1901 Pan-American Exposition

1901 Postage Stamps US Postage Stamps

The value of the stamps Statistics and facts about the stamp
what you should look for how the stamp was made
Varieties of the stamp the making of the stamp

The Value of the Stamp


'Fast Lake Navigation'
1¢ - Green and black or dark green and black
Scott #294 - 1901

  NY Auction Houses
  MNH Graded MH MNH Graded
Spring 2003 - - - - -
Fall 2003 - - - - -
Spring 2004 $10-$20 - $7-$10 - -
Fall 2004 $15-$35 - $4-$11 - -
Spring 2005 $12-$50 - $5-$10 - -
Fall 2005 $9-$45 - $2-$6 $80 -
Spring 2006 $11-$45 - $4-$8 $150-$240 90
Fall 2006 $13-$45 - $2-$8 $150 90
$110 85 - - -
Spring 2007 $10-$35 - $1-$8 - -
Fall 2007 $12-$75 - $2-$8 $600 95J
Spring 2008 $10-$28 - - - -
$13 50 - - -
Fall 2008 $13-$35 - $3-$9 $145 90
- - - $4,750 98J
Spring 2009 $10-$19 - $3-$10 $220 95
- - - $1,600 98
- - - $1,900 98J
Fall 2009 $10-$30 - $3-$8 $1,000 98
Spring 2010 $11-$45 - $4-$11 $1,200 98
Fall 2010 $5-$50 - $3-$5 - -
$45-$155 90 - - -
Spring 2011 $10-$28 - $3-$12 $1,250 98
Fall 2011 $11-$16 - $2-$9 $475 95
2012 $10-$40 - $2-$9 $175-$250 95
- - - $900 98
- - - $1,300 98J
2013 - - - - -
2014 - - - - -
2015 - - - - -
2016 - - - - -

The value of the used stamp is $1



1¢ -Green and black
Center inverted
Scott #294a - 1901
600-700 know byt only 25-30 used copies exist

  NY Auction Houses
  MH MNH MH Graded Used
Spring 2003 - - $6,750 - -
Fall 2003 - - - - -
Spring 2004 - - - - -
Fall 2004 - - - - -
Spring 2005 - - $10,500-$12,500 - $11,000
Fall 2005 - - $6,250-$11,000 - $12,000
Spring 2006 - - $7,500 80 $4,250
Fall 2006 - - $5,250-$9,000 - -
Spring 2007 - - $5,750-$17,000 - $5,000
Fall 2007 - - $22,000 - -
Spring 2008 - - $55,000 90 -
Fall 2008 - - - - -
Spring 2009 $4,850 - $19,000 90 $8,500
Fall 2009 - - - - -
Spring 2010 $6,600 - $4,250-$12,500 - $16,000
Fall 2010 $10,000 - $6,750 70 -
- - $18,000 90 -
Spring 2011 - - $6,500 - -
Fall 2011 - - $4,000-$14,000 - -
2012 - - $10,000 75 -
2013 - - - - -
2014 - - - - -
2015 - - - - -
2016 - - - - -

The Pan-American inverts were issued to four different post offices around the country. Around 600-700 are known to survive.

Statistics

Issued: Introduced on May 1st, 1901. Earliest documented use is the same date.

294 invert on cover
The unique example of #294a (the invert) on cover

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

294 Pane US Postage Stamps
A full pane of 100

Printer: The Bureau of Printing and Engraving

Watermark: Double lined USPS watermark.

Quantity Issued: 91,000,000, it paid the one cent post card rate at the time.

What you should look for

Vignette Shifts

Vignette shifts are much sought after by collectors, its almost a challenge to see how far you can find the vignette shifted out of the frame. Having said this the shifts do not add that much value to the stamp.


294 fast ship US Postage Stamps 1901

Vignette shifted to the left, the so called 'FAST BOAT' variety

294 slow ship US postage stamps 1901

Vignette shifted to the right, the so called 'SLOW BOAT' variety

294 sinking ship US Postage Stamps 1901

Vignette shifted to the bottom, the so called "SINKING BOAT" variety

The Inspiration for the Design


City Of Alpena
This steamship, 'The City of Alpena' was the ship portrayed in the design

This photograph of the
SS City of Buffalo of the Cleveland and Buffalo Line
was used to aid in the design

The theme of the 1901 stamps was modern navigation. The theme of the 1¢ stamp was fast lake Navigtion, referring to the small high speed steamers that plied between the great lake ports. Previously side wheel steamers had filled the role, they were unsuited to the tough weather conditions, in fact the previous "City of Alpena" was lost with all aboard in a storm in 1880. The Alpena was of a small size so it could navigate the St Lawrenece seaway and have access to New England and the maritime ports.

Varieties to look for


294 Invert Block
The largest multiple of #294a, with inverted vignette

294 ultramar
The Ultramar overprint

The Portuguese Ministry for the Colonies was originally supplied with 25 Specimen stamps. They overprinted the specimens with the "Ultramar" overprint, meaning "overseas", the stamps were distributed to the various colonies.

The Essay's and Proofs

294-E2

#294 E2
Essay on India
Reduction of Frame drawing

294-E2
#294 E2 variety
Essay on India
Reduction of Frame drawing

294 P1 US Proof Stamp

294 P1
Large Die Proof

294 Pan American Expo

1901 Postage Stamps US Postage Stamps