1897 Era 2 Cent Washington ID

Hello all,

As a newer collector I am having a bit of difficulty identifying a stamp that has important sentimental value. I doubt it's anything special except for the value it has in my family, but at the same time I do want to have a proper Scott number for it.

In my research I was having difficulty in properly giving it a number. It is my guess that it's Scott 251 or 266 but here lies my question- is there any way to find out if it is watermarked or not without having to remove the stamp from the envelope?

For those interested in the backstory, my great-great-great grandfather served in the New York Volunteers (U.S. Civil War) and was invited to a reunion ball in 1897. The envelope and the letter (dated 1897) have been preserved and passed down generation to generation and has ended up in my possession as it's current "guardian" and as such I have zero intention of removing the stamp from the envelope.

I also have his Marriage Certificate with what looks like a revenue stamp on it and I am sure I will be posting that here for some assistance in identifying it.

I appreciate everyone else here putting up with my ID requests and seemingly endless questions!

Best,

-wheatcent

The corner triangle is your clue. It is either a Type III or IV.
Is this stamp on cover? if so what is the date of the post mark? These are all clues.
It could possibly be a SC 267 Type IV if postmarked after 1895
Could be a SC279B if postmarked after 1899


edit - sorry just read the rest of your post. The invite included was in 1897 therefore this is likely a SC 266 or 267. My guess would be 267, and depending on the actual colour of the stamp (carmine, pink, vermilion, rose carmine) that would determine whether 267, 267a, b or c. Difficult to determine colour from your scan.

Jamesw, thanks for your help. Attached here is a picture of the postmark. It was definitely New York, he ran a small business there (which is where it was addressed to). It looks like October 2nd (or 3rd or 8th) at 7PM, but I'm not sure what the "G" at the bottom of the cancellation means.

How would I discern which of those four colors it is?

Again, many thanks for your help.

Your stamp has Type C triangles (formerly Type III).

It is almost certainly Scott 267. (All 267 listings are Type III. There is no "267, Type IV", which is actually Scott 279B which switched from Type III to Type IV classification in about 1999. Sorry of this is confusing.)

I agree, do not remove it from the cover. Sometimes one has to be satisfied with knowing a stamp is one of two (or more) possible varieties and leave it at that. The value (and sentimental value) is in the postal history of the complete cover and its contents and not in the stamp itself. Curiosity for absolute identification of a stamp has ruined much valuable postal history.

As a 267, your stamp is carmine. The other listed shades are not known until after yours is used.

The "G" is from Station G.

John,

Thanks so much for your help. Is there anywhere I can go to find out more information about Station G and the history of the postal service in New York City around this era?

Thank for the clarification , John. I have an obviously outdated Scotts catalogue (2012).

Station G listed at:
1661 Broadway in Jan 1887 Postal Guide
1648 Broadway, cor 51st St. in 1907 Postal Guide
I do not know when the Station moved.

Marshall Cushing's "The Story of Our Post Office" published in 1893 has narrative about large post office operations of that era including some on the NYC office.

John, that's fantastic.

Thanks again.