Scotts #248 US stamps

#248 - 1894 Unwatermarked Pink 2¢

2¢
Pale pink or pink
Triangles in Corner

Subject: George Washington
Number issued: 35,000,000
Perforations: 12
Watermark: Unwatermarked
Scott #: 248
Issued: October 5th, 1894

Value

Used
$1
No postmark with gum (MH)
$9 - $25
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
$45 - $75

Earliest recorded use

The earliest recorded example, 16th October 1894

The Chicago Counterfeit

Shown above is the famous "Chicago Counterfeit".
The forgery was printed by Tinsa McMillan at the time the stamp was in circulation. She was caught before many were sold, they are now worth $200-$250 each.

Interestingly at the time of Tinsa's arrest, at the Canadian Novelty Supply Company, in Ontario, Canada, Tinsa had in her back room, a perforating machine, a copying camera, copper electro type plates and sheets, gummed paper, arc lights etc. She received a one year sentence for her crime.

Plate #'s

#248 was issued with the following plate #'s

1, 3-5, 7-13, 16, 19-20, 22-23, 25-26, 30, 32

Triangles in the corner

As this was the Bureau of Printing and Engraving contract a small triangle was cut into the design at top left and top right in order to distinguish this printing from the earlier 1890 series

Varieties

#248a
Vertical imperforate
There are eight singles and one block recorded
Value: $3,000-$4,000

A full Pane

A full pane of 100 of #248, there were four panes to a sheet of 400

Working at the Bureau in 1890's

We are fortunate that in the early 1890's, the Bureau photographed the process of printing a stamp. The 1890 series was the last contract for the American Banknote company, thereafter the Bureau of Engraving and Printing printed stamps. The building these photographs were taken was replaced by a new building in 1918.

Preparing the Ink

To make the printing ink, the base color was mixed with oil then the mixture was ground under heavy steel rollers. The machinery was belt driven by steam. Inks then was tested to see if it was the correct color. Some of the inks contained quite a few impurities which wore down the printing plates. Black was the least impure ink, blues and greens the most impure inks.

Preparing the Gum

Down in the basement with the window open for ventilation this poor guy mixed ingredients to make the water soluble gum. Gumming took place after printing and before perforation, usually because the paper had to be damp for printing to work well. The production of gum was in fact an art. The gum could not be too acidic as it would destroy the paper over time. It has to be the right viscosity for application. The gum should also be stable, not yellow or crack.

Preparing the Paper

This is a photo of workers in the postage stamp gumming and drying room in the Stamp Division at the Bureau of Engraving & Printing. Again power is supplied by steam driven belts.