Columbian Expo Ticket

So I picked up a Columbian Expo ticket that appears to be missing the blue overprint layer, namely the large seal, the serial number, and the revision letter (though I can't tell if it would have had one or not). Is this a missing print (overprint layer) error, or a remainder of some kind that simply wasn't overprinted yet? I'm no expert on these, but I've seen a lot of these tickets and have never seen one missing the overprint.



For reference, here's an example with the blue overprint seal, serial number, and letter "A" (signifying the second print run).

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

You may have something there, or maybe not. Though I collect the coins, I don't collect, or know anything about, the paper.

You might try googling the question : " Do all original World's Columbian Exposition Admittance Tickets have an overprint seal and serial number? "

 

Following! This is one of my favorite periods for world/numismatic history

 

Interesting. I googled it and saw 2 that looked like yours. Not much info but I guess they made a few like that with the GW portrait.

Here is one


and another in a set

 

Love the tickets @Jaelus, thanks for sharing.

I have this large, engraved poster of The World’s Columbian Commission that measures 24” by 18”. I’ve included a closeup of the people rowing the boat.

 

No clue about the ticket, but it sure is neat! Now, you're lucky if you get a crappy wrist band to get into events. I much prefer the artistry of this myself.

 

You did better than I did. I only found a listing for the one I bought. It makes sense for this error for there to be others. I think it would produce an entire sheet that was missing the overprint.

 

Maybe a printer's proof that got loose? With there being others like it, and all cut to the size, maybe they came of short of the overprint tickets and were forced to use these? Just my random thoughts.

 

Thanks for the post Steve. The closeup clearly shows that the artist was trying to show ethnic diversity.

 

Indeed, Mountain Man.

 

The imagery is Columbus bringing the world to the Americas.

 

There is a book on the subject of these tickets though I don't know if it references the overprints:

1893 Columbian Exposition Admission and Concession Tickets by James P. Doolin

 

Two thumbs up

 

Great. I just bought a copy of this book. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

Please let us know what you find out. I'm sure we're all curious. Thanx!

 

I hate to burst the bubble here, but at the bottom of page 3 in the Doolin booklet it states "The above tickets have been seen with missing serial numbers. This is not an error but appears to be due to exposure to sunlight which has caused the ink to fade."

On the Washington tickets the serial number was printed in blue -- the same ink as the background tint and the A. So my humble assessment would be that all of the blue ink has faded.

 

Thanks for the info. Everything helps.

 

Yes I see that note. I would think there would be some traces that there was ever ink on this piece though. Faded is faded, but under 15x magnification I see no trace of ink anywhere on the obverse, nor evidence of the note having been in the sun for an extended period of time. Also the back is the same blue ink yet it is fully vibrant. I have seen ones with faded ink and you can still see something. It's not like this.

 

Book Report????? Informative? Interesting?

 

The book also says that specimens were produced without the overprint. It says they were labeled as such, however, I suppose it could be a proof or an error.