Basic Information
Color: Yellow Brown and Black
Subject: Fast Ocean Navigation
Watermark: Watermarked double-lined USPS
Paper: Soft porous paper
Printing method: line-engraved intaglio on flat plates
Perforations: 12
Scott #: 299
Quantity issued: 5,043,700
Issued: May 1st, 1901
Value
An unused stamp with perfect gum: $60-$150
An unused stamp with gum and a hinge mark: $11-$23
A used stamp: $4-$8
About the Pan-American Series
A pane of #299
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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 exhibition in daylight
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The exhibition at night
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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
#299 earliest date of use, dated May 2nd, 1901
Until March 21st 1893 it paid the 10¢ registration fee. After this date the registration fee was dropped to 8¢, thereafter its common use was to pay the combined two-cent first-class rate and the eight-cent registered mail fee, a total of ten cents
Plates
#299 was issued with the following plate #'s
Frame plates:
1151
Vignette plates:
1144
The Inspiration for the Design
The source photo used for the vignette
For the vignette was based on this postcard of the St. Paul from the American Line
The St Paul was a cursed ship. It started with a botched launch in 1895, when the ship refused to go down the slipway after the champagne had hit its stern. In 1900 it hit a submerged wreck, sheared off its propellor and burnt out its engine. Eight years later it accidentally rammed a British naval ship, sending the St. Pauls passengers to the lifeboats. It was retrofitted in 1918, but only after it rolled over in its berth. It ended its life an aged, unloved steerage ship in 1920.
Photos of the S.S. St. Paul
