30c Columbus at La Rabida stamp

The 30-cent Columbian Exposition Issue depicts Columbus at the Franciscan monastery at La Rabida, where monks restored his confidence in his proposed expedition. His confidence shaken by several failures to win sponsorship, in 1490 Columbus intended to the Royal Court of France for funding. The monks of La Rabida and local monastery patrons, however, convinced him to appeal to the Spanish Court a second time. Meanwhile, King Ferdinand's advisor(s) had fortuitously convinced Queen Isabella to reconsider his appeal.

Felipe Maso's painting 'Columbus before the Franciscans at La Rabida' inspired the design for the 30-cent Columbus stamp, which was typically used in combination with other denominations to pay expensive foreign destination rates. American Bank Note Company printed a total of 617,250 of these 30-cent stamps.
Alexander T. Haimann, National Postal Museum
May 16, 2006

Scott Catalogue USA: 239
mint

Museum ID: 1980.2493.1632