Legends Background:
In 1994, the U.S. Postal Service was set to issue a sheet of 20 wild west legends for a new series called Classic Collections. With the help of renowned designer Mark Hess, illustrator for such giants as IBM and Newsweek magazine, the USPS created a beautiful set of 20 wild west legend stamps, featuring a man who would soon cause much controversy among stamp collectors, Mr. Bill Pickett.
In 1994, the U.S. Postal Service was set to issue a sheet of 20 wild west legends for a new series called Classic Collections. With the help of renowned designer Mark Hess, illustrator for such giants as IBM and Newsweek magazine, the USPS created a beautiful set of 20 wild west legend stamps, featuring a man who would soon cause much controversy among stamp collectors, Mr. Bill Pickett.
Bill Pickett Biography:
Bill Pickett was born on December 5, 1870 in a Williamson County Texas. At a young age, he was hired as a ranch hand and quickly mastered the skills of roping and riding. In 1900, he joined Lee Moore's Rodeo Show where he invented the popular rodeo sport "bulldogging" or "steer wrestling." In 1907 he joined the 101 Ranch and Wild West Show where he became the first African American cowboy movie star. He died the way he lived in life - as a cowboy - the result of a stallion kick to the head on April 2, 1932. In 1971 he was honored as the first African American cowboy in the National Cowboy and Rodeo Hall of Fame.
Bill Pickett was born on December 5, 1870 in a Williamson County Texas. At a young age, he was hired as a ranch hand and quickly mastered the skills of roping and riding. In 1900, he joined Lee Moore's Rodeo Show where he invented the popular rodeo sport "bulldogging" or "steer wrestling." In 1907 he joined the 101 Ranch and Wild West Show where he became the first African American cowboy movie star. He died the way he lived in life - as a cowboy - the result of a stallion kick to the head on April 2, 1932. In 1971 he was honored as the first African American cowboy in the National Cowboy and Rodeo Hall of Fame.
Bill Pickett...I presume?:
Weeks before the release of the Legends of the West sheet, a relative of Bill Pickett's came forward and announced the image of Bill Pickett was not Bill at all, but his brother Ben. The USPS, after much effort to verify this shocking bit of information, decided to recall the entire series which already been printed and shipped to post office locations around the country. A new sheet would be issued with a new portrait of Bill from an uncontested photograph.
Weeks before the release of the Legends of the West sheet, a relative of Bill Pickett's came forward and announced the image of Bill Pickett was not Bill at all, but his brother Ben. The USPS, after much effort to verify this shocking bit of information, decided to recall the entire series which already been printed and shipped to post office locations around the country. A new sheet would be issued with a new portrait of Bill from an uncontested photograph.
The Leak:
Somehow before the error sheets could be recalled, a few hundred leaked to the public and found their way into the hands of collectors. If the post office allowed those few sheets to be left on the market and destroy the rest, their value would reach upwards into the tens of thousands. Collector's would be knocking down their door claiming unfairness on the postal service and wanting a Legend error sheet of their own.
Somehow before the error sheets could be recalled, a few hundred leaked to the public and found their way into the hands of collectors. If the post office allowed those few sheets to be left on the market and destroy the rest, their value would reach upwards into the tens of thousands. Collector's would be knocking down their door claiming unfairness on the postal service and wanting a Legend error sheet of their own.
The Solution:
Since this was the first time in over 100 years that an image was suspect on a postage stamp, and the postal service didn't want to be unfair to it's collectors, they decided to release 150,000 copies of the error in the form of a lottery. Collector's could mail a check for $5.80, the face value of the sheet of stamps, to the USPS. If your check was randomly chosen, you received a Legends of the West error sheet. If you were not, your check would be returned.
Since this was the first time in over 100 years that an image was suspect on a postage stamp, and the postal service didn't want to be unfair to it's collectors, they decided to release 150,000 copies of the error in the form of a lottery. Collector's could mail a check for $5.80, the face value of the sheet of stamps, to the USPS. If your check was randomly chosen, you received a Legends of the West error sheet. If you were not, your check would be returned.
Today's Value:
Today, the $5.80 error sheets sell for between $150 and $200. While their value isn't as high as some other famous errors, such as the 1918 Inverted Jenny, the history behind the sheet makes it priceless to any collector.
Today, the $5.80 error sheets sell for between $150 and $200. While their value isn't as high as some other famous errors, such as the 1918 Inverted Jenny, the history behind the sheet makes it priceless to any collector.
The Infamous Photograph?:
So why did the artist paint a picture of Ben and not Bill? It is all due to a photograph of Ben Pickett that had been wrongfully identified for years as Bill. Over a time period of sixty years, the famous photograph had been printed in publications, such as National Geographic and Harper & Row, and even used by the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, all identifying the man as Bill Pickett.
So why did the artist paint a picture of Ben and not Bill? It is all due to a photograph of Ben Pickett that had been wrongfully identified for years as Bill. Over a time period of sixty years, the famous photograph had been printed in publications, such as National Geographic and Harper & Row, and even used by the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, all identifying the man as Bill Pickett.