United States, Scott #4377, used(o), 2009, Commemorating the Bicentenary of the Birth of American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), America's dark poet and writer, the themes of his writing focused on death and violence, possibly a reflection of his tormented and tragic life, a family abandoned by their father, a mother who died when he was aged two, taken in by an unloving family, firmly disciplined throughout his childhood, married a cousin who then died, succumbing to alcohol, died drunk at age 40, but his works - best known for his poetry and short stories - particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre - a central figure of Romanticism and Gothic fiction - considered the inventor of detective fiction - and early contributor to science fiction - he was the first accomplished American writer to attempt to earn a living through writing alone, resulting in a difficult life and career - still, he gave us his poem ‘The Raven’ in 1845 to great success (although he was only paid $9 for it) - and the ‘Pit and the Pendulum’, the ‘Black Cat’, the ‘Fall of the House of Usher’, the ‘The Murders in the Rue Morgue’, and the 'Masque of the Red Death' and many more; 42 cents, photogravure printed, serpentine die cut simulated perforations: 10¾, multicolored, Scott 2019 Catalog Value:25¢, nicely centered, several, light, thin, curved cancel lines over the visual part of the stamp, good perforations, stamp was removed from its mailing envelope using the Bestine solvent and, first placed on a piece of white paper for color contrast, then placed on a piece of black card stock for an attractive and uniform album appearance; centering, mounting, image clear cancel warrants a selling price premium. This is not a 'bait-and-switch;' the stamp you see will be the one you receive.
Please review my terms of sale. If you are not ordering from the United States, there is a $US1.55 additional postage expense that needs to be added to the price of the stamp. If you are ordering from the United States, there is only a $US0.68 added postage expense. Also, if you make additional purchases from my offerings, they can all go in one mailing at no extra shipping expense for the added purchases. I will send the purchase by US first class mail, since the relatively low value of the stamp does not warrant signature or tracking mail. Hence the buyer assumes risk of loss or non-delivery. I will keep a scan of my mailing to verify that the correct mailing address was used. If not satisfied, return the stamp to me at your own expense, and I will refund the cost, but not my postage to you. If the stamp is not as described, I will refund the cost and reimburse you for postage both ways.
By way of reference, I am an American Philatelic Society member (195176) and an American Stamp Dealers Association (ASDA) member. Thank you for looking, and I hope this is the perfect stamp to fill that gap in your collection.