Sale 1374 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 7-8 April, 2026
Category — 1894-98 Issue, Trans-Mississippi Issue
1c Ultramarine (246). Mint N.H., Jumbo margins and mathematically perfect centering, beautiful fresh color and paper
EXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN ABSOLUTELY ASTOUNDING MINT NEVER-HINGED JUMBO EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT 1894 UNWATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE — AWARDED THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE P.S.E. GRADE OF GEM 100J. NO OTHER EXAMPLE GRADES ABOVE 98J.
Since P.S.E. grading began more than 20 years ago, more than 100 unused Scott 246 stamps have been submitted, including 67 Mint N.H.. This is the first Mint N.H. stamp awarded a grade in the Gem 100 category—and this is graded Gem 100 Jumbo. Six have reached Superb 98 Jumbo, but none before this have cracked the top tier Gem 100 category. This is truly a stamp for the most condition conscious collector.
With 2026 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100 Jumbo; unpriced in SMQ above the grade of 98J, SMQ is $3,750 for 98J). This is the highest grade possible and the only example of Scott 246 in the Gem 100 category. By way of comparison, we offered a Gem 100 Jumbo 1c watermarked stamp, Scott 264, in our 2025 sale of the "Vaquero" collection. While the 100J grade is also unique to that stamp, Scott 264 is overall a much more common stamp. It realized $6,250 hammer.
1c-2 1894-95 Bureau Issue, Misperforated and Foldovers (246/267 var). 21 items, including two singles, eleven imprint and plate no. strips of three, one block of four and two plate blocks of six and one of eight, all except two are 1c and 2c, includes a pre-printing paperfold, most are dramatic misperfs including one plate block with two sets of horizontal perfs, few faults to be expected but overall a Fine-Very Fine and very desirable group, ex "Vaquero"
2c Carmine, Ty. II (251). Original gum, h.r., wide margins and essentially perfect centering, rich color on fresh paper, Extremely Fine Gem, a superb stamp and probably one of the couple finest hinged examples extant, with 1999 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (OGh, Superb 98), only one hinged stamps grades higher (at 98J) and no others share this grade, the highest Mint N.H. grade is 95 (two examples, one of which realized $7,500 hammer in our 2012 sale of the Merlin collection)
3c Purple (253). Bottom imprint and plate no. 95 block of ten, slightly disturbed original gum, top center stamp tiny natural gum crease is barely visible, Fine-Very Fine, ex Curtis, Scott value as plate block and block of four
$1.00 Black, Ty. II (261A). Original gum, intense shade, Fine, with 2000 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Ty. II-III (266-267). Top left corner selvage block of 42 with Type II imprint and plate no. 170 at left and Type III imprint and plate no. 170 at top, the three left columns are all Type II stamps making the third and fourth columns Mint N.H. combination pairs of Type II at left and Type III at right, all but six stamps Mint N.H., h.r. in several places in selvage reinforcing some perf separations, small thin top right stamp, Fine-Very Fine, an impressive large multiple combining Types II and III, only Plate 170 yields a combination of the two types, this block is especially desirable because it contains plate blocks of both types, Scott value approximately
3c Purple (268). Mint N.H. with top plate no. 107 selvage, rich color, unusually choice centering, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2025 P.F. certificate (XF-Superb 95), SCV $115
3c-6c, 10c 1895 Issue (268-271, 273). Mint N.H. wide top imprint and plate no. strips of 10, half arrow on one side and corner selvage on the other side, representing the top row of the pane for each value, wonderful depth of color, a number of stamps well-centered including several in the 6c strip — which is one of the most difficult values of the series to obtain in choice condition (no singles grade above 95J), pristine and post-office fresh
FINE-EXTREMELY FINE. A RARE MATCHED SET OF MINT NEVER-HINGED WIDE TOP IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER STRIPS OF TEN OF THE 3-CENT TO 6-CENT AND 10-CENT 1895 BUREAU ISSUE. THIS SET WOULD BE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DUPLICATE.
These pieces came from an old-time collection offered by Siegel in 2015 and were most likely acquired by the previous owner through purchases at post offices in the 1890s and early 1900s. As such they have been kept out of the light since 1895 and retain exceptionally fresh colors.
Scott value as Mint N.H. imprint and plate number strips of three plus singles.
8c Violet Brown, Imperforate (272P5; formerly 272b). Horizontal pair, original gum, lightly hinged, large margins all around, Very Fine and choice, with 1996 P.F. certificate
15c Dark Blue (274). Mint N.H., deep dark color, Very Fine, with 2026 P.S.E. certificate
$5.00 Dark Green (278). Original gum, rich color on bright paper, well-proportioned margins
VERY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1895 $5.00 WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE, SCOTT 278.
