The first commemorative stamps produced by the Bureau were the Trans-Mississippi Exposition issue of June 17, 1898. The one dollar stamp of this issue with the design “Western Cattle in Storm” is often cited as the most beautiful stamp of the United States. Scottish artist John A. MacWhirter's painting titled "The Vanguard" inspired the image for the one dollar stamp. The image shows a herd of cattle presumably heading for shelter in blizzard conditions. This design, like others in the issue, was intended to convey the ruggedness of America’s west.
