The 1898 Bureau Series
Watermarked Double Lined letters - USPS
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Benjamin Franklin (biography)
1¢ - Green
Triangles in Corner
Double line USPS wmk
Scott #279 - 1898
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NY Auction Houses | |||||
| MNH | Graded | MH | Graded | MNH | Graded | |
| Spring 2003 | - | - | - | - | $20-$200 | - |
| Fall 2003 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Spring 2004 | $10-$20 | - | $1-$3 | - | - | - |
| Fall 2004 | $5-$14 | - | $1-$2 | - | - | - |
| Spring 2005 | $6-$8 | - | $1 | - | - | - |
| Fall 2005 | $6-$30 | - | $1-$2 | - | $190 | - |
| Spring 2006 | $6 | - | $1-$2 | - | $130 | 90 |
| - | - | - | - | $260 | 85 | |
| Fall 2006 | $5-$7 | - | $2-$5 | - | $625 | 95 |
| - | - | - | - | $1,700 | 98 | |
| Spring 2007 | $7-$12 | - | $1-$6 | - | $110 | 85 |
| - | - | - | - | $140 | 90 | |
| Fall 2007 | $7-$11 | - | $2-$4 | - | $1,000 | 98 |
| $110 | 90 | - | - | - | - | |
| Spring 2008 | $4-$7 | - | $1-$2 | - | - | - |
| Fall 2008 | $8-$16 | - | $2-$3 | - | $300 | 95 |
| - | - | - | - | $1,200 | 98 | |
| Spring 2009 | $5-$6 | - | $1-$4 | - | $180 | 90 |
| - | - | - | - | $1,100 | 98 | |
| Fall 2009 | $5-$13 | - | $1-$11 | - | $150-$160 | 95 |
| - | - | - | - | $1,000 | 98 | |
| Spring 2010 | $7-$9 | - | $2-$5 | - | $3,250 | 98J |
| Fall 2010 | $6-$20 | - | $2-$4 | - | $340 | 95 |
| Spring 2011 | $4-$18 | - | $1-$2 | - | - | - |
| Fall 2011 | $6-$40 | - | $2-$5 | - | $260 | 95 |
| 2012 | $2-$20 | - | $1-$2 | - | $250 | 95 |
| - | - | - | - | $650 | 98 | |
| 2013 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2014 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2015 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2016 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Used stamps are worth less than $1
Statistics
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Issued: January 17th, 1898, earliest recorded example, January 31st 1898 Plate Size: Sheets of 400 subjects (4 panes of 100)
Printer: The Bureau of Printing and Engraving Watermark: USPS, double lined, see below Quantity Issued: Five billion. It's a very common stamp. DETAILED FACTS AND FIGURES The color was changed to green to conform with the Universal Postal Union Designation for the 1¢ value. The Post Office report from 1899 supplies one with almost every detail you would wish to know about this stamp, and every other stamp in this series. The level of detail is amazing. Click here for more on this report. |
What you should look for
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Around this time pre-canceled stamps appear, on this issue |
The Inspiration for the Design
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The design was taken from the portrait bust of Benjamin Franklin by Jean Antoine Houdon. Now at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Previous versions of Franklins portrait on the 1¢ stamp had Franklin facing to the right. This, along with the pale blue color were the principle reasons that this design was disliked by the general public. The NY Times said that Franklin facing to the left 'entirely altered his expression and making him resemble a putty-faced personification of senility'. |
Varieties to look for
The Essay's and Proofs
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279-P2a |
