The 1898 Bureau Series
Watermarked Double Lined letters - USPS

The Value of the Stamp


Henry Clay (biography)
15¢ - Olive green or dark olive green
16,000,000 - Double line USPS wmk. - Scott #284 - 1897

  NY Auction Houses
  MNH MH Used MNH Graded MH Graded
Spring 2003 - - - $1,700 - - -
Fall 2003 - - - - - - -
Spring 2004 - $30-$55 $1-$4 - - - -
Fall 2004 - $25-$35 $2-$3 - - - -
Spring 2005 - $30-$125 $1-$3 $1,000 - - -
Fall 2005 $60 $25-$40 <$1 $2,200 - - -
Spring 2006 - $35-$40 $1-$7 $4,500 95 - -
Fall 2006 - - $1-$4 $1,600 90 - -
Spring 2007 - $35 $2-$8 - - - -
Fall 2007 - $40 $2 - - - -
Spring 2008 $85-$90 $40 $1-$2 - - - -
Fall 2008 $80 $25-$40 $1-$2 $750 85 $1,700 98
- - - - - - -
Spring 2009 - $30-$55 $1-$4 $16,500 98 - -
Fall 2009 - $30-$40 $1-$4 $1,000 90 - -
Spring 2010 - $30-$45 $1-$3 $275 75 - -
- - - $850 85 - -
Fall 2010 - $20-$60 $1-$4 - - - -
Spring 2011 - $30-$150 $1-$3 - - - -
Fall 2011 - $40-$140 $1-$8 - - - -
2012 $90-$950 $25-$165 - $13,500 98 - -
2013 - - - - - - -
2014 - - - - - - -
2015 - - - - - - -
2016 - - - - - - -

Statistics

Issued: November 3rd 1898, earliest recorded date of use, March 3rd, 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: 16,000,000. A much undervalued stamp.

DETAILED FACTS AND FIGURES

The color was changed so as it was not to be confused with #279 which had it recently had it's color changed to green so as to comply with UPU color regulations.

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

#284 is hard to find without a heavy cancel.
Ligher cancel are desirable

 

The Inspiration for the Design

The source for the design Brookman attributes to the famous daguerreotype of Henry Clay. This would be incorrect as their is little, if no, resemblence. It is more likely that it copied from a print which used as its source a later photograph of Henry Clay.

The source of the design (above) and the design (below)

The source photograph for the print above

Shown babove is the famous, and only daguerreotype of Henry Clay

Varieties to look for

There are no varieties of #284

The Essay's and Proofs

284-P1
Large Die Proof on India
Mounted on Card

284-TC1
Trial Color Proof on India


284-P2
Mounted on grey card
From the Roosevelt Album

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