COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION ISSUES

Copyright John N. Lupia 2011-2026

The 400th anniversary is called a Quadricentennial or a Quatercentenary, both Latin-derived terms meaning four times a hundred years, referring to the 400th year or its celebration, as seen in the American commemorative stamps celebrating Christopher Columbus and the events surrounding his voyage and landing in North America and environs. Sixteen denominations and designs of United States postage stamps were chosen and issued from January 1, 1893 until March 24th. These included 1¢ #230, 2¢ #231, 3¢ #232, 4¢ #233, 5¢ #234, 6¢ #235, 8¢ #236, 10¢ #237, 15¢ #238, 30¢ #239, 50¢ #240, $1 #241, $2 #242 $3 #243, $4 #244, and $5 #245.

There were no 7¢ , 9¢, 20¢, or 25¢ postage stamps of the Columbian Exposition issued for redundancy and economic reasons.

On January 1, 1893, the following eight postage stamps were issued 1¢ #230, 2¢ #231, 3¢ #232, 4¢ #233, 5¢ #234, 6¢ #235, 10¢ #237, and $2 #242.

On January 6,  $5 #245 Note : one plate block of eight is known to have survived.

On January 10, 30¢ #239

On January 11, $1 #241

On January 26, 15¢ #238

On February 8, 50¢ #240

On March 18, 8¢ #236

On March 24,  $3 #243, $4 #244.

The Columbian Exposition Series found a receptive audience of tens of thousands of collectors eager to acquire all sixteen postage stamps to complete the series in their collections. Acquiring new stamps directly from the Post Office was not always a feasible option for the average stamp collector’s budget, especially 50¢ to $5 were not financially accessible. Consequently, these higher denominations were typically collectible in used condition, acquired at a fraction of their face value from other collectors and dealers. Regrettably, this factor led to the removal of these higher denominations from old canceled letters to be sold to collectors who desired to fill the space on their stamp album pages. The outcome of this craze has resulted in the loss of many rare cover gems of philately to posterity, and a significant amount of historical information has been lost due to this phenomenon.

Collecting Columbian Exposition Series covers can be a captivating and exciting niche or specialty in these five area niches : 1) higher denominations covers, 2) multiple stamps on a single cover, 3) transatlantic/pacific covers to foreign countries, 4) Columbian Exposition cachets, and 5) covers postmarked in January 1893, encompassing all thirty-one days of the month.  

Columbian Exposition Series Postage Stamps

Columbian Exposition Series Dollar Value Postage Stamps

On January 11, $1 #241. $180 per sheet.Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, Write john@numismaticmall.com  

On January 1, 1893, $2 #242. $180 per sheet.Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, Write john@numismaticmall.com  

On March 24, 1893 $3 #243. $180 per sheet.Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, Write john@numismaticmall.com  

On March 24,  1893 $4 #244. $180 per sheet.Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, Write john@numismaticmall.com  

1. Higher Denominations Covers

Michael Ludeman, is the philatelic author and researcher who has been keeping “Columbian Dollar-Value Cover Census” current.

Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Inc., William H. Gross Collection, lot 544

2. Multiple Stamps on a Single Cover

3. Transatlantic/Pacific Covers to Foreign Countries

4. Columbian Exposition Cachets

5. Covers Postmarked in January 1893, Encompassing all Thirty-one Days of the Month.  

First Day Covers (FDC)

RARE TRANSATLANTIC FDC & TRAIN MAIL IN GERMANY

HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF OR EVER SEEN A LETTER SENT FROM AMERICA TO SOMEONE ABOARD A TRAIN IN GERMANY ORCHESTRATED IN TIME TO USE FIRST DAY ISSUES AND  RECEIVE A GERMAN RAILWAY OMEGA CANCEL? 

First Day Cover mailed by E. Fromentz, 111 East 105th Street, New York postmarked January 1, 1893, duplex cancel #230, #231 horizontal pair addressed to Robert Gedies, Berlin Lehrter Bonhof, Eilgut-Expedition 

UNIQUE : First Day Cover (FDC) January 1, 1893 with two stamps (Scott #230, and two Scott #231)  in the Columbia Series issued as commemorative stamps for 400th anniversary of Columbus' voyage discovering America celebrated at the Exposition at Chicago. The 2c stamps are a strip of two contiguous stamps roughly torn from a sheet causing some separation apparent in the top six perforations. An unknown inverted "omega" postmark or private marking is visible above the word Banhof (railway). This may be the letter carriers mark aboard the train with omega signifying the Berlin terminal. The Lehrter Banhof was the Berlin terminal. Eilgut-Expedition was the express train on which Robert Gedies was on board.

