Sale 962 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Wednesday-Friday, 24-26 September, 2008
Category — 1894-98 Bureau Issues (Scott 246-284)
1c Ultramarine (246). Mint N.H. horizontal pair with full top imprint selvage, oversized margins and handsomely centered, bright pastel color on crisp paper, natural short gum at top, few light natural gum wrinkles, Extremely Fine Gem, extraordinary
2c Carmine, Ty. I (250). Mint N.H. with wide selvage with part imprint at right, wide and balanced margins, Extremely Fine, with 2006 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90 Jumbo; SMQ $340.00 as 90, $1,150.00 as 95)
2c Carmine, Ty. II (251). Original gum, lightly hinged, radiant color as fresh as the day it was printed, well-balanced margins, Extremely Fine, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $730.00)
8c Violet Brown (257). Original gum, barely hinged, exceptional margins and nicely centered, Extremely Fine, with 1991 P.F. certificate for horizontal pair (right stamp)
50c Orange (260). Block of four, original gum, bright shade and exceptionally choice centering, fresh and Very Fine-Extremely Fine, with 2006 P.F. certificate noting horizontal perfs are strengthened (of no significance since this is previously hinged), centered blocks of the Bureau issues are getting rarer every day
$1.00 Black (261). Original gum, lightly hinged, exceptionally wide margins and nearly perfectly centered, beautiful impression on bright white paperEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SIMPLY WONDERFUL LIGHTLY-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-DOLLAR TYPE I 1894 FIRST BUREAU ISSUE.
With 1985 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $4,450.00). Only two others share this grade
$1.00 Black (261). Original gum, lightly hinged, attractive margins and beautifully centered, Very Fine, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate
$1.00 Black (261). Original gum, lightly hinged, wide margins and intense color on crisp paper, Very Fine, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate
$1.00 Black (261). Original gum, uncommonly wide margins, Very Fine and attractive, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate
$1.00 Black (261). Original gum, intense shade on bright paper, reperfed at left, Fine appearance
$1.00 Black (261). Extraordinary Jumbo margins, well-centered, part of oval numeral grid from a duplex cancel, Very Fine and choice, with 2008P.S.E. certificate (VF-XF 85 Jumbo; SMQ $560.00 as 85, $910.00 as 95), this is the only one in this grade with only three higher
$1.00 Black, Ty. II (261A). Original gum, lightly hinged, fabulous margins and centering, intense color on bright white paperEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THE PERFECT ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $1.00 TYPE II 1894 FIRST BUREAU ISSUE FOR THE DISCRIMINATING COLLECTOR.
With 1990 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $8,300.00). The P.S.E. Population Report indicates only two others share this high grade (one Mint N.H.) with three higher (one 95J and two 98)
$1.00 Black, Ty. II (261A). Original gum, lightly hinged, exceptionally wide and balanced margins, intense color and clear impressionEXTREMELY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $1.00 TYPE II UNWATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE.
With 2008 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $4,950.00)
$1.00 Black, Ty. II (261A). Original gum, detailed impression, few small flaws, otherwise Fine
$2.00 Bright Blue (262). Slightly sweated original gum, rich color, unusually wide margins, Extremely Fine, with 1985 P.F. certificate
$5.00 Dark Green (263). Original gum, minor h.r., intense shade and impression, well-balanced marginsVERY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $5.00 1894 UNWATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE.
The $5.00 Bureau issue on unwatermarked paper is much more difficult to find with wide margins than its watermarked counterpart.
2c Carmine, Ty. I (265). Mint N.H., radiant color, wide and balanced margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2000 P.F. and 2004 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $1,150.00), this is the highest grade awarded to date, only seven others share this grade
2c Carmine, Ty. II (266). Mint N.H. vertical block of six, fresh, small mark on pos. 5, otherwise Fine-Very Fine
2c Carmine, Ty. III (267). Mint N.H. with plate no. 291 at left, brilliant color, long and full perforations, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2007 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $305.00)
6c Dull Brown (271). Mint N.H., beautiful margins and attractively centered, lovely color on fresh bright paper, Very Fine and choice, with 1998 and 2008 P.F. certificates (VF-XF 85; SMQ $750.00)
50c Orange (275). Mint N.H. with part top imprint selvage (faintly hinged in selvage), incredibly well-centered, deep rich color on bright white paperEXTREMELY FINE. THE 50-CENT 1895 BUREAU ISSUE IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND WITH BOTH QUALITY CENTERING AND MINT NEVER-HINGED GUM.
With 2008 P.S.E. certificate
50c Orange (275). Original gum, lightly hinged, lovely wide margins, vivid color on fresh paper, rather minor natural horizontal gum wrinkle top left, otherwise Very Fine and choice, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate
$1.00 Black, Ty. I (276). Top imprint block of four, original gum, deep shade and proof-like impression, choice centering, perf separations at selvage expertly reattached, bottom left stamp small thin spot at topVERY FINE-EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. A SCARCE IMPRINT BLOCK OF THE $1.00 TYPE I WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE.
This block comes from the fifteen Plate 76 rows that produced only Type I stamps.
With 2004 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail as block of four with no premium for the imprint
$1.00 Black, Ty. II (276A). Original gum, lightly hinged, intense shade, unusually choice centering, tiny natural gum wrinkle at top right not mentioned on accompanying certificate, Extremely Fine, with 1968 P.F. certificate for block of four
$1.00 Black, Ty. II (276A). Well-centered, light