The 1894 Bureau Series

The Value of the Stamp


George Washington (biography)
2c - Carmine or Dark carmine - Type I
Horizontal lines run through upper triangles with same thickness
Scott #250 - Un-watermarked - 1894

 
NY Auction Houses
 
MNH
MH
MNH
Graded
Spring 2003
-
-
-
-
Fall 2003
-
-
-
-
Spring 2004
-
$5-$15
-
-
Fall 2004
-
$20-$50
-
-
Spring 2005
-
$5-$15
$1,050
-
Fall 2005
$35-$50
$5-$15
$75
-
Spring 2006
-
$5-$11
$475
90
Fall 2006
$26
$4-$5
$450
90
Spring 2007
$45
$3-$6
-
-
Fall 2007
$50
$5-$12
-
-
Spring 2008
-
$5-$8
-
-
Fall 2008
$90
$5-$10
$850
95
Spring 2009
-
$7-$18
$950
95
Fall 2009
-
$5-$12
-
-
Spring 2010
$30
$3-$9
-
-
Fall 2010
$35
$5-$12
$3,500
98J
Spring 2011
-
-
-
-

Used stamps are worth $1-$2

Statistics


Issued: 5th October 1894, earliest recorded example 15th October 1894 (shown below)


Plate Size: Sheets of 400 subjects (4 panes of 100)

Printer: The Bureau of Printing and Engraving, their first contract

Watermark: None

Quantity Issued: 910,000,000

What you should look for


Slightly harder to find mint due to the fact that collectors at the time did not pick up on the color change. Produced off the same plates as #249.

Below is a typical example of the 1894 Bureau Issue, you will notice the blind perfs and rough appearance of the perforations. The machines for perforating the stamp had just been relocated from New York to Washington DC and did not have the old operators from the ABC, consequently the new operators took some time to get used to perforating the large sheets of 400 stamps. By the next issue, in 1895, they had got the practice down to a science, hence that issue has nice clean cut perforations. The untidy perforations of this issue does not detract from its value.

Occasionaly postmarks from states that had tiny amounts of mail in this year can add to the value. This is particularly true of Alaska and the Territories. For a list of the number of stamps issued by each state in the year ending 30th June 1894 click here.

The Inspiration for the Design


The design was taken from the portrait bust of Washington by Jean Antoine Houdon. Now at Mount Vernon.

Varieties to look for


No varieties recorded

The Making of the Stamp

 



Essay 250-E1
Die on India, die sunk on card


Essay 250-E2
Opal Maroon
Die on India, die sunk on white card
Note smaller triangles

Essay 250-E2
Opal Red
Die on India, die sunk on white card

Essay 250-E2
Opal Lake
Die on India, die sunk on white card


Essay 250-E2
Opal Orange
Die on India, die sunk on white card

Essay 250-E2
Red Lake
Die on India, die sunk on white card

Essay 250-E2
2 white. 4 Gem Lake, 1/2 R&D Lake in pencil notations
Die on India, die sunk on white card

Essay 250-E2
1 white. 7 Gem Lake, 1/2 Car (Carmine) Lake in pencil notations
Die on India, die sunk on white card

Essay 250-E3
Dusky Red, design has missing details
Die on India, card missing

Essay 250-E4
Bright Red
Die on India, die sunk on white card

Essay 250-E5
Medium Deep Red
Die on India, die sunk on white card

Essay 250-E6
Medium Deep Red
Die on India, die sunk on white card
With pencil notations

Essay 250-E8
Medium Deep Red
Die on India, die sunk on 80 x 99mm card

Large die proof on India 250-P1
on 150 x 200mm card

Trial Color Proof on India 250-TC1
Dusky Blue Green