Costs of US Stamps Scott Cat. #293 – 1898 US$2.00 Trans Mississippi Exposition: Mississippi River Bridge. Page 20

United States 1898 Trans-Mississippi Issue 1898 $2 orange brown, unused (regummed), well centered, reperforated at right, v.f. appearance, with 2001 APS cert.

Cherrystone Auctions, Apr 2011, Sale 201104, Lot 1018

United States 1898 Trans-Mississippi Issue 1898 $2 orange brown, beautiful color, usual centering, small h.r., fine, with 2009 PSE cert.

Cherrystone Auctions, Apr 2011, Sale 201104, Lot 1017

() U.S.; General Issues, 1898, $2 Trans-Mississippi, #293. Regummed, Average. Scott $900. Estimate $200.

Harmer-Schau Auction Galleries, Mar 2011, Sale 89, Lot 279

o U.S.; General Issues, 1898, $2 Trans-Mississippi, #293. Used, pinhole and light wrinkles, Fine to Very Fine appearing. Scott $1,100. Estimate price $250.

Harmer-Schau Auction Galleries, Mar 2011, Sale 89, Lot 280

1898, $2 Trans-Miss. (293), top margin plate no. single, sweated original gum, Fine. Scott value $1,900

Matthew Bennett International, Mar 2011, Sale 337, Lot 2750

o 1898, $2 Trans-Miss. (293), virtually perfectly centered with large margins for a $2, rich color, faint creasing at upper left; choice, Extremely Fine appearance. Scott value $1,100 Expertization: 2008 PF Certificate.

Matthew Bennett International, Mar 2011, Sale 337, Lot 2751

$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 293). Brilliant color and precisely balanced margins, light strike of just the rim and two letters of a circular datestamp, trace of guideline at top EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB USED EXAMPLE OF THE $2.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE. THIS STAMP IS EXCEEDINGLY RARE WITH CHOICE CENTERING AND A LIGHT CANCEL. While the top value of the Trans-Mississippi Issue is occasionally found well-centered, it invariably has a heavy cancel. This sound example with a light cancel is a true condition rarity. With 2010 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90, SMQ price $2,300.00). This likely would have been graded 95 without the trace of the guideline at top, which is, of course, a completely natural occurrence and does not detract from the beauty of this stamp

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Mar 2011, Sale 1007, Lot 2571

$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (293). Block of four, original gum, h.r., lovely bright color, nicely centered for this challenging issue, almost imperceptible natural light paper wrinkle top right stamp FINE-VERY FINE BLOCK OF THE $2.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE. This block was part of an old-time collection for many years and, as a result, is much fresher and brighter than the average $2.00 Trans-Mississippi Scott Catalogue assigns only a $650.00 premium for a block versus four singles

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Mar 2011, Sale 1007, Lot 2570

$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (293). Bottom imprint and plate no. 613 horizontal pair, extra wide selvage, original gum, relatively lightly hinged, strong color and impression, attractive centering VERY FINE AND CHOICE. A BEAUTIFUL IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER PAIR OF THE $2.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE. This pair was part of an old-time collection for many years and, as a result, is much fresher and brighter than the average $2.00 Trans-Mississippi The Scott Catalogue premium for an imprint and plate number pair versus two singles seems inadequate ($4,750.00 vs. $3,800.00). The premium for a plate block of four versus a block of four is more than ten times. A review of Power Search revealed only one other imprint and plate no. pair offered in our sales since 1998

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Mar 2011, Sale 1007, Lot 2569

$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 293). Unused (no gum), deep rich color, fresh and Fine

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Mar 2011, Sale 1007, Lot 2568

$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 293). Unused (regummed), deep rich color, reperfed, Extremely Fine appearance

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Mar 2011, Sale 1007, Lot 2567

$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 293). Original gum, intense color, fresh and Very Fine, with 1997 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Mar 2011, Sale 1007, Lot 2566

$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 293). Original gum, slightly disturbed from hinge removal, nice centering with wide margins, rich color, Very Fine and choice

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Mar 2011, Sale 1007, Lot 2565

o 1898, $2 Trans-Miss. (Scott 293), used fiscally with purple boxed “M.N.R.I., Sep 7, 1898” handstamped cancel, couple small, virtually invisible flaws, choice Extremely Fine appearance. Estimate $1,500 – 2,000 AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE USAGE OF THE $2 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI AS A REVENUE STAMP. Expertization: 1991 PSE Certificate. Provenance: Joyce.

Matthew Bennett International, Mar 2011, Sale 336, Lot 1246

1898, $2 Trans-Miss. (293), fresh and beautifully centered with rich warm color, original gum, Extremely Fine. Scott value $1,900 AN EXCEPTIONAL MINT EXAMPLE OF THE $2 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Expertization: 1997 PF Certificate.

Matthew Bennett International, Mar 2011, Sale 336, Lot 1245