeral Issue, Imperial Penny Postage Issue |
| ABN-Y | Hard, semi-translucent vertical wove that has coarse, closely spaced vertical mesh that is often visible through the gum as vertical ribbing. The felt side and wire sides are semi-porous. Gum is yellowish with a semi-gloss sheen. Ribbing is often visible on the felt side. | Maple Leaf Issue & Numeral Issue |
| ABN-Z | As ABN-Y, but translucent and yellowish | Maple Leaf Issue |
| ABN-AA | Stout, translucent vertical wove paper with mesh that is indistinct until the stamp is held up to backlight, when coarse mesh can clearly be seen. The felt side is semi-porous, but the wire side is porous. Gum is deep yellowish with a satin sheen. | Maple Leaf Issue, Numeral Issue, King Edward VII Issue |
| ABN-BB | As ABN-Z, but white. The gum is yellowish cream with a semi-gloss sheen. | Maple Leaf Issue, Numeral Issue |
| ABN-CC | Thinner, translucent horizontal wove paper, with clear, coarse horizontal mesh. The felt side is semi-porous and the wire side is porous. | Maple Leaf Issue, Numeral Issue |
| ABN-DD | Very thin, translucent vertical wove paper, with indistinct mesh, which becomes clearer when held up to backlight, when coarse mesh can be seen. Both wire and felt sides are porous. | Maple Leaf Issue |
| ABN-EE | Greyish toned soft vertical wove paper with clear, coarse mesh. Felt and wire sides are porous. Gum is semi-gloss cream. | Numeral Issue |
| ABN-FF | Very pale blue greyish horizontal semi-translucent horizontal wove paper, with clear, coarse mesh that is visible with and without backlighting. The felt side is rough, but relatively non-porous, and the wire side is semi-porous. The gum is cream with a satin or semi-gloss sheen. | Maple Leaf Issue, Numeral Issue, King Edward VII Issue |
| ABN-GG | Similar to ABN-CC, but the mesh is much finer. The gum is cream with a satin sheen. | Maple Leaf Issue |
| ABN-HH | Soft, opaque greyish horizontal wove paper, with coarse mesh is readily visible. Both wire and felt sides are semi-porous. | Maple Leaf Issue |
| ABN-II | As ABN-AA, but the felt side is fully porous. Gum is mottled yellowish cream with a semi-gloss sheen. | Maple Leaf Issue, Numeral Issue |
| ABN-JJ | As ABN-II, but the felt side is vertically ribbed. The ribbing is often not noticeable unless the stamp is held at an angle to a light source. | Maple Leaf Issue, Numeral Issue |
| ABN-KK | As ABN-A, but greyish toned. Gum is brownish cream with a satin sheen. | Numeral Issue |
| ABN-LL | As ABN-BB, but non-porous felt side. | Numeral Issue |
| ABN-MM | Medium, opaque brownish vertical wove paper, with no visible mesh unless held up to backlight, when coarse mesh can barely be seen. The felt side is smooth and semi-porous. The gum is deep cream with an eggshell sheen, showing a random crazing pattern. | Numeral Issue |
| ABN-NN | Medium opaque horizontal greyish toned wove paper, with mesh that is not distinct unless held up to backlight, when some coarse horizontal mesh is barely visible. | Numeral Issue |
| ABN-OO | Thinner greyish vertical wove with clear cross-hatched mesh, which appears mostly vertical when held up to backlight. | Numeral Issue |
| ABN-PP | Medium opaque brownish toned vertical wove paper, with clear coarse mesh that becomes clearer with backlight. Smooth, semi-porous felt side and porous wire side. Gum is deep cream with a satin sheen. | Numeral Issue, King Edward VII Issue |
| ABN-QQ | As ABN-X, but mottled yellow brownish cream gum with a semi-gloss sheen. | Numeral Issue |
| ABN-RR | Medium opaque horizontal wove paper with coarse horizontal mesh that is visible both with and without backlighting. Both wire and felt sides are semi-porous. The gum is mottled yellowish cream with a semi-gloss sheen. | Numeral Issue |
| ABN-SS | Similar to ABN-FF, but bluish. Gum is cream with a semi-gloss sheen. | Numeral Issue, King Edward VII Issue |
| ABN-TT | Soft, translucent horizontal wove paper with medium mesh that is barely visible when held to backlight. The wire and felt sides are porous. The gun is light cream with a satin sheen. | Numeral Issue |
| ABN-UU | As ABN-PP, but gum is mottled brownish yellow with a satin sheen. | Imperial Penny Postage Issue |
| ABN-VV | Soft, opaque, horizontal wove paper, with coarse horizontal mesh. Semi-porous felt side. Gum is cream with a satin sheen. | First Postage Due Issue, The King Edward VII Issue |
| ABN-WW | Greyish opaque horizontal wove paper, with coarse mesh that is only barely visible with backlight. The gum is deep yellow semi-gloss. | First Postage Due Issue |
