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Curiosa

United States 1898 Trans-Mississippi Exposition Issue (Scott #285-293)

Vintage 1898 US Trans-Mississippi Exposition postage stamps in a collector's album page. - view 1
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Estimated value

$5 - $45

Rarity

Average(4/10)

Category

Stamps

Brand

Bureau of Engraving and Printing

Era

1898

Origin

United States

Authenticity

High(80%)
38

UNITED STATES 1898 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI EXPOSITION ISSUE (SCOTT #285-293): IDENTIFICATION

This assembly features the 1898 Trans-Mississippi Exposition Issue, specifically identifying the 2-cent 'Farming in the West' (Scott #285) and the 1-cent 'Marquette on the Mississippi' (Scott #286). These stamps were produced by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing using the line-engraved method on wove paper, characterized by a perforation gauge of 12. The 2-cent stamp exhibits a heavy cork or duplex killer cancellation, while the 1-cent blue shows a prominent circular date stamp (CDS) or fancy cancel obscuring a portion of the vignette.

CROSS-CULTURAL PARALLELS

Where This Object Echoes

American FrontierismLate 19th Century

The imagery reflects the 'Manifest Destiny' ideology and the industrialization of agriculture in the American West.

Ritual & Ceremonial Use

  • •Exposition culture, where stamps served as both functional postage and promotional souvenirs for grand international fairs.

Meaning Through Time

1898

A symbol of national pride and technological expansion following the end of the frontier era.

POSTAL HERITAGE

Issued on June 17, 1898, to commemorate the Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition held in Omaha, Nebraska, this series was originally intended to be bi-colored. Due to the outbreak of the Spanish-American War and the resulting strain on the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the stamps ...
Issued on June 17, 1898, to commemorate the Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition held in Omaha, Nebraska, this series was originally intended to be bi-colored. Due to the outbreak of the Spanish-American War and the resulting strain on the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the stamps were instead issued in single colors. The 2-cent 'Farming in the West' design was based on a photograph of a wheat field in Amenia, North Dakota, though it was famously criticized at the time for depicting a plow team that was considered too small for the scale of the field.

SCARCITY

Average55-70%
CommonLegendary

Typical antique shop fare. Requires some searching but regularly available. This is where most genuine antiques fall.

Typical Characteristics

  • Standard antique shop items
  • Regularly available
  • Moderate collector interest

Confidence Factors

    How does authenticity detection work?

    PHILATELIST'S VERDICT

    Philatelist

    Stamp Specialist

    The issue is well-documented and the handwritten labels confirm the user's awareness of the specific series. Image quality allows for identification of the Scott numbers, though specific paper varieties or watermark details remain unverified.

    KEY EVIDENCE

    • 1Presence of hand-written 'Trans-Mississippi Exposition issue 1898' label aligns with the items.

    CONDITION & GRADE

    Fine (Used)

    Grading breakdown

    Centering for the 1-cent is approximately 20/80 top-to-bottom. The 2-cent displays blunt perforations and heavy cancellation, which typical for used commercial mail of the era, reduces the technical grade to Fine.

    Condition

    The 2-cent copper-red stamp shows significant 'short perfs' on the left margin and evidence of foxing/toning on the upper right corner. The 1-cent blue stamp has uneven centering, with the design shifted heavily toward the top margin. The user notes 'restored' status, which in philately usually implies the removal of stains, re-gumming, or the addition of paper to fill thins, though these are not fully verifiable from low-resolution images.

    PHILATELIC VALUATION

    $5 - $45

    Updated: Aug 27, 2026

    • Market comparables from auctions & retail
    • Condition, completeness & craftsmanship
    • Current collector demand & trends
    • Low = quick sale, high = patient seller

    For informational purposes only, not a formal appraisal.

    YOUR INPUT VS. SCAN

    How your provided context compares with Curiosa.com scanner findings.

    What Aligned

    • User stated 'USA' origin - visual evidence confirms US Postage denominations and Trans-Mississippi issue text.
    • User stated '1898' era - aligns exactly with the Trans-Mississippi Exposition issue date.

    What Conflicted

    • User stated 'restored' - while possible, visual evidence shows significant condition flaws like short perfs and heavy cancels that typically wouldn't be the focus of a professional restoration unless a rare variety was present.

    FROM THE CABINET OF

    PH

    philip

    Wonderseeker•0 items

    COMMENTS

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