Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-16
EXPOSITION STAMPS
OVER 1877, 200, 900 OF THEM rs
SUED TO DATE
Have Been on Sale Since April 80
Course Adopted in Selecting
the Designa

There have been issued to date 1877 ,275, 10C
| of the stamps commemorative Of the Lou
| isiana purchase exposition at st. Louis.
These are proportioned as follows: One
cent. 53,S79, 200; two-cent 122, s12. 100; three
cent, 1885, 600; five-cent, ,716,S0O; ten-cent,
2,977,s
During the time Of their sale. since April
80. these stamps have commanded great
| attention from both the public and collect
ors Of stamps in this and other countries,
and the total sales at the close Of the ex-
position are expected to exceed the sales
Of the commemorative series issued for
either the Columbian exposition or the
pan-American. The initial demand was SO
great that the department had much diff
Guilty in filing the orders, but the bureau
Of engraving and printing has now caught
up with the demand, and all acquisitions
are being filled as fast as they come in.
The history Of the selection of the de-
signs for this series is interesting. The
date Of the decision to issue new series
Of postage stamps for the Louisiana pur-
chase exposition is not on record at the de-
partment, but the date on which the bu-
reau Of engraving and printing was re-
quested to prepare designs was October 28
1903. So many suggestions Of subjects and
designs for this series were received by
the Post Office Department that a list OF
them would not be practicable. but there
were hundreds from all parts OF the coun-
try. and from persons Of all conditions In
preparing new series of postage stamps
the Post Office Department advises the bu-
reau Of engraving and printing of the de-
nominations. subjects and wording select
ed, and the border designs are left to the
artists of the bureau. Models are then sub
mitted to the department for suggestions
or changes. and many alterations are usu-
ally made before a model receives final APP
prevail and the order is given to go ahead
on the work
This course having been followed in the
case of the stamps for the conmemoration
OF the Louisiana purchase exposition, the
designs for the 2, and 5-cent denomlna-
lions were finally amended and approved
January g. 1904; for the 10-cent, February
10, and for the 1-cent, March IA. The suS-
gestions for the subjects finally chosen TOT
the series We're all made in the department;
On February 3 the department received
from John II. Livingston of Tivoli- -Hud-
son. n. Y, a photograph of painting by
Gilbert Stuart of his grandfather, Ropert
H. Livingston. Another portrait OF LiV-
ingston Lad been selected for the 1-cent
stamp and the engraving had progressed TO
considerable extent, but the portrait sent
by Mr.. Livingston was so much better than
the one originally selected that it was SUBJ
stituted.
The denominations and subjects of these
stamps follows:
One-cent green: subject, Robert r. L1v-
ingston United States minister to France,
who conducted the negotiations LOT 'ho
Louisiana purchase.
Two-cent red; Thomas Jefferson Pres
ident of the United States at the time OF
the purchase
Three-cent purple: James Monroe. special
ambass dor to France in the matter OF the
purchase who with Livingston closed the
negotiations.
FiyeLcent blue; William Mckinley, who
as President of the United States approved
the acts of Congress officially connecting
the United States government with the
commemorate tive exposition.
Ten-cent brown; United States map
showing the territory of the purchase.
This series of stamps will not be issued
in book form. -
STAMPED envelopes, newspaper wrappers
nostai cards. special delivery or due stamps