The Value of the Stamp


2c - Brown violet, gray violet or dark brown violet
Scott #231
-1893

 
NY Auction Houses
 
MNH
Graded
MH
MNH
Graded
MH
Graded
Spring 2003
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2003
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2004
$20-$50
-
$5-$10
-
-
-
-
Fall 2004
$17-$35
-
$5-$8
$50-$300
-
-
-
Spring 2005
$5-$25
-
$2-$5
$50
-
-
-
Fall 2005
$7-$40
-
$3-$6
$90
-
-
-
Spring 2006
$16-$20
-
$3-$8
$135
90
-
-
-
-
-
$1,000
95
-
-
Fall 2006
$40
80
$3-$5
$525
95
-
-
-
-
-
$3,750
98
-
-
Spring 2007
$50
80
$1-$4
$75-$95
85
-
-
Fall 2007
$17-$80
-
$2-$6
$550-$660
95
$700
98J
Spring 2008
$15-$28
-
$2-$8
$14,500
100
-
-
Fall 2008
$6-$15
-
$2-$4
$170-$280
90J
-
-
-
-
-
$575
95
-
-
-
-
-
$1,400-$2,500
98
-
-
-
-
-
$3,750
98J
-
-
-
-
-
$21,000
100
-
-
Spring 2009
$8-$23
-
$1-$2
$325
85
-
-
-
-
-
$350
95
-
-
-
-
-
$1,250
98
-
-
Fall 2009
$6-$50
-
$2-$5
$550
95
-
-
-
-
-
$400-$800
95J
-
-
-
-
-
$1,500-$1,800
98J
-
-
Spring 2010
$9-$60
-
$2-$4
-
-
$35
75J
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

Statistics


Issued: Officialy Jan 2nd 1893 and placed on sale the following day at the Expo, however there are five known covers from NY with a January 1st postmark (see image below)

Plate Size: Sheets of 200 subjects (2 panes of 100) and, because the ABC company ran out of the large printing press 45 plates were made in sheets of 100 (2 panes of 50)

Printer: The American Bank Note Company, thereafter, with one exception of the Overun stamps of 1943 all stamps have ssince been printed by the Bureau of Engraving

Watermark: None

Quantity Issued: 1,464,588,750

Usage: Paid the 2c domestic letter rate so therefore very common

What you should look for


As with all the values of this issue, look for Columbia Expo cancels, they marginaly increase value.

Occasionaly postmarks from states that had tiny amounts of mail in this year can add to the value. This is particularly true of Alaska and the Territories. For a list of the number of stamps issued by each state in the year ending 30th June 1894 click here.

The Inspiration for the Design


The design orignated from a painting titled 'Columbus Landing at Guanahani' by John Vanderlyn. Now located in the Rotunda of the Washington Capitol Building
.

 

Historicaly the landing of Columbus, which this stamp depicts, happened one day after Columbus sighted land, which the 1c stamp predicted. However Columbus, managed in the space of one day, to grow quite a substantial beard, that is if you believe the depictations in the stamps designs.

Varieties to look for


The stamps color ranges from violet to gray violet with little variation. There are two major varieties as shown below.

The broken hat variety

   

2c - Brown violet, gray violet or dark brown violet
Broken hat Variety - image shows broken hat area
Scott #231 var

 
NY Auction Houses
 
Spring 2006
-
$19
-
-
$350
90
Fall 2006
-
$11
$1
-
$300
90
-
-
-
-
$2,000
95J
Spring 2007
$45
-
$18
85J
$2,500
95
Fall 2007
$45
-
$1
-
90
-
-
-
-
$1,400
95
Spring 2008
$20
$9
$1
-
95
-
-
-
-
100
Fall 2008
$21
$10
< $1
-
-
-
Spring 2009
$22-$70
$12
$1
-
$170
-
Fall 2009
-
$16
$1-$3
-
-
-
Spring 2010
$45-$75
$15
$1-$2
-
-
-
Fall 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-

THE BROKEN FRAME LINE VARIETY

The right frame is broken at the bottom. As this break was
progressive a considerable amount of variations of this
can be found.

The stamp is also known with recut frame lines.

IMPERFORATE VARIETY

2c - Brown violet
1 sheet of 50 issued - Scott #231b Imperf - 1893
Auction price - $4,000

Created from printers waste.

The Making of the Stamp



Essay of the 2c (231-E7b)

A six part series on the Expo can be seen below. Access
to part II is offered at the end of the video.



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