The 1895 Bureau Series
Watermarked Double Lined letters - USPS

The Value of the Stamp


General Tecumseh Sherman (biography)
8c - Violet brown or dark violet brown
Scott #272  - Double line USPS wmk - 1895

 
NY Auction Houses
 
MNH
MH
Graded
MNH
Graded
MH
Graded
Spring 2003
-
-
-
$200-$300
-
-
-
Fall 2003
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2004
-
$18-$33
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2004
$40-$60
$10-$20
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2005
$60-$90
$15-$20
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2005
-
$10-$20
-
$325-$675
-
-
-
Spring 2006
$45-$70
$12-$35
-
$375
95
-
-
Fall 2006
-
$50
80
$5,250
95J
-
-
Spring 2007
-
$11-$30
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2007
-
$11-$25
-
$4,750
95J
-
-
Spring 2008
$35-$45
$11-$30
-
-
-
-
-
Fall 2008
$100
$13-$30
-
$600
90
$200
95
-
-
-
$1,600
95
-
-
-
-
-
$2,700
95J
-
-
Spring 2009
$35-$110
$11-$30
-
$1,300
95
$200
95
Fall 2009
$15
$15-$27
-
$1,900
95
$700
100
Spring 2010
$40-$50
$11-$30
-
$325-$350
90
-
-
-
-
-
$1,550
95
-
-
Fall 2010
$60
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spring 2011
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

Used stamps are worth $1


8c - Dark violet brown
Scott #272a  - USIR watermark - 1895
60-70 copies exist

 
NY Auction Houses
 
MH
Graded
Used
Graded
Spring 2007
$2,200
95
$1,250
80
Fall 2007
-
-
-
-
Spring 2008
-
-
-
-
Fall 2008
-
-
-
-
Spring 2009
-
-
$350-$475
-
-
-
$4,750
95
Fall 2009
-
-
$900
-
Spring 2010
-
-
$750
85
Fall 2010
-
-
-
-
Spring 2011
-
-
-
-

Facts and Statistics


Issued: Issued July 22nd 1895, Earliest recorded date of use, September 11th, 1895.

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

Printer: The Bureau of Printing and Engraving

Watermark: USPS, double lined, see below

Quantity Issued: 96,000,000.

DETAILED FACTS AND FIGURES

The Post Office report from 1899 supplies one with almost every detail you would wish to know about this stamp, and every other stamp in this series. The level of detail is amazing. Click here for more on this report


What you should look for


Expect to see a lot of heavy cancels on this as it was the registered rate and registered cancels are typically heavy. Below left is a typical oval registry cancel (Chicago) and below right the same from New York.

The stamps were watermarked USPS and part of one of the three letters will be visible (sometimes barely so) when immersing the stamp in watermark fluid using a simple black watermark tray. By the way, you really have to believe you have got a valuable stamp before investing the $20 it costs to buy the afore mentioned items. You could use the cheaper alternative, Ronosol Lighter fluid, however, unlike watermark fluid, it is highly inflammable and dangerous to use, plus it stinks the house up.

Look for part of one of the above letters in the watermark
Remember, the letters have to be double lined. If single
lined then go here to identify your stamp

This was the first instance of the Bureau applying a watermark, it was applied to make counterfeiting more difficult. It is not known if the Bureau had anticipated the Chicago Counterfeits or added the watermark because of them. The story of the Chicago Counterfeit can be found on the page for Scotts #248.

As this was the Bureau of Printing and Engraving contract a small triangle was cut into the design at top left and top right. This distinguishes it from the earlier 1890.

The Inspiration for the Design


The source photograph of General William Tecumseh Sherman is shown below.

Varieties to look for


There were a few sheets incorrectly printed with the USIR (internal revenue) watermark. If you see the letter I or R in the watermark then you have #272a, the value of which is indicated above.

#272b Imperforate (probably a plate proof)
Value $500-$600 MNH

The Making of the Stamp


There are a couple of plate proof sheets, these are #272P
(no image available)

 


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