U. S. Scott #E3 - Used - Damaged

Item Specifics

Country

United States

Catalog Number

E3

Stamp Type

Special Delivery

Condition

Used

Centering

F/VF

Stamp Format

Single

Certificate Grade

65 & Below

Year of Issue

1893

Item Description

Stamp Evaluation – Scott #E3 (Used, Hinged, No Original Gum – Single Stamp)
10¢ Orange Messenger Running, 1893
(U.S. Special Delivery Issue – “At Any Post Office” Orange Variant)

?️ Design Overview
Scott #E3, issued in 1893, retained the iconic imagery of a messenger in motion and revised text promising delivery "at any post office", this time in a bold orange hue. The stamp merges dynamic imagery with functional postal intent during a period of expanding mail infrastructure.

? Grading Breakdown
Centering Grade: Fine/Very Fine (76)
Top Margin: Compromised by a missing upper-left corner, but remaining margins show sufficient white space
Bottom Margin: Clear and even
Left Margin: Balanced but affected by the missing top-left corner
Right Margin: Full and even
Frameline Clearance: Design remains well within the borders despite physical damage
✅ This would have qualified as Fine/Very Fine centering (76) under PSE guidelines if undamaged

? Soundness Evaluation
Identified Faults:
Fault Description Classification
Missing top-left corner Damaged
Heavy black cancellation Fault
Pencil marking on back ("E3") Very Minor Fault
Hinge remnant Very Minor Fault
? Per the 2009 PSE Grading Guide, any missing portion of the stamp qualifies the stamp as Damaged, regardless of centering or other attributes.

? Soundness Grade: Damaged
? A Damaged stamp must receive a final numerical grade between 1–4
✂️ Perforations & Margins
Perforation Quality:
Perforations are ragged across the top; top-left perfs and a portion of the paper are completely gone
Other sides show mostly full perforations
Margin Imbalance: Good margins on three sides, but the missing corner interrupts overall framing

? Cancellation Classification
Cancellation Type: Heavy black cancel with circular arcs
Placement: Sweeps through the left vignette (messenger), lower margin, and heavily over the right design panel
Effect:
The messenger figure is partly obscured
The right text panel is blurred by heavy ink
The cancel significantly reduces legibility and aesthetic clarity
? Cancel Classification: Very Heavy Cancel
? Eye Appeal Deduction: –15 points

?️ Eye Appeal Evaluation
Factor Observation Adjustment
Color Orange tone still strong 0
Impression Adequate depth, but affected by cancel 0
Cancellation Impact Very heavy, obscures much of the design –15
Pencil Mark on Back Light, not visible from front 0
Hinge Remnant Present on back only 0
? Eye Appeal Adjustment: –15

? Final Numerical Grade Calculation
Component Value
Centering Grade 76
Soundness Category Damaged
Eye Appeal Adjustment N/A
Final Grade (Assigned) 3 (Damaged)

? Final Summary
Attribute Evaluation
Scott Number E3
Condition Used, Hinged, No Original Gum
Centering Fine/Very Fine (76)
Soundness Damaged – Missing upper-left corner
Perforations Irregular at top; upper-left perfs and paper segment missing
Cancellation Very heavy cancel, obscuring major design areas
Eye Appeal Substantially lowered due to cancel and corner damage
Final Grade 3 (Damaged – DMG)

? Final Verdict
This Scott #E3 stamp displays Fine/Very Fine centering, but the presence of a missing upper-left corner and a very heavy cancel result in a classification of Damaged under PSE guidelines. Despite retaining good color and portions of the design, these issues warrant a final grade of 3. This stamp may still be suitable for reference collections or as a placeholder, but it is significantly reduced in market value due to condition.

Seller Information

Seller

jamisonenterprises (630)

Registered Since

03/18/2005

Feedback

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Store

Jamison Stamps & Books

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Item Location

California, United States

Ships To

Worldwide

Returns Accepted

No

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