#297 1901 5¢ Pan-American

Basic Information

Color: Ultramarine and Black
Subject: Bridge at Niagara
Watermark: Watermarked double-lined USPS
Paper: Soft porous paper
Printing method: line-engraved intaglio on flat plates
Perforations: 12
Scott #: 297
Quantity issued: 7,201,300
Issued: May 1st, 1901

Value

An unused stamp with perfect gum: $50-$120
An unused stamp with gum and a hinge mark: $4-$8
A used stamp: $1-$3

An unused stamp with perfect gum: $50-$110
An unused stamp with gum and a hinge mark: $4-$8
A used stamp: $1-$3

About the Pan-American Series

A pane of #297
Click the image to enlarge
One of many Pan-American
cinderella stamps

The 1901 Pan-American US stamp series was primarily created to publicise and promote the Pan-American Exposition, a World’s Fair held in Buffalo, New York.

The series served as a celebration of a "new century" and aimed to highlight three core themes:

1. Modern Rapid Transportation
The central design of each stamp focused on the advancements in modern transit. Each denomination depicted a different "cutting edge" machine or method of moving people and goods

2. Technological and Industrial Progress
The stamps were a salute to the engineering achievements of the Western Hemisphere. The Exposition itself focused heavily on the use of electricity. By showcasing these marvels on postage, the US Post Office helped broadcast the narrative of American industrial dominance and the "marvelous development" of the 19th century into the new 20th century.

3. Pan-American Unity and Trade
The stamps were a salute to the engineering achievements of the Western Hemisphere. The Exposition itself focused heavily on the use of electricity. By showcasing these marvels on postage, the US Post Office helped broadcast the narrative of American industrial dominance and the "marvelous development" of the 19th century into the new 20th century.

Technical Innovation
Two-Tone PrintingThis series was the first U.S. commemorative set to be printed in two colors (bi-colour). The central image (vignette) was printed in black, while the ornate frame was printed in a second color. This complex two-stage process led to the creation of the famous "Pan-American Inverts," where the central image was accidentally printed upside

About the Pan-American Exhibition

The Pan-American Exhibition Logo
Click the image to enlarge
A birds-eye view of the Exhibition
Click the image to enlarge

The Pan-American Exposition was a World's Fair held in Buffalo, New York, from 1 May to 2 November 1901. Spanning 350 acres on the western edge of Delaware Park, it was designed to celebrate the commercial and cultural achievements of the Western Hemisphere. While intended as a showcase of progress and unity, the event is most famously remembered for the tragic assassination of President William McKinley.

Key Features & Attractions
The "City of Light": The exposition was a landmark event for electricity, powered by hydroelectric energy from nearby Niagara Falls. The fairgrounds were illuminated by nearly 250,000 electric bulbs, a spectacle that was unprecedented at the time.
The Electric Tower: Standing 410 feet tall, this massive structure acted as the fair's central beacon and represented technological mastery.
The "Rainbow City": Unlike previous World's Fairs that were predominantly white, the Pan-American structures were painted in a vibrant, intricate color scheme of pale pinks, taupes, and bright pre-cast ornamentation.
Inventions on Display: The fair showcased cutting-edge technology of the era, including Thomas Edison's X-ray machine, early automobiles, and infant incubators.

Attendance & Legacy
Visitors: Over 8 million people attended the six-month event, including President William McKinley.
Economic Success: While successful in attendance and spectacle, the exposition was not a financial success, resulting in an estimated deficit of roughly $3 million.
Current Site: Most of the fair's ornate buildings were temporary and demolished after the event. The New York State Building was the only permanent structure and now houses The Buffalo History Museum.
Today: At the Buffalo History Museum you can see a permanent exhibit titled "Return to the Rainbow City" featuring artifacts like the gun used in the McKinley assassination.

Usage

#297 first day cover, dated May 1st, 1901

The 5¢ stamp was primarily used to meet the 5-cent U.S. postage rate for letters to foreign countries within the Universal Postal Union (UPU). It was a staple of late 19th-century US international postage

Plates

#297 was issued with the following plate #'s

Frame plates:
1140
Vignette plates:
1141

The Inspiration for the Design

The source photo used for the vignette

For the vignette was based on this photo of the International Bridge at Niagara falls. Two trams crossing the bridge were added to the vignette.

The photo is of the Upper Steel Arch Road Bridge, nicknamed the "Honeymoon" Bridge. At the time of the design it was the world's largest single span steel bridge. Unfortunately, it was not to last, the bridge collapsed in 1938, a victim an ice storm
crushing its foundations. It was prone to swaying violently, this was caused by wind, a technical aspect little understood at the time of the design. It was replaced by the current Rainbow bridge.