When stocks of a certain stamp ran out, postmasters sometimes resorted to cutting higher denominated stamps in half, vertically or diagonally, thus obtaining two “stamps” each representing half of the original monetary value, or “face” value, of the uncut stamp. The general public could only resort to this practice if authorized by the local postal authorities and for a limited period only.

The most famous bisected Black Jack stamps are known as “stage cents” bi-sects, and occurred after the Civil War when Southerners would cut 2-Cent stamps vertically in half between the “O” and “S” of the word “POSTAGE” at the top of the stamp. The result was that the wording that was left on the right-hand portion of the stamp would say “STAGE CENTS” – subtly referring to the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln by the actor John Wilkes Booth. If anyone had any questions, the creator of the bi-sect would simply tell him that he was only intending to use the left-half portion of the stamp, which read “U.S.PO TWO”; and footnoted it saying that he was truly sympathetic towards the causes of the poor and The Union.

Bisects only have philatical value when the cut halves are still affixed on the postal item showing the postmarks and originating from a recognised historical event.