The 1898 Bureau Series
Watermarked Double Lined letters - USPS

The Value of the Stamp



President James A Garfield (biography)
6c - Lake or claret 
Double line USPS wmk. - Scott #282 - 1897

 
NY Auction Houses
 
MNH
MH
Used
MNH
Graded
Spring 2003
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2003
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2004
$125-$175
$20-$35
$1
-
-
Fall 2004
-
$5-$25
$1
-
-
Spring 2005
-
$10-$45
$1
$1,100
-
Fall 2005
$130
$10-$25
$1
$450
-
Spring 2006
$80
-
$1
$1,450
95
Fall 2006
-
$21
$1
$700
95
Spring 2007
-
$6-$19
< $1
-
-
Fall 2007
-
$11-$35
$1
-
-
Spring 2008
-
$9-$22
$1
-
-
Fall 2008
-
$13-$27
< $1
$220
85
-
-
-
$17,500
100
Spring 2009
-
$14-$35
$1
-
-
Fall 2009
$40
$16-$25
$1-$3
$1,400
95
Spring 2010
$40-$60
$13-$28
$1-$4
-
-
Fall 2010
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2011
-
-
-
-
-



6c - Purple lake 
 Double line USPS wmk. - Scott #282a - 1897

 
NY Auction Houses
 
MNH
MH
Used
MH
Graded
Spring 2006
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2006
$35
$14
-
$750
98
Spring 2007
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2007
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2008
-
$24
-
-
-
Fall 2008
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2009
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2009
-
-
$6
-
-
Spring 2010
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2010
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2011
-
-
-
-
-

Facts and Statistics


Issued: Issued December 31st, 1898. Earliest recorded date of use, March 13th 1899.

Plate Size: Sheets of 200 subjects (2 panes of 100)

Printer: The Bureau of Printing and Engraving

Watermark: USPS, double lined, see below

Quantity Issued: 46,000,000.

DETAILED FACTS AND FIGURES

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


Shown above a circular date cancel and on the right is a registered cancel. The registry cancel is the most common strike on this stamp, along with other heavy 'killer' cancels. The less common town cancel on the left should sell at a slight premium.


The Inspiration for the Design


The source photograph of James Garfield is shown below, followed by the Bureau of Engravings Master Die of the President, folllowe by the design used in the stamp.

Varieties to look for


Scotts mention a double transfer variety and a variety with an extra frame line on top, neither of which I have seen.

The Making of the Stamp



282- P1
Die Proof on India

282-P2a
Plate Proof produced for the 1915
Panama-Pacific Exhibition

 

The Assassination of James Garfield