Prices of US Stamp Scott Catalog #292: 1898 US$1.00 Trans Mississippi Exposition: Western Cattle in Storm. Page 33

$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 292). Original gum, fresh and Fine

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2008, Sale 962, Lot 2591

$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 292). Incredibly wide margins, essentially Jumbo dimensions, superbly centered, intense shade on bright paper, lightly cancelled by duplex datestamp and oval grid EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A FANTASTIC COMBINATION OF THE ELEMENTS OF QUALITY — WIDE MARGINS, SUPERIOR CENTERING AND LIGHT CANCELLATION — WHICH RARELY COME TOGETHER IN USED EXAMPLES OF THIS BEAUTIFUL COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE. With 2007 P.F. certificate (XF-Superb 95, SMQ value $4,450.00)

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2008, Sale 962, Lot 2594

$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 292). Intense shade and impression, gorgeous centering with wide and balanced margins, neat strikes of Boston oval cancels EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB USED EXAMPLE OF THE $1.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE, WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. — ONLY ONE USED EXAMPLE HAS GRADED HIGHER TO DATE. With 1990 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95, SMQ price $4,450.00). Only one used copy has graded higher (at 98), and only four others share this desirable grade. As an indication of how rare this stamp is in higher grades, the highest grade awarded to date to a Mint N.H. copy is 95, and only one used and two original-gum copies have graded higher than 95.

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2008, Sale 962, Lot 2593

$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 292). Original gum, owner’s handstamp on back, Fine

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2008, Sale 962, Lot 2590

$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 292). Original gum, h.r., detailed impression, Very Fine

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2008, Sale 962, Lot 2589

$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 292). Original gum, h.r., intense shade and impression, choice centering, tiny natural gum wrinkle, Very Fine

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2008, Sale 962, Lot 2588

$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 292). Original gum, lightly hinged, intense shade on bright paper, beautiful centering with wide and balanced margins EXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $1.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE, WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED XF-XUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. With 2008 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95, SMQ price $4,150.00). Only two hinged examples have graded higher to date (none in Mint N.H. condition have graded higher).

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2008, Sale 962, Lot 2585

$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 292). Original gum, lightly hinged, sharp proof-like impression which shows every nuance of this remarkable engraving, mathematically perfect centering with wide margins EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A MAGNIFICENT ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $1.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE, WHICH HAS BEEN AWARDED THE PERFECT GRADE OF GEM 100 BY P.S.E. THIS IS THE ONLY EXAMPLE OF THE $1.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI TO ACHIEVE THIS GRADE, AND, IN FACT, IT IS PRESENTLY THE ONLY DOLLAR-VALUE COMMEMORATIVE STAMP WITH A P.S.E. GEM 100 GRADE FOR ANY ISSUE. The focus on stamps with a Gem 100 grade is growing more intense as collectors strive for the highest possible ranking in the P.S.E. Set Registry. We are now about four years into the start of the bull market for graded stamps, which some track to the Siegel firm’s 2005 record-breaking sale of an XF-Superb 95 Inverted “Jenny.” During this period, the P.S.E. Population Report has grown significantly. P.S.E. currently has a total of 6,348 Columbian and Trans-Mississippi stamps in the Population Report. Of these, 1,169 dollar-denominated Columbian and Trans-Mississippi stamps have been graded in any category of unused condition. Remarkably, only one stamp has achieved a Gem 100 grade, and that stamp is the $1.00 Trans-Mississippi offered here. Only twelve other dollar-value stamps with original gum have achieved 98 (all of them hinged, and none with the Jumbo appellation). It is difficult to argue with these statistics. The rarity of perfectly-centered 98-point-plus dollar-value commemoratives is obvious: the one Gem 100 stamp represents 0.086% of the P.S.E. graded population of all unused dollar-value commemoratives. With 2008 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100, unpriced in SMQ above the grade of 98, SMQ $8,700.00 as 98). This is the only $1.00 Trans-Mississippi to grade Gem 100 (followed by one 98). The highest Mint N.H. grade is 95. The SMQ value for a 98 seems conservative, and the premium for Gem 100 should be a multiple of the 98 value.

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2008, Sale 962, Lot 2584

$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 292). Original gum, lightly hinged, wide margins and attractively centered, Very Fine and choice, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (VF-XF 85, SMQ $1,600.00)

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2008, Sale 962, Lot 2587

$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (Scott 292). Original gum, lightly hinged, handsome margins and attractive centering, fresh, Very Fine and choice, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (VF-XF 85, SMQ $1,600.00)

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2008, Sale 962, Lot 2586

UNITED STATES 1898 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE 1898 $1 black, well centered, small h.r., creases, few short perfs., otherwise v.f.

Cherrystone Auctions, Sep 2008, Sale 200809, Lot 19

o 1898, $1 Trans-Miss. (292), choice centering. Unobtrusive double oval cancel. Extremely Fine and fresh. An outstanding used example of this popular stamp. Scott $650

Matthew Bennett International, Jun 2008, Sale 328, Lot 818

() U.S.; General Issues, 1898, $1 Trans-Mississippi, #292. Regummed, Fine to Very Fine. Scott $650. Estimate value $250-300.

Harmer-Schau Auction Galleries, Jun 2008, Sale 78, Lot 1484

U.S.; General Issues, 1898, $1 Trans-Mississippi, #292. Dist. o.g., small thin, perfs at top fine, Very Fine appearance. Scott $1,250. Estimate price $250-300.

Harmer-Schau Auction Galleries, Jun 2008, Sale 78, Lot 1485

() U.S.; General Issues, 1898, $1 Trans-Mississippi, #292. Regummed, Fine to Very Fine. Scott $650. Estimate price $150-200.

Harmer-Schau Auction Galleries, Jun 2008, Sale 78, Lot 1486