1993 US 29-Cent Legends of the West Recalled Error Sheet: The Stamp That Became a Controversy

In the history of US stamps, very few issues have generated the combination of public interest, legal controversy, and philatelic significance that surrounds the 1993 Legends of the West recalled error sheet. What began as a planned commemorative stamp series became one of the most talked-about postal mishaps of the 20th century, and the resulting rarities are prized by collectors worldwide.

The Background: Legends of the West

The US Postal Service planned a series of 20 commemorative stamps celebrating figures from American Western history, titled "Legends of the West." The subjects included:

• Bill Pickett

• Jim Bridger

• Annie Oakley

• Native Dancer

• Chief Joseph

• Bat Masterson

• John Fremont

• Wyatt Earp

• Nellie Cashman

• Charles Goodnight

• Geronimo

• Kit Carson

• Sally Rand

• Buffalo Bill Cody

• Jim Beckwourth

• Wild Bill Hickok

• Sacagawea

• Overland Mail

• Hank Williams (yes, the country singer was included)

• Wovoka

The stamps were designed and printed in preparation for a October 1994 release.

The Bill Pickett Problem

Here is where the famous error originated. Bill Pickett was a legendary Black cowboy who invented the rodeo technique of bulldogging (steer wrestling). He was a genuine and important figure in Western history, and including him in the Legends of the West series was historically appropriate.

The problem: the USPS used the wrong photograph. The image printed on the stamp was actually Ben Pickett, Bill's brother, not Bill Pickett himself. This was discovered before the stamps went on sale.

Faced with an imminent public embarrassment, the USPS had to make a decision. They had already printed the stamps. The planned issue date was close. What they chose to do created one of the most significant modern US philatelic events:

The USPS agreed to sell a limited number of the original (error) sheets before issuing a corrected version.

The Recall and the Sale

The USPS announced that it would: 1. Recall and destroy the original error sheets 2. Issue a corrected version with the proper image of Bill Pickett 3. But first, sell a limited quantity of the original error sheets to the public at face value

The sale of the error sheets was conducted by lottery. Collectors and members of the public could apply for the opportunity to purchase one or two sheets of the error stamps at their face value of $5.80 per sheet (20 stamps x $0.29). Demand was astronomical, with hundreds of thousands of applicants. A relative handful were selected.

The corrected version was subsequently issued, making the error version a distinct and significant philatelic rarity.

Current Market Values

Item	Approximate Value
Single error stamp, used	$20 - $50
Single error stamp, mint NH	$50 - $100
Full error sheet (20 stamps), mint	$200 - $500
Full error sheet, as-issued with envelope	$350 - $700
Corrected version single mint	$1 - $3
Corrected version full sheet	$10 - $25

The gap between error and corrected versions is substantial and has been maintained since the initial sale in 1994. The most valuable examples are complete error sheets in pristine condition, ideally with the original USPS lottery mailing materials.

Identifying the Error vs. Corrected Version

Distinguishing the error Bill Pickett stamp from the corrected version requires examining the portrait:

Error Version: Features a man with specific facial features corresponding to Ben Pickett, not Bill. The portrait has characteristics that experts and historical photographs can distinguish.

Corrected Version: Uses an authentic historical photograph of Bill Pickett himself, from a different angle and photographic source.

For collectors who don't have reference materials, comparing both versions side by side with expert guidance is the reliable approach. The stamps were not labeled "error" or "corrected" by the USPS; the distinction lies entirely in the portrait image.

The Broader Sheet and Its Components

The Legends of the West sheet contains all 20 subjects. Even on an "error" sheet, only the Bill Pickett stamp is technically incorrect. Collectors typically want the full sheet rather than individual stamps because:

1. The full sheet represents the complete commemorative product
2. The lottery-allocated sheets were distributed as complete units
3. Historical integrity of the sheet as an artifact is important to many collectors

Philatelic Significance

This event sits in a specific category of US philatelic history: planned and partially-executed errors that became recognized collectibles through official USPS action. The USPS essentially created a desirable rarity by acknowledging the error, recalling most copies, but selling a limited quantity before correction.

This is different from genuine production errors (like the famous Inverted Jenny) in that the government deliberately chose to make these available. But it created genuine scarcity (far fewer error sheets than corrected sheets exist in collector hands) and genuine historical significance (the story of Bill Pickett and the identification mistake is now part of US postal history).

The Bill Pickett Legacy

Part of what makes these stamps particularly meaningful to many collectors is the historical significance of correcting the error. Bill Pickett (c. 1870-1932) was an extraordinary figure whose contributions to rodeo culture have been recognized more fully in recent decades. He was inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in 1971. The effort to correctly honor him on a US stamp, and the resulting controversy when the wrong image was used, tells a story about both the complexity of American Western history and the institutional fallibility of even major government entities.

Collectors who hold the error sheets often see them not just as philatelic rarities but as pieces of that particular historical moment.

Investment Perspective

The Legends of the West error sheet has maintained its value premium over the corrected version since 1994 and shows no signs of diminishing. The supply of complete error sheets is finite (a specific number were sold by lottery) and is contracting as sheets are broken up, damaged, or absorbed into permanent museum collections.

For a modern US stamp, these error sheets represent unusually strong value retention, driven by the dramatic story, the connection to African American Western history, and the simple scarcity of the item.

Final Thoughts

The 1993 Legends of the West recalled error sheet is one of those philatelic pieces that people outside the stamp collecting world actually find interesting. The story of a misidentified portrait, a governmental recall, and a lottery sale of rare errors combines drama, history, and philatelic significance in a package that stands on its own as a compelling collectible. Whether you're a stamp specialist or a general collector, a complete error sheet in mint condition is a legitimate piece of US philatelic history.

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