Scott #279B — 2¢ Washington, Type IV, carmine/red

Updated August 7, 2026

Scott #279B — 2¢ Washington, Type IV, carmine/red (sometimes described as pinkish early on).Issued starting early November 1897 (Bureau of Engraving and Printing).Double-line USPS watermark, perforated 12, flat-plate printing.This is the common “Bureau” 2¢ of the late 1890s that replaced the earlier Triangles issues.Swedish Tiger confirmation (theswedishtiger.com/279B-scotts.html):Exactly lists it as #279B 1897 2¢ Red Type IV. Color noted as red (pink before May 1898). Cover DetailsOrigin: Frankfort, Michigan (partial circular date stamp visible: “FRANKFORT / … / 1900 / MICH”).Date: 1900 (year clearly readable in the postmark).Rate: Correct 2¢ domestic first-class letter rate.Addressee: Miss Katherine B. Card, Nashotah, Wisconsin, with routing note “Via Milwaukee”.Condition: Stamp is sound and well-tied. Cover shows typical wear — light creases, small edge tears/nicks at top left and right, and overall aging/toning. No obvious contents visible in the photo.This is ordinary domestic mail of the period. Nashotah, Wisconsin (Waukesha County) was a small community; the “Via Milwaukee” endorsement is a normal routing instruction.ValueSingle used Scott 279B: catalog/retail roughly 25¢–$1 depending on centering and cancel.On cover: Common 1897–1903 2¢ Washington covers in average condition typically sell in the $5–15 range at auction or retail.

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