The 1890 Series

The Value of the Stamp



George Washington (biography)
2c - Dark carmine
No caps on twos (see note below)
Scott #220 - 1890

 
NY Auction Houses
 
MNH
Graded
MH
MNH
Graded
MH
Graded
Spring 2003
-
-
-
$175-$225
-
-
-
Fall 2003
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2004
-
-
$9-$15
-
-
-
-
Fall 2004
-
-
$8-$14
-
-
-
-
Spring 2005
-
-
$8-$12
$300
-
-
-
Fall 2005
-
-
$8-$12
$160-$250
-
-
-
Spring 2006
$80
-
$8-$14
$160
85
-
-
-
-
-
$550
90
-
-
Fall 2006
-
-
$5-$7
-
-
-
-
Spring 2007
$22
-
$5-$10
-
-
-
-
Fall 2007
$15
-
$5-$8
-
-
-
-
Spring 2008
$20
-
$3-$9
-
-
-
-
Fall 2008
$20-$40
-
$9-$13
-
-
$425
98
Spring 2009
-
-
-
$325
90J
-
-
-
-
-
$2,800
98J
-
-
Fall 2009
$17-$20
-
$3-$11
$1,600
98
-
-
Spring 2010
$25-$60
-
$2-$7
$350
95
-
-
$510
95
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2010
$11-$95
-
$3-$7
$3,250
98J
-
-
Spring 2011
$10-$50
-
$4-$15
-
-
-
-
Fall 2011
$28-$100
-
$4-$10
-
-
-
-
Spring 2012
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2012
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2013
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2013
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2014
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2014
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2015
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

used stamps value is less than $1

2c - Carmine, dark carmine (shown) or carmine rose
Cap on left "2" (see note below)
Scott #220a - 1890

 
NY Auction Houses
 
MNH
MH
Used
MNH
Graded
MH
Graded
Spring 2003
-
-
-
$175-$225
-
-
-
Fall 2003
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2004
-
$35-$45
$2-$4
-
-
-
-
Fall 2004
$250-$300
-
$2-$3
-
-
-
-
Spring 2005
-
$120
$1-$4
-
-
-
-
Fall 2005
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2006
-
$50-$120
$1-$3
$4,000
95
-
-
Fall 2006
-
-
$1
$850
90
-
-
-
-
-
$3,500
95
-
-
Spring 2007
-
-
$1-$5
-
-
-
-
Fall 2007
-
-
$1-$3
$1,100
90
-
-
Spring 2008
$155
$50
$1
-
-
-
-
Fall 2008
$250
-
$1-$2
$950
90
-
-
Spring 2009
-
$75
$1-$2
$3,000
95
$300
90
Fall 2009
-
-
$1-$4
-
-
-
-
Spring 2010
-
-
$2-$3
$2,200-$2,400
95
-
-
Fall 2010
-
$40
$1-$3
$350
85
-
-
Spring 2011
-
-
$1-$5
-
-
-
-
Fall 2011
$285
$40
$1-$2
-
-
-
-
Spring 2012
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2012
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2013
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2013
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2014
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2014
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2015
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


220var

2c - Carmine
Cap on right "2"
Scott #220b - 1890
see certificate below
Spring 2012 - $25,000


2c - Carmine, dark carmine or carmine rose
Cap on both "2's" (see note below)
Scott #220c - 1890

 
NY Auction Houses
 
MNH
MH
Used
MNH
Graded
MH
Graded
Used
Graded
Spring 2003
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2003
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2004
-
-
$1-$4
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2004
-
-
$3-$4
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2005
-
-
$3-$6
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2005
-
-
$3-$10
$725
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2006
$900
$65
$4-$14
$2,950
85
-
-
-
-
Fall 2006
-
-
$5-$13
$850
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2007
-
-
$3-$7
$1,800
85
-
-
-
-
Fall 2007
-
-
$4-$9
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2008
-
-
$2-$20
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2008
-
-
$4-$7
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2009
-
-
$3-$5
$475
85
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
$5,000
90
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
$2,100
98J
-
-
-
-
Fall 2009
-
-
$2-$6
$1,500
85
-
-
-
-
Spring 2010
-
-
$4-$12
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2010
-
-
$6-$15
-
-
-
-
$275
95
Spring 2011
-
-
$9-$25
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2011
-
$145
$3-$13
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2012
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2012
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2013
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2013
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2014
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2014
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2015
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

2c - Carmine, dark carmine or carmine rose
Imperforate
Scott #220d - 1890
Retail value of $30 ea.

Statistics


Issued: 12th May 1890, earliest recorded example is also of this date.

Plate Size: Sheets of 400 subjects (4 panes of 100)


A complete pane of 100

Printer: The American Bank Note Company

Watermark: None

Quantity Issued: 6 billion

What you should look for

 

CAPS ON THE NUMBER 2

On top of the numeral two there is a horizontal extension, or line, commonly known as the cap. An example is shown above. To properly identify the stamp one should look for these caps. With these caps in mind one can now identify which variety of #220 you have.

No caps on either number 2 = #220
Cap on the left number 2 = #220a
Cap on the right number 2 = #220b
Caps on both number 2's = $220c

Should you find a pair or block with both #220a and #220c you have found a very scarce item. There are examples of caps on the right numeral 2 only, however this is the result of an inking flaw, not a plate flaw.

220b is unique.

The color of this stamp was changed from the lake of #219D to carmine, as a result of complaints about the lake color.

Without knowing it, the 1890 series was to be the American Bank Note Company's (ABN Co.) last printing of postage stamps. Until the flag overun series of the forties all stamps after this series were to be printed by the Bureau of printing and engraving.

On the left is shown the detail of a stamp from the 1890 series, note the absence of a triangle in the top left hand corner of the design. All the Bureau issues had a triangle cut into the design as shown on the right.

You will also notice the tremendous difference in quality between the two stamps. By 1890 the ABN Co. had perfected the art of printing postage stamps and it shows by the even ink sharp design and clean perforations. Contrast this with the spotty faded ink and uneven perforations on the Bureau's stamp on the right.


Around this time the artwork on advertising covers reached its
zenith. Well executed examples such as the cover shown above
command high prices. (Fall 2009, Heritage Auctions - $1,150)

The Inspiration for the Design


The design was taken from the portrait bust of Washington by Jean Antoine Houdon. Now at Mount Vernon.

Varieties to look for


Other than the cap on the two variety mentioned above, there are no known varieties. . It is worth examining the certificate below for the 220 variety with cap on the right.

220 variety cert US Postage Stamps

The Essay's and Proofs


220-E5
Large Die Essay on India
die sunk on card

220-E8b
Die Essay on India
Red Orange

220-p3 Us Postage Stamps

220P3
plate proof on India

220-P4
Plate Proof

 

 


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