Value of US Stamp Scott Catalogue 293 – 1898 US$2.00 Trans Mississippi Exposition: Mississippi River Bridge. Page 13

o U.S.; General Issues, 1898, $2 Trans-Mississippi, #293. Used, corner thin upper left, Fine to Very Fine appearance. Scott $1,100. Estimate price $200-250.

Harmer-Schau Auction Galleries, Jan 2013, Sale 96, Lot 533

o U.S.; General Issues, 1898, $2 Trans-Mississippi, #293. Used, reperfed at left, few short perfs, Fine to Very Fine centering. Scott $1,100. Estimate value $220-250.

Harmer-Schau Auction Galleries, Jan 2013, Sale 96, Lot 532

U.S.; General Issues, 1898, $2 Trans-Mississippi, #293. O.g., “couple tiny thin spots” (unapparent), Very Fine appearance, PSE (2000) cert. Scott $1,900. Estimate value $400-500.

Harmer-Schau Auction Galleries, Jan 2013, Sale 96, Lot 531

$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 293). Beautifully centered with wide margins all around, lightly-struck circular datestamp at lower right, cleaned to remove toning, Extremely Fine appearance, with 1991 and 2012 P.F. certificates, only the latter with the negative commentary

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Dec 2012, Sale 1037, Lot 1930

$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 293). Wide margins and well-centered, deep rich color with oval registry cancel, Extremely Fine, with 2009 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Dec 2012, Sale 1037, Lot 1929

$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (293). Bottom imprint and plate no. 613 pair, left stamp Mint N.H., right stamp small h.r. at bottom and a few reinforced perf separations, bright color FINE. AN IMPRESSIVE IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER PAIR OF THE $2.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE. Scott Retail as singles

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Dec 2012, Sale 1037, Lot 1928

$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 293). Unused (regummed), rich color and ample to wide margins, Very Fine

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Dec 2012, Sale 1037, Lot 1927

$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 293). Original gum, appears Mint N.H. at a glance but brushed, reperfed at top and bottom, appears Fine

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Dec 2012, Sale 1037, Lot 1926

$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 293). Original gum, barest trace of hinging, intense shade and proof-like impression on post-office fresh paper, perfectly centered with unusually wide margins for this difficult issue, long and full perforations all around EXTREMELY FINE GEM. EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES OF THE $2.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE IN EXISTENCE. THIS STUNNING STAMP HAS BEEN AWARDED THE GRADE OF SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E. — THIS IS THE ONLY EXAMPLE IN ANY CATEGORY TO ACHIEVE THIS DESIRABLE GRADE. The design of the $2.00 Trans-Mississippi depicts the Eads bridge, which spans the Mississippi River at St. Louis. The original engraving was used on the admission ticket to the Republican Convention of 1896, which nominated McKinley as candidate for president. The stamp, issued during the McKinley Administration, illustrates the natural boundary between East and West and so was appropriate for the Trans-Mississippi issue. All of the $2.00 Trans-Mississippi stamps were printed in a single day’s run on June 3, 1898. The $2.00 was printed in sheets that have narrower spacing between the horizontal rows than between the vertical columns. For this reason, it is extremely difficult to obtain stamps with top and bottom margins that equal the sides. This stamp essentially achieves that unnatural effect, which could only occur when the horizontal perforations were applied in such a way that the holes impinged on the space allocated to the rows above and below. With 2008 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, Superb 98, SMQ $16,800.00). This is the highest grade awarded in any category and it is the only example to achieve this grade. The next-highest grade is a 95 — knowledgeable collectors know how difficult it is to find the $2.00 Trans-Mississippi in such superb condition. SMQ does not price the 98 in Mint N.H. condition, as it may not even exist.

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Nov 2012, Sale 1034, Lot 279

Scott #293, $2.00 Trans-Mississippi, an exceedingly handsome and choice mint block of four, well centered and margined, sumptuously rich color and a crisp impression, full o.g., lightly hinged, very fine; 1980 Friedl certificate.

Spink Shreves Galleries, Nov 2012, Sale 141, Lot 125

United States 1898 Trans-Mississippi Issue 1898 $2 orange brown, well centered for this issue, slightly disturbed original gum, insignificant gum crease, fine

Cherrystone Auctions, Oct 2012, Sale 201210, Lot 120

United States 1898 Trans-Mississippi Issue 1898 $2 orange brown, used, well centered, v.f., with 2004 PFC

Cherrystone Auctions, Oct 2012, Sale 201210, Lot 121

$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 293). Mint N.H., beautiful deep color and proof-like impression on bright paper VERY FINE. A SCARCE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $2.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. With 1999 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Oct 2012, Sale 1033, Lot 4167

$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 293). Intense color on fresh paper, beautiful centering with wide and well-proportioned margins, New York registry cancel EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THE $2.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN IN SUCH SUPERB CONDITION. THIS GORGEOUS STAMP HAS BEEN GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. The design of the $2.00 Trans-Mississippi depicts the Eads bridge, which spans the Mississippi River at St. Louis. The original engraving was used on the admission ticket to the Republican Convention of 1896, which nominated William McKinley as candidate for president. The stamp, issued during the McKinley Administration, illustrates the natural boundary between East and West and so was appropriate for the Trans-Mississippi issue. All of the $2.00 Trans-Mississippi stamps were printed in a single day’s run on June 3, 1898. The $2.00 was printed in sheets that have narrower spacing between the horizontal rows than between the vertical columns. For this reason, it is extremely difficult to obtain stamps with top and bottom margins that equal the sides. This stamp essentially achieves that unnatural effect, which could only occur when the horizontal perforations were applied in such a way that the holes impinged on the space allocated to the rows above and below. Brookman notes “the $2.00 is not easy to obtain well-centered as many of these stamps seem to be perforated close to the top and its color is such that it cancels rather badly. This combination makes fine used copies difficult to obtain. I consider it more difficult to obtain in choice used condition than any of the high values of the Columbian issue.” With 1998 P.F. and 2005 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95, SMQ $8,500.00). This is the highest grade awarded and only four others share this grade.

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Oct 2012, Sale 1032, Lot 3420

1898, $2 Trans-Miss. (Scott 293), brilliant fresh example with intense color, light black cancellation; faint vertical paper wrinkle shows in fluid, Fine. Scott $1,100. Estimate value $200 – 300.

Daniel Kelleher Auctions, Oct 2012, Sale 632, Lot 1208