Stamporama Discussions: Why R223 is so Rare

United States/BOB & Other : Why R223 is so Rare

Author

Postings

1898

21 Nov 2022
09:57:53pm

Did you ever wonder why R223 is so rare?

R223 is the inscribed 1914 revenue series of 1914, $50.00 value.

The report of Bureau of Engraving & Printing shows a printing of 600,000. No other printing report for this R223.

When this stamp was current, the Internal Revenue Office at Chicago had a large quantity were stolen (no report how many stolen).

This R223 were recalled (that was on hand and not used yet nation wide), and destroyed. (Unkown how many destroyed).

1914 Series Revenues were first issued November 1914.

So I wonder, how many were actually used properly (not the stolen ones), suppose we will never know for sure.

If you decide to get one, make sure it is a cut cancel, and is dated Nov or Dec 1914, or early Jan 1915. That's the only way I know for sure it was a legal usage.

I would be interested in see what members have for the R223 (with clear readable Month and Year cancels)?

Does any member have a used example without a cut cancel? Let's see it?

Image Not Found

4 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.

michael78651

22 Nov 2022
02:29:58pm

re: Why R223 is so Rare

Interesting history.

Harvey

This is my diabetic cat OBI! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
22 Nov 2022
05:14:04pm

re: Why R223 is so Rare

There are ten of them here at this Siegel Auction and most are used and none of them appear to be cut cancel. Are these all illegally used or fake? Just curious!
https://siegelauctions.com/lot_grd.php?m ...
The ones with readable dates seem to fall in the right time period.

"As anyone who has ever been around a cat for any length of time well knows cats have enormous patience with the limitations of the humankind."

1898

22 Nov 2022
09:48:12pm

re: Why R223 is so Rare

Harvey, thank you!

I viewed the site you wrote.

I agree none of them appear to have the cut(3) cancels.

I don't know if any of these are the stolen ones or not.

10 of them is the most I've ever seen, really liked this site, again, thank you.

Harvey

This is my diabetic cat OBI! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
22 Nov 2022
09:50:51pm

re: Why R223 is so Rare

I just realized what the numbers on the right meant. They were the estimated prices and the prices that they got. They brought a fair bit of money!! and several of them were certified as well and that costs about $50 to have done, I think.
Thanks for showing all this stuff and the stories that go with them, it's appreciated.

"As anyone who has ever been around a cat for any length of time well knows cats have enormous patience with the limitations of the humankind."

Airline

22 Nov 2022
10:05:53pm

re: Why R223 is so Rare

Two of the stamps on the Seigel Auction site are the same with the exact same description.
Sale 1015 from 2011 sold for $800
Sale 1149 from 2017 sold for $500 - ouch!

2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.

Harvey

This is my diabetic cat OBI! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
23 Nov 2022
08:01:57am

re: Why R223 is so Rare

I didn't even notice that, very odd! I guess the lower bid would win and the higher bid wouldn't get the item! Unless there was a reserve for the lower one that wasn't met and they had to re-offer the item. Most of the antique auctions here, pre-Covid, didn't have reserves. But a lot of them now have gone on-line and they have a starting bid you have to meet, so essentially a reserve!

"As anyone who has ever been around a cat for any length of time well knows cats have enormous patience with the limitations of the humankind."

musicman

APS #213005
23 Nov 2022
07:54:08pm

re: Why R223 is so Rare

I don't have R223......yet!

1898

23 Nov 2022
10:54:24pm

re: Why R223 is so Rare

That's too bad!

Maybe you will get one for X-Mass.

musicman

APS #213005
24 Nov 2022
08:33:14am

re: Why R223 is so Rare

Now, that's an idea!!

1898

24 Nov 2022
08:53:10am

re: Why R223 is so Rare

Good luck, hope you get it.

Author/Postings

1898
21 Nov 2022
09:57:53pm

4 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.

michael78651
22 Nov 2022
02:29:58pm

re: Why R223 is so Rare

Interesting history.

Harvey

This is my diabetic cat OBI! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
22 Nov 2022
05:14:04pm

re: Why R223 is so Rare

"As anyone who has ever been around a cat for any length of time well knows cats have enormous patience with the limitations of the humankind."

1898
22 Nov 2022
09:48:12pm

re: Why R223 is so Rare

Harvey

This is my diabetic cat OBI! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
22 Nov 2022
09:50:51pm

re: Why R223 is so Rare

"As anyone who has ever been around a cat for any length of time well knows cats have enormous patience with the limitations of the humankind."

Airline

22 Nov 2022
10:05:53pm

re: Why R223 is so Rare

Two of the stamps on the Seigel Auction site are the same with the exact same description.
Sale 1015 from 2011 sold for $800
Sale 1149 from 2017 sold for $500 - ouch!

2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.

Harvey

This is my diabetic cat OBI! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
23 Nov 2022
08:01:57am

re: Why R223 is so Rare

"As anyone who has ever been around a cat for any length of time well knows cats have enormous patience with the limitations of the humankind."

musicman

APS #213005
23 Nov 2022
07:54:08pm

re: Why R223 is so Rare

I don't have R223......yet!

1898
23 Nov 2022
10:54:24pm

re: Why R223 is so Rare

That's too bad!

Maybe you will get one for X-Mass.

musicman

APS #213005
24 Nov 2022
08:33:14am

re: Why R223 is so Rare

Now, that's an idea!!

1898
24 Nov 2022
08:53:10am

re: Why R223 is so Rare

Good luck, hope you get it.