The 1894 Bureau Series

The Value of the Stamp


Andrew Jackson (biography)
3c - Dull purple or purple
Triangles in Corners
Scott #253 - Un-watermarked - 1894

 
NY Auction Houses
 
MNH
MH
Used
MNH
Graded
MH
Graded
Spring 2003
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-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2003
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2004
-
$15-$20
$2-$3
-
-
-
-
Fall 2004
-
$10-$15
$1-$2
$250-$300
-
-
-
Spring 2005
-
$13-$20
$1-$3
-
-
-
-
Fall 2005
-
$11-$25
$1
-
-
-
-
Spring 2006
-
$13-$35
$2-$5
$10,500
98
-
-
Fall 2006
$50-$130
$17-$40
$1-$5
$700
90
-
-
-
-
-
$3,500
95
-
-
Spring 2007
-
$18-$32
$1-$10
-
-
-
-
Fall 2007
-
-
$1
-
-
-
-
Spring 2008
-
$21
$1
-
-
-
-
Fall 2008
-
$22-$27
$1
$525
85
$500
95
-
-
-
$1,050
90
-
-
Spring 2009
$50
$23-$35
$1-$3
$3,000
95
-
-
Fall 2009
$40
$19
$1-$3
$375
90
-
-
-
-
-
$1,400
95
-
-
Spring 2010
$125
$25-$35
$1-$2
$800
90
-
-
Fall 2010
-
$20-$45
$1
-
-
-
-
Spring 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

Statistics


Issued: September 24th 1894, earliest recorded date of use, October 20th, 1894. Earliest recorded cover, November 1st 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: 20,000,000

What you should look for


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 Jefferson by Jean Antoine Houdon. Now at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts.

Varieties to look for


There are some imperfs, although it is debatable that these were issued as such, they are more likely to be small die plate proofs

The Making of the Stamp

 


253-E1
Large Die Essay
Dusky Blue Green

253-E2
Large Die Essay
Die sunk directly on card
Violet

253-TC1
Large Die Trial Color Proof on India
On card
Ultramarine


253-P1
Large Die Proof on India
On card
Ultramarine


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