Fort Duquesne Stamp Appraisal

1958 Fort Duquesne Bicentennial 4-Cent U.S. Postage Stamp

This is a rectangular, commemorative United States postage stamp issued in 1958 to mark the bicentennial of the capture of Fort Duquesne. The stamp features a monochromatic blue engraving on white paper stock. The central imagery depicts a detailed historical scene of General John Forbes' expedition arriving at the site of the fort, showing soldiers, travelers, and horses. Text elements include "FORT DUQUESNE" at the top, dates "1758" on the left and "1958" on the right, and "U.S. POSTAGE 4c" along the bottom. The stamp's physical condition is 'used,' as evidenced by a wavy-line black ink cancellation mark running horizontally across the center. The perforations appear standard (gauge 11), showing some slight irregularities consistent with separation from a sheet. There are no significant signs of tearing or thinning visible in the scan, though some light aging or yellowing of the paper is standard for its nearly 70-year age. This particular issue, Scott #1123, was printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing using a rotary press. It represents a classic example of mid-20th-century philatelic design, characterized by fine line work and historical narrative illustration.