The 1893 Columbians

The Value of the Stamp



$3 - Yellow green or pale yellow green
Scott #243 - 1893
Issued: Jan 2nd 1893 but first placed on sale at
the Columbian Exposition on Jan 3rd 1893

 
NY Auction Houses
 
MNH
MH
Graded
Used
MNH
Graded
MH
Graded
Used
Graded
Spring 2004
-
$900-$1,100
-
$300-$350
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2004
-
$600-$700
-
$200-$300
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2005
-
$550-$1,350
-
$300-$425
$23,000
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2005
$1,400-$1,500
$500-$975
-
$250
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2006
$1,100-$1,400
$800
-
$280-$625
$14,000
98
-
-
-
-
Fall 2006
-
$710-$750
-
-
-
-
$5,000
90J
-
-
Spring 2007
-
$610-$1,010
-
$480
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2007
-
$625
-
$290-$335
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2008
-
-
-
$355-$1,100
$15,500
90
-
-
-
-
Fall 2008
-
$500-$510
-
$205-$330
-
-
$1,300
80J
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
$950
85
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
$2,400
90
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
$4,750
95
-
-
Spring 2009
$560-$580
$430-$530
-
-
$3,250
80
$525-$600
70
$450
75
-
$1,225
80
-
$11,000
90
$1,000
80
$925-$1,300
90
-
-
-
-
$25,000
95
$5,500
95
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
$7,500-$10,000
98
-
-
Fall 2009
-
$725
-
$300-$380
-
-
$1,900
85
$5,750
95
-
$765
75
-
-
-
$3,000-$4,500
95
-
-
-
$1,925
90
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2010
-
$570-$810
-
$285-$710
$10,500
90
$1,100
80
$700
80
-
-
-
-
-
-
$3,250-$3,500
95
$900-$1,100
85
-
-
-
-
-
-
$11,500
98J
$1,500
90
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
$6,250
98
Fall 2010
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2012
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2012
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2013
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


$3 - Olive green
Scott #243a - 1893

 
NY Auction Houses
 
MH
Graded
MH
Graded
Spring 2006
-
-
$1,100
-
Fall 2006
-
-
-
-
Spring 2007
-
-
-
-
Fall 2007
-
-
$8,500
85
Spring 2008
-
-
-
-
Fall 2008
-
-
$1,700
80
Spring 2009
$12,000
90
$800
-
Fall 2009
-
-
$1,450
85
-
-
$4,250
95
Spring 2010
-
-
-
-
Fall 2010
-
-
-
-
Spring 2011
-
-
-
-
Fall 2011
-
-
-
-
Spring 2012
-
-
-
-
Fall 2012
-
-
-
-
Spring 2013
-
-
-
-

Statistics


Issued: Jan 2nd 1893 but first placed on sale at the Columbian Exposition on Jan 3rd 1893. Earliest documented use March 24, 1893, shown below.

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: 27,650

The Inspiration for the Design


The original painting by Jover, although the painting's title was 'Columbus Before the Catholic Kings'

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.

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.

Varieties to look for


The color has a wide range of hues, from yellow green through to olive green. There are the occassional double transfers.

The Making of the Stamp


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

 



The Ferris wheel at the Columbian Exposition

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