Costs of US Stamps Scott Catalog # 293: US$2.00 1898 Trans Mississippi Exposition: Mississippi River Bridge. Page 21

United States 1898 Trans-Mississippi Issue 1898 $2 orange brown, well centered, fresh color, h.r., fine., with 2005 PFC

Cherrystone Auctions, Feb 2011, Sale 201102, Lot 84

$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 293). Mint N.H., radiant color and proof-like impression on bright paper, as fresh as the day it was printed, gorgeous centering with unusually wide and balanced margins all around EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLES OF THE $2.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE IN EXISTENCE. A WONDERFUL STAMP IN EVERY RESPECT — THE COLOR IS BEAUTIFUL, THE PAPER IS FRESH, THE IMPRESSION IS INTENSE AND THE GUM IS ABSOLUTELY PRISTINE. THIS STUNNING STAMP HAS BEEN AWARDED THE GRADE OF XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. — THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO DATE. According to Brookman, the design is based on the famed Eads Bridge that spans the Mississippi River at St. Louis. The river has long been considered the dividing line between East and West, and is a fitting theme for this 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 2010 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95, SMQ $55,400.00). This is the highest grade awarded to date and only three others share this grade.

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Dec 2010, Sale 1000, Lot 1165

$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 293). Original gum, lightly hinged, exceptionally well-centered, fresh and bright EXTREMELY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $2.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE. With 1981 and 2008 P.F. certificates

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Oct 2010, Sale 997, Lot 5817

$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 293). Original gum, lightly hinged, rich color and sharp impression, Very Fine and choice, with 1992 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Oct 2010, Sale 997, Lot 5818

$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 293). Original gum, lightly hinged, deep rich color and clear impression, Fine, with 1985 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Oct 2010, Sale 997, Lot 5819

$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 293). Original gum, unusually wide and well-balanced margins for this tightly-spaced issue, deep rich color EXTREMELY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $2.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE. With 2004 P.F. and 2006 P.S.E. certificates (OGph, XF 90, SMQ value $2,750.00)

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Oct 2010, Sale 997, Lot 5816

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

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Oct 2010, Sale 997, Lot 5820

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

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Oct 2010, Sale 997, Lot 5821

$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 293). Unused (regummed), creased and reperfed at left, slightly oxidized, otherwise Fine

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Oct 2010, Sale 997, Lot 5822

$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 293). Rich color and attractive margins, double oval cancel, Fine

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Oct 2010, Sale 997, Lot 5823

() U.S.; General Issues, 1898, $2 Trans-Mississippi, #293. Regummed over thins, reperfed at right, centered, Fine to Very Fine appearing, PSE (2010) cert. Scott $900. Estimate $200.

Harmer-Schau Auction Galleries, Oct 2010, Sale 87, Lot 255

() U.S.; General Issues, 1898, $2 Trans-Mississippi, #293. Regummed, Fine to Very Fine centering. Scott $900. Estimate price $300.

Harmer-Schau Auction Galleries, Oct 2010, Sale 87, Lot 254

1898, $2 Trans-Miss. (293), well centered and remarkably fresh with full, lightly hinged original gum, Very Fine to Extremely Fine and choice. Scott $1,900 Expertization: 2010 PF Certificate.

Matthew Bennett International, Sep 2010, Sale 331, Lot 670

1898, $2 Trans-Miss. (293), centered with mathematical precision, rich color and full original gum that has just the barest trace of hinging; a fresh, Extremely Fine gem. SMQ $2,750. Scott $1,900 Expertization: 1984 & 2007 PF and 2007 PSE Certificates, the last graded XF 90.

Matthew Bennett International, Sep 2010, Sale 331, Lot 669

1898, $2 dark orange brown (293), exceptionally fresh with rich, vibrant color and full original gum, Fine and attractive. Scott value $1,900 Expertization: 1985 PF Certificate as the normal orange brown shade.

Matthew Bennett International, Sep 2010, Sale 331, Lot 671