Is This Odd Stamp R191?

My Scott album says "gray and black;" my Scott catalog says "green and black." It looks blue to me, although it looks a little greenish in my scan. The stamp itself just looks to me pale blue.

What's with the fancy filagree in the numeral? It looks like it would be more at home on a lady's nightgown than on a rather austere revenue stamp.

Thanks for your help.

Don

Yes, it is R191.

The $2 gray and black is R185. The numerals were printed on a square of varnish, and were intentionally made to come off if the stamp was soaked or cleaned. That type of scrollwork was common at the time, and it made counterfeiting it on cleaned stamps much more difficult. Since the set went to $50, and $1 was real money in those days it was a necessary step.


If you want to compare the value of a $1.00 Income or Wealth , in 1898 there are four choices. In 2015 the relative:
historic standard of living value of that income or wealth is $29.50
labor earnings of that commodity is $138.00 (using the unskilled wage) or $237.00 (using production worker compensation)
economic status value of that income or wealth is $225.00
economic power value of that income or wealth is $982.00