Scotts #549 US stamps

#549 - 1920 2¢ Pilgrim Issue

2¢ Carmine rose, carmine, rose

Subject: The Landing of the Pilgrims
Perforations: 11
Watermark: None
Scott #: 549
Quantity Issued: 200,000,000
Issued: December 21st, 1920

Value

Used
25¢
No postmark with gum (MH)
$1
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
$1 - $3

Plate Numbers

#549 was issued with the following plate #'s

Number only
12422-25, 32-35, 40-47, 52-54, 56

First Day Cover

First day cover, December 21st, 1920

Cancels

Post office policy was to cover the stamp with the flag part of the cancel (shown right), which was situated to the right of town cancel on the stamp canceller. Finding a town cancel is not easy, shown on the right is a less common R.M.S. cancel. R.M.S. stood for Railway Mail Service.

No Country of Origin

These were the only stamps issued in the USA without the country name. At the time there was much criticism of the design and it was not popular. It was considered that the subjects of the vignettes were too crowded into the frame, particularly the 2¢.

A Full Pane

The stamps were printed in sheets of 280 subjects, (14x20) and cut along horizontal and vertical guide lines into post office panes of 70, (7x10) as shown above.

The Design Inspiration

The original painting by Edwin White, I am unable to locate, however the engraving on both the ABNC essay and 1902 banknote are an engraving of the painting and washed in the vignette