With 2022 P.F. certificate.
$5.00 Dark Green (278). Intense shade and impression on bright paper, bold strike of duplex cancel and also trace of red cancel at left
EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A BEAUTIFUL USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1895 $5.00 WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE, SCOTT 278.
With 2002 P.S.E. and 2025 P.F. certificates (latter XF-Superb 95).
5c Dark Blue, 6c Lake (281-282). Mint N.H. top imprint and plate no. strips of 10, half arrow on one side and corner selvage on the other side, representing the top row of the pane for both values, post-office fresh color and paper, attractive centering, Fine-Very Fine, a pristine matched pair of imprint and plate number strips of ten, from an old-time collection and kept out of the light since 1898, Scott value as Mint N.H. imprint and plate number strips of three plus singles
15c Olive Green (284). Mint N.H. wide top imprint and plate no. 264 strip of 10, half arrow at right and corner selvage at left, representing the top row of the left pane, exceptional depth of color, pristine and post-office fresh
VERY FINE-EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL MINT NEVER-HINGED WIDE TOP IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER STRIP OF TEN OF THE 1898 15-CENT BUREAU ISSUE.
This piece came from an old-time collection offered in a Siegel sale in 2015, and was most likely acquired by the previous owner through purchases at post offices in the 1890s and early 1900s. As such it has been kept out of the light since 1898 and retains exceptional freshness.
Scott value as Mint N.H. imprint and plate no. strip of three plus seven singles.
1c Dark Yellow Green, Trans-Mississippi (285). Mint N.H., exceptional balanced margins and centering, deep rich color and proof-like impression
EXTREMELY FINE GEM MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE, GRADED SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E.
With 2025 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98). Only two examples grade higher (at 98J and 100J).
8c Violet Brown, Trans-Mississippi (289). With bottom plate no. 609 selvage, original gum, barest trace of hinging at top right, Jumbo margins, Extremely Fine
10c Gray Violet, Trans-Mississippi (290). Mint N.H., deep rich color and proof-like impression, unusually choice centering with wide and balanced margins
EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE, GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E.
Ex "Adventurer". With 1978 P.F. and 2023 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95). Only seven grade higher (all at 98).
$1.00 Black, Trans-Mississippi (292). Original gum which is slightly disturbed at top, outstanding centering, Extremely Fine
$1.00 Black, Trans-Mississippi (292). Original gum, intense shade, Very Fine, with 1986 P.F. certificate
$1.00 Black, Trans-Mississippi (292). Wide margins and well-centered, oval registry cancel, Very Fine and choice, with 1981 and 2017 P.F. certificates (VF 80), undergraded in our opinion
$2.00 Orange Brown, Trans-Mississippi (293). Mint N.H., deep rich color and sharp proof-like impression
FINE. AN ATTRACTIVE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $2.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE.
All of the $2.00 Trans-Mississippi stamps were printed in a single day's run on June 3, 1898. The $2.00 was printed in sheets that have narrower spacing between the horizontal rows than between the vertical columns. For this reason, it is extremely difficult to obtain stamps with top and bottom margins that equal the sides.
With 2000 and 2010 P.F. certificates (VF 80).
$2.00 Orange Brown, Trans-Mississippi (293). Mint N.H., bright color
FRESH AND FINE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $2.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE.
Ex "World Traveler". With 2021 P.F. certificate.
$2.00 Orange Brown, Trans-Mississippi (293). Original gum which is called "redistributed" on most recent certificate, bright shade, outstanding centering and margins
EXTREMELY FINE GEM UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE $2.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE.
With clear 1979 P.F. certificate. With 2026 P.S.E. certificate calling the gum redistributed (DOG, XF-Superb 95; SMQ as original gum is $5,600). SCV $1,900.
(Image Magnifier)$2.00 Orange Brown, Trans-Mississippi (293). Original gum, lightly hinged, bright color, Fine, with 1996 P.F. certificate
$2.00 Orange Brown, Trans-Mississippi (293). Original gum, lightly hinged, fresh and Fine, with 1990 P.F. and 2005 P.S.E. certificates
$2.00 Orange Brown, Trans-Mississippi (293). Original gum, lightly hinged, fresh color, Fine, with 1999 P.F. certificate
$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (293). Original gum, rich color, light crease at top left, Very Fine appearance
$2.00 Orange Brown, Trans-Mississippi (293). Unused (regummed), rich color, Fine, with 1983 P.F. certificate as original gum, SCV as no gum