Cost of US Stamp Scott Catalog # 244: 1893 US$4.00 Columbian Exposition: Queen Isabella and Columbus. Page 16

United States 1893 Columbian Exposition Issue 1893 $4 crimson lake, beautiful color, centered slightly to right, n.h. and post office fresh, fine, with 1979 PFC and 2004 PSE cert.

Cherrystone Auctions, Jun 2011, Sale 201106, Lot 53

() U.S.; General Issues, 1893, $4 Columbian, #244. Unused, small thins, Fine to Very Fine appearing. Scott $1,150. Estimate $300.

Harmer-Schau Auction Galleries, Mar 2011, Sale 89, Lot 238

$4.00 Columbian (Scott 244). Block of four, slightly disturbed original gum, h.r. and small adherence on gum of bottom left stamp, fresh color and well-centered, couple perf separations at left VERY FINE. A SCARCE BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE $4.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE. Blocks are surprisingly scarce — we have only offered four others since 2002.

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Mar 2011, Sale 1007, Lot 2487

$4.00 Rose Carmine, Columbian (Scott 244a). Vivid color, bold oval registry cancel, couple tiny thin specks, Very Fine appearance

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Mar 2011, Sale 1007, Lot 2455

$4.00 Rose Carmine, Columbian (Scott 244a). Unused (no gum), precise centering, reperfed at left and small faults, Extremely Fine appearance, with 1986 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Mar 2011, Sale 1007, Lot 2454

$4.00 Columbian (Scott 244). Original gum, barely hinged, radiant color on bright paper, wide margins, Very Fine, ex Odeneal, with 1983 and 2007 P.F. certificates

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Mar 2011, Sale 1007, Lot 2453

$4.00 Columbian (Scott 244). Original gum, well-centered, bright color, Very Fine and choice, with 2010 P.S.E. certificate (VF-XF 85, SMQ value $2,750.00)

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Mar 2011, Sale 1007, Lot 2452

$4.00 Rose Carmine, Columbian (Scott 244a). Original gum, lightly hinged, brilliant color in this distinctive sub-shade, wide margins EXTREMELY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $4.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE IN THE ROSE CARMINE SHADE. With 1991 P.F. and 2006 P.S.E. certificates (OGph, XF 90, SMQ $3,600.00)

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Mar 2011, Sale 1007, Lot 2451

$4.00 Columbian (Scott 244). Original gum, lightly hinged, brilliant color on crisp paper, well-proportioned margins EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $4.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE. With 2010 P.S.E. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Mar 2011, Sale 1007, Lot 2450

$4.00 Columbian (Scott 244). Mint N.H., warm shade on fresh paper, ample to wide margins, small natural gum bend at top VERY FINE. A LOVELY MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $4.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE. With 1997 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Mar 2011, Sale 1007, Lot 2449

1893, $4 Columbian (244), very well centered with strong color, original gum, thinning in hinge area; fresh, Very Fine appearance. Scott value $2,250

Matthew Bennett International, Mar 2011, Sale 337, Lot 2688

1893, $4 Columbian (244), vibrant color on bright paper, original gum, lightly hinged, certificate notes “slt abrasion spek”, which we had to look really hard to locate, exceptionally fresh and otherwise Fine. Scott price $2,250 Expertization: 1997 APS Certificate.

Matthew Bennett International, Mar 2011, Sale 337, Lot 2687

United States 1893 Columbian Exposition Issue 1893 $4 crimson lake, fresh color, h.r., fine, with 2004 PFC

Cherrystone Auctions, Feb 2011, Sale 201102, Lot 73

$4.00 Columbian (Scott 244). Mint N.H., vibrant color on post-office fresh paper, gorgeous centering with wide and balanced margins, long and full perforations all around EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $4.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE, WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED XF 90 BY P.S.E. — THIS IS A DIFFICULT ISSUE TO FIND IN SUCH A HIGH GRADE. With 2009 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90, SMQ value $23,000.00). Only three have graded higher to date (all at 95) and only four others share this grade.

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Dec 2010, Sale 1000, Lot 1143

$4.00 Rose Carmine, Columbian (Scott 244a). Mint N.H., absolutely gorgeous color which is unmistakably in the aniline-ink Rose Carmine shade, magnificent centering with wide and balanced margins, long and full perforations all around EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS MINT NEVER-HINGED $4.00 COLUMBIAN IS WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE FINEST IN EXISTENCE. A TRULY REMARKABLE STAMP IN EVERY RESPECT, THIS HAS BEEN AWARDED THE GRADE OF XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. — THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO DATE AND ONLY ONE OTHER SHARES THIS GRADE. The $4.00 Columbian depicts the two central figures in the story of Columbus — Queen Isabella and Columbus himself. The portrait of Isabella is said to be based on a painting in Madrid, but its origins have been lost to history. The portrait of Columbus is based on a painting by the artist Lorenzo Lotto (c. 1480-1556). A student of the great painter Raphael, his realistic and empathetic works, filled with distinctive sharp lines and vivid colors, were in sharp contrast to his contemporaries in Venice such as Titian and Tintoretto. He died penniless after joining a religious order. His works were unappreciated until the late 19th and early 20th Century, when he was identified as a forerunner of the Surrealists due to his inclusion of unusual symbolic references in his works. This portrait of Columbus was painted in 1512 as a commission from Domenico Malpiero, a Venetian senator and historian, and was executed shortly after the death of Columbus in 1504. It is one of the earliest portraits of Columbus (none is known to have been painted in his lifetime). This image was also used for several stamps of Chile. With 2010 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95, SMQ value $65,000.00). This is the highest grade awarded to date and only one other shares this grade. The next-highest grade for this shade in Mint N.H. condition is an 80. For the normal shade, 95 is also the highest grade awarded to date (three in P.S.E. Population Report), followed by 90 (five in P.S.E. Population Report)

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Dec 2010, Sale 1000, Lot 1142