The 1894 Bureau Series

The Value of the Stamp


John Marshall (biography)
$5 - Dark Green
6,000 - Scott #263 - Un-watermarked - 1894

 
NY Auction Houses
 
MNH
MH
Used
MNH
Graded
MH
Graded
Spring 2003
-
-
-
-
-
$1,800-$4,000
-
Fall 2003
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2004
-
-
$300-$350
-
-
-
-
Fall 2004
-
-
$500-$550
-
-
-
-
Spring 2005
-
-
$800-$900
-
-
-
-
Fall 2005
-
-
$450
-
-
$4,750
-
Spring 2006
-
$1,350-$2,100
$350
-
-
$5,500
80
Fall 2006
-
-
-
-
-
$15,000
95
Spring 2007
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2007
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2008
-
$810
$405-$720
$7,500
75J
-
-
Fall 2008
-
$555
$350
-
-
-
-
Spring 2009
-
-
-
$2,400-$10,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
$17,500
98
-
-
Fall 2009
-
$760
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2010
$3,380
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2010
-
-
-
$15,000
80
-
-
Spring 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

Facts and Statistics


Issued: Earliest recorded date of use, July 6th, 1896.

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

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

Watermark: None

Quantity Issued: 6,251

What you should look for


Centering on this stamp is fairly poor. Well centered examples sell at a slight premium.

Infrequently the $5 stamp was sometimes required on heavy parcels or overweight letters to foreign destinations, which meant heavy or unattractive cancels, as seen below.

The Inspiration for the Design


The source for the design was based off Henry Inmans 1831-32 portrait. The portrait is owned by the Philadelphia Bar Association. Shown below is an engraving of the portrait and the actual portrait.



Varieties to look for


There are no varieties of #263

The Making of the Stamp


Large Die Essay printed on card
Photograph of portrait inserted


262-E1
Large die essay
Die sunk on card

262-E2
Large die essay
Die sunk on card

263-P1
Large Plate Proof on India
Mounted on card

263-P2
Plate Proof on Thin White Card
Mounted on card

263-P4
Large Plate Proof on card

263-TC1
Large Trail Color Proof on India

An excellent video biography of John Marshall

;


>