Issued: Introduced on June 17th, 1890. Earliest documented use, a first day cover from June 17th 1898 (an example shown below)

Plate Size: Sheets of 100 subjects (2 panes of 50)

A full pane of #286

Printer: The Bureau of Printing and Engraving

Watermark: Double lined USPS watermark.

Quantity Issued: 160,000,000, a very common stamp

Plate numbers 672-3, 675 and 679 are particularly worn, so much so that distinguishing the front men from the rear men becomes difficult. These are interesting examples but do not add to the value of the stamp.

#286 Worn Plate Example

The original photograph

The original photograph in greater detail

The source for this design has one of the most interesting stories in US Philately.

The design was intended for use on the $2 Trans-Missippippi, however as this scene was so representative of the West at the time it was decided to use this on the wider circulation of the 2¢.

The photograph from which the design was made was taken a few miles from the town of Amenia, North Dakota. The men depicted in the photograph are the first living men to be shown on a postage stamp.

Amenia, North Dakota today, still a windswept town.

It was taken in 1893 on the Amenia & Sharon Land Company's Fargo, North Dakota 'bonanza farm'. A line of plows drawn by mule teams going into the distance, are apparently plowing a stubble field. In the foreground, Ed Nybakken is seated on a two-bottom plow drawn by four mules. His hand is in the air, touching the brim of his hat, and blocking his face. Behind him seated in a two-wheel buggy with a dog beside him, is field boss Elihu Barber. Behind Barber is foreman Sam White. He is standing in a buggy hitched to two horses, and is looking away from the camera. Ed for years bemoaned the puff of the wind that hid his face from the camera, on the other hand the firm, very proud of the stamp, purchased thousands and used them on their mail well into the 20th century.

The team photographed included 61 horses and their drivers, many farmers, on seeing this stamp, were incredulous as to the amount of equipment, however this was the practice of the bonanza farms of North Dakota.

It was hoped that the stamp would attract the business of agriculture to the west.

The Amenia & Sharon Farming Company, an early photograph.

There are no varieties of #286

#286 E5
The original bi-color design.
The bi-color design had to be dropped as the bi-color printing process
was taxed to the max printing revenue stamps for the Spanish-American
war that had broken out. You will notice the vignette is the same as in
the $2 value (#293). This was swapped with the 2c design at the last
moment, as the 2c design would have the wider circulation and the
western farming issue would be more representative.

#286-E6
The frame essay on card

#286-E8
Large die essay on india
Die sunk on card

#286-E8
Small die essay on india
Die sunk on card

#286-E10
Die essay on india
Die sunk on card

#286-P4
Plate Proof on Card Stock

286-TC4
Trial Color Proof