The 1893 Columbians

The Value of the Stamp


$2 - Brown red or deep brown red
Scott #242

 
NY Auction Houses
 
MNH
MH
Graded
Used
MNH
Graded
MH
Graded
Used
Graded
Spring 2003
-
-
-
-
$1,250
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2003
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2004
-
$300-$400
-
$180-$200
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2004
-
$325-$700
-
$130-$200
$2,000
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2005
-
$375-$450
-
$185-$240
$5,250
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2005
-
$225-$350
-
$105-$185
$3,750
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2006
$1,450
$325-$490
-
$135-$425
$11,800
90
-
-
-
-
Fall 2006
-
$350-$550
-
$160-$175
$12,500
90
$5,375
95
-
-
Spring 2007
-
$440-$560
-
$125-$190
-
-
$5,750
95
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
$375
70
-
-
Fall 2007
-
-
-
$125-$130
$5,000
85
-
-
-
-
Spring 2008
-
$510-$610
-
$150-$155
-
-
$1,600
85
-
-
-
$1,600
85
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2008
-
$450-$800
-
$170-$255
-
-
$525
70
$425
85
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
$700
90
Spring 2009
$1,380
$455-$505
-
$100-$135
$3,000
80
$1,600
90
$325
75
-
-
-
-
$10,000
90
-
-
$450
80
-
-
-
-
$60,000
95
-
-
$600-$650
90
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
$4,000
95
Fall 2009
-
$655
-
$135-$305
-
-
$3,000
95
$550-$750
90
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
$3,000
95
Spring 2010
$2,870
$255-$400
-
$145
-
-
$1,200
85
$475
85
Fall 2010
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

Statistics


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)

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: 45,550

The Inspiration for the Design


The design came from Emmanuel Leutze's painting of the same name. The painting is now located in Germantown.

What you should look for


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.

Varieties to look for


The color ranges from Salmon to Dark Salmon. 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.

The Making of the Stamp


I have been unable to locate any essays of this issue.

Back in 1963 the largest multiple, according to Brookman, was a multiple of 25, now in 2009
we are left with the largest multiple being this block of eight (2009 Robert Seigal Auction $205,000)

A view of the reflecting pool traversed by several bridges and several Exposition buildings