Mail steamships made the transatlantic journey from New York to the Port of Bremen, Germany in 15 days. From Bremen it took two days to be delivered. A common Berlin, German postmark reads Besteldt von Beamte (delivered by postman) with the hour of the delivery on January 18, 1893 between 7:15 a.m. and 8:15 a.m., that is, before noon indicated by the V = Vormittag.

Estimate $60,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Very famous stamp and coin dealer, Ernest Franz Gambs, San Francisco, California docketed January 1, 1893, 15¢ #238 + 1¢ #230, sent to APS Member #3724, W. R. Harrison,  Post Office Department, Pontiac, Michigan. Annotations on back of Harrison purchasing Jamaican stamp and prices as marked in U.S. Stamp Prices Book. Harrison was probably a postal clerk in Pontiac, Michigan.  Estimate $35,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Sent from the office of The California Illustrated Magazine, San Francisco, California to the Postmaster, Sentinel, Maricopa County, Arizona. Annotated by the Postmaster at Sentinel, Arizone "1st 1¢ rec'd Jan'y 8th 1893" The sender did not know Maricopa County misspelling it as Mariposa County which is a county in California, not Arizona. Third class mail could take up to 9 days to be delivered. Considering the mail route from San Francisco to Sentinel 7-8 days appears tenable making this mailed either January 1st or January 2nd. Estimate $5,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Third class commercial bulk mailing to celebrated museum founder, Henry Luther Sheldon (1821-1907), Middlebury, Vermont. Sheldon annotated the front cover "The first 1 cent I received Jan'y 9, 1893." Considering the fact that Sheldon constantly received mail from coin, stamp, curiosity, rare book, dealers odds are many Columbian series were included. Sheldon specifies the 1¢  #230 as the first received since he already had received the 2

Second Day Covers Are Also FDC'S

Although  postmarked January 2, 1893, specialists acknowledge that all Columbian covers postmarked January 1st or 2nd are considered FDC's, rather than second day cover, postmarked January 2, 1893, Frenchville, Maine on uprated postal stationery #U311 + #230, sent to J. M. Grob & Co., Leipzig-Eutritzsch, Germany. Transatlantic cover with Leipzig-Eutritzsch, Germany receiving cancel January 13, 1893. Estimate $5,000 all offers considered. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Although  postmarked January 2, 1893, specialists acknowledge that all Columbian covers postmarked January 1st or 2nd are considered FDC's, rather than second day cover, postmarked January 2, 1893, Denver, Colorado, duplex cancel,  sent to Mrs W. L. Hamilton, Kansas City, Missouri, receiving cancel on back January 3, 1893, Kansas City, Missouri.

Third Day Covers

Coatesville, Indiana January 3, 1893 to Elvira Hadley, Pecksburg, Indiana #231 duplex cancel with target/bullseye killer. Opened rough on left side, some staining, date enlarged in zoom photo to show it reads Jan 3, 1893,  bumped corners. $300. Price reduced in proportion to condition. Courtesy of the Lupia Numismatic and Philatelic Library, write john@numismaticmall.com

Fifth Day Covers

Sixth Day Covers

Seventh Day Covers

Eigth Day Covers

Ninth Day Covers

Tenth Day Covers

Eleventh Day Covers

Twelfth Day Covers

Thirteenth Day Covers

Fourteenth Day Covers

Fifteenth Day Covers

Sixteenth Day Covers

Seventeenth Day Covers

Eighteenth Day Covers

Nineteenth Day Covers

Twentieth Day Covers

Twenty First Day Covers

Twenty Second Day Covers

Twenty Third Day Covers

Twenty Fourth Day Covers

Twenty Fifth Day Covers

Twenty Sixth Day Covers

Twenty Seventh Day Covers

Twenty Eigth Day Covers

Twenty Ninth Day Covers

Thirtieth Day Covers

Thirty First Day Covers