Issued: Jan 2nd 1893 but first placed on sale at the Columbian Exposition on Jan 3rd 1893

Plate Size: Sheets of 100 subjects (2 panes of 50)

A full pane of #238

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: 1,576,950

As with all the values of this issue, look for Columbia Expo cancels or on a Columbian Expo cover, they marginaly increase value. Any stamp is more desirable with a clean cancel, preferably a town cancel, heavy cancels can detract from the value and are common on this value.

An example to a foreign destination, the majority of
the 15c stamps can be found on uprated foriegn mails.

There is no copy of a first day cover of the 15c issue. The earliest
known cover dates from January 26th, 1893, shown above.

The design came from a painting with the same title by Ricardo Baloca y Cancico. This painting was destroyed in the Spanish Civil War.

The color is a fairly consistent dark green, and although Scotts lists three different shades I am more of a belief that there aret three different stages of fading. There are the occassional double transfers.

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.

238-E4
Blue Green, Die Essay on India

238 P3
Proof on thin card