| ABN-XX | Yellowish cream translucent vertical wove with clear, fine mesh that is clearly visible both with and without backlight. Gum is deep cream with a semi-gloss sheen. | King Edward VII Issue |
| ABN-YY | Thinner, translucent vertical wove paper with clear, coarse mesh that is visible without backlight. The felt side is porous and wire side is semi-porous. The gum is mottled cream gum with a satin sheen. | King Edward VII Issue |
| ABN-ZZ | As ABN-VV, but the paper is translucent and the mesh is fine. |
The King Edward VII Issue |
| ABN-AAA | Translucent vertical wove with clear coarse mesh, visible even without backlight. The wire side is semi-porous, while the felt side is non-porous. The gum is deep cream with a satin sheen. |
King Edward VII Issue |
| ABN-BBB | As ABN-ZZ, but the paper is thin and translucent. |
King Edward VII Issue |
| ABN-CCC | As ABN-SS but vertical mesh. |
King Edward VII Issue |
| ABN-DDD | As ABN-PP, but the mesh is horizontal |
First Postage Due Issue |
| ABN-EEE | As ABN-A, but horizontal wove paper. |
First Postage Due Issue |
| ABN-FFF | As ABN-B, but horizontal wove paper. |
First Postage Due Issue |
| ABN-GGG | As ABN-F, but horizontal wove paper. |
First Postage Due Issue |
| ABN-HHH | Medium, nearly opaque horizontal wove paper, with extremely visible, coarse mesh. This paper is known as the "experimental thin paper". Gum is light cream with a semi-gloss sheen. Felt and wire sides are semi-porous. |
First Postage Due Issue |
| ABN-III | As ABN-D, but horizontal wove paper. |
First Postage Due Issue |
| ABN-JJJ | As ABN-J, but horizontal wove paper. |
First Postage Due Issue |
| ABN-KKK | As ABN-M, but horizontal wove paper. |
First Postage Due Issue |
| ABN-LLL | As ABN-E, but translucent, rather than opaque paper |
Admiral War Tax Issue |
| ABN-MMM | Stout opaque horizontal wove paper, with no visible mesh, even when held to backlight. The felt side is non-porous and the gum is cream with a semi-gloss sheen. |
Second Special Delivery Issue |
| ABN-NNN | As ABN-HHH but vertical mesh |
Admiral Issue - Wet Printings |
| ABN-OOO | Crisp translucent vertical wove paper, with no clear mesh even when held up to backlight. Slightly streaky, yellowish gum with a satin sheen. |
Admiral Issue - Dry Printings |
| ABN-PPP | As ABN-B, but paper is translucent |
Admiral Issue - Wet Printings |
| ABN-QQQ | Stout, opaque vertical wove paper, with no visible mesh until held up to backlight, when fine mesh is highly visible. The gum is a brownish cream, streaky gum with a satin sheen. |
Admiral Issue - Dry Printings |
| ABN-RRR | Stout, opaque vertical wove paper, with no visible mesh until held up to backlight, when fine mesh is highly visible. The gum is a cream, streaky gum with a semi-gloss sheen. |
Admiral Issue - Dry Printings |
| ABN-SSS | Stout, opaque vertical wove paper, with no visible mesh, even when held up to backlight. The gum is a deep cream crackly gum with vertical cracks. |
Admiral Issue - Wet Printings |
| ABN-TTT | Stout, opaque vertical wove paper with no visible mesh until held up to backlight, when fine mesh is visible. The gum is a deep cream semi-gloss. |
Admiral Issue - Dry Printings |
| ABN-UUU | Slightly thinner, crisp opaque and slightly greyish cream vertical wove paper with fine mesh that is only slightly visible in backlight. The gum is smooth, cream with a satin sheen. |
Admiral Issue - Wet Printings |
| ABN-VVV | Thick, opaque vertical wove paper which is very slightly greyish cream, with no visible mesh unless held to backlight, when fine mesh is just barely visible. Gum is deep cream with a very fine diagonal crazing pattern and a satin sheen. |
Admiral Issue - Wet Printings |
| ABN-WWW | Thin, translucent vertical wove paper with very coarse vertical mesh, that is slightly more visible without backlight than with. Smooth, semi-porous felt side. gum is cream semi-gloss. |
Admiral Issue - Wet Printings |
| ABN-XXX | Crisp, stout opaque vertical wove paper showing no visible mesh, even when held up to backlight. The felt side is burnished, smooth and non-porous. The gum is cream semi-gloss. |
Admiral Issue - Dry Printings |
| ABN-YYY | Opaque vertical wove paper that shows no visible mesh even when held up to backlight. The gum is deep cream, with a satin sheen. |
Admiral Issue - Wet Printings |
| ABN-ZZZ | Translucent, crisp vertical wove that shows clear mesh when held up to backlight. Smooth, cream gum with a semi-gloss sheen. Semi-porous felt side. |
Admiral Issue - Dry Printings |
This table is an work in progress that will expand as I examine more stamps of these issues.