United States, Scott #5698a, used(o), 2022, First Stamp in the Ten Stamp Set Honoring the Mississippi River, the river is the primary artery of the largest drainage basin in the United States; from its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it flows generally south for 2,340 miles to the Mississippi River Delta in the Gulf of Mexico; with its many tributaries, the river's watershed drains all or parts of thirty-two U.S states and two Canadian provinces between the Rocky mountains and the Appalachian mountains; the river is one of the largest rivers in the world and has been an integral part of not only United States history, but its culture and economy as well; from its original role as the western boundary to the English-American colonies, to its purchase in 1803 doubling the size of the United States, to its gateway to western expansion, to its economic importance as a transportation route, to its presence in literature and song, the Mississippi has held a special place in the American consciousness; stamp shows a photograph of the literal origins of the river where water empties over the rocks at lake edge from Lake Itasca to begin the trickle of water that becomes the Mississippi River, forever stamp at a counter rate of (58¢ ), offset lithography printed by Ashdon Potter United States (APU), serpentine die cut simulated perforations: 10½, issued non-water soluble self adhesive panes, multicolored, Scott 2025 Catalog Value:50¢, nicely centered (superb), black-inked, horizontal, wavy line cancel over the top half of the stamp and into the main image, good perforations, stamp was lifted from the mailing envelope using the Bestine solvent and placed on a piece of black card stock for an attractive and uniform album appearance, centering and mounting warrants a selling price premium. This is not a 'bait-and-switch;' the stamp you see will be the one you receive.
Please review my terms of sale. If you are not ordering from the United States, there is a $US1.55 additional postage expense that needs to be added to the price of the stamp. If you are ordering from the United States, there is only a $US0.68 added postage expense. Also, if you make additional purchases from my offerings, they can all go in one mailing at no extra shipping expense for the added purchases. I will send the purchase by US first class mail, since the relatively low value of the stamp does not warrant signature or tracking mail. Hence the buyer assumes risk of loss or non-delivery. I will keep a scan of my mailing to verify that the correct mailing address was used. If not satisfied, return the stamp to me at your own expense, and I will refund the cost, but not my postage to you. If the stamp is not as described, I will refund the cost and reimburse you for postage both ways.
By way of reference, I am an American Philatelic Society member (195176) and an American Stamp Dealers Association (ASDA) member. Thank you for looking, and I hope this is the perfect stamp to fill that gap in your collection.
