W2810s

1898 Trans-Mississippi - Centenary

Western Cattle Herd in Storm Cachet

Subscriber-Only Edition

Fred Collins Signature

This cover is not part of W2801-W2809 set

Collins Cover Announcement 

Subscriber Only Edition

"Western Cattle in Storm"

1898 Trans-Mississippi

This recently re-issued stamp was one of nine originally released during the Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition in Omaha, Nebraska in 1898. According to philatelic experts, many collectors consider the one-dollar "Western Cattle in Storm" to be the most beautiful U.S. stamp design ever. The Postal Service certainly agrees with the prominence of this stamp because, when it recently re-issued the set of nine, they included this one-dollar beauty in the sheet of nine and also produced a sheet of nine consisting entirely of these $1.00 "Cattle" stamps. It is from these $9.00 sheets that the stamps on the special Collins covers were obtained.

Each year I do two very limited editions just for Collins subscribers. They are not available to other collectors, and even subscribers cannot order extras. As a result, they are among the hardest to obtain of any of my cachets, and collectors who own them possess very desirable and scarce Collins covers. This is such a FDC!

It differs dramatically from the one-dollar stamp cover in my previously announced Trans-Mississippi set. The stamp and cancel are to the upper left instead of the upper right. And, most importantly, the hand painted cachet is totally different. In my set, the cachet shows a cowboy rescuing a calf after a blizzard. For this limited edition, a herd of cattle are depicted making their way through a snowstorm. The painting on this one is very realistic, and you will love owning it.

Each year I look forward to producing my two "subscriber only" limited-edition covers. It is a tangible and meaningful way for me to say "Thank You" to you for collecting my cachets. I am happy to now announce one of my two such covers for 1998 - the beautiful one-dollar "Western Cattle in Storm." Collins Number W2810. $12.00.

Spring 2019 Mail Sale Commentary 

Lot 26 W2810 — Trans-Mississippi - Subscriber-only Limited Edition — $1.00 stamp 

Please take special note that this cover was not part of my nine-cover Trans-Mississippi set. In that set, the $1 stamp cachet has a cowboy holding a calf. This cover, done just for my subscribers, has a cachet featuring a herd of cattle in a snowstorm. The stamp and cancel are at the upper left. This was an extremely popular set, and this cover will prove to be elusive. 

Winter 2025 Mail Sale Commentary 

Lot 25 W2810 — Trans-Mississippi — "Western Cattle in Storm" Subscriber-only edition — 6-18-98

In my Summer 2024 mail sale, there was a lot of interest in the Trans-Mississippi set of nine. This is a related lot but was not included in the above set. When the Postal Service re-issued the 1898 stamps in 1998, they were so excited about the one-dollar "Western Cattle in Storm" stamp and included this one-dollar beauty in the sheet of nine and they also produced a sheet of nine consisting entirely of these $1.00 "Cattle" stamps. It is from these $9.00 sheets that the stamps on the Collins covers were obtained. Additionally, this one special cover was offered to subscribersonly, making it elusive and almost impossible to obtain.

This W2810 cover differs dramatically from the one-dollar stamp in the set of nine. The stamp and cancel are to the upper left instead of the upper right. And, most importantly, the hand painted cachet is totally different. In my set, the cachet shows a cowboy rescuing a calf after a blizzard. For this limited edition, a herd of cattle are depicted making their way through a snowstorm. The painting on this one is very realistic, and I think you will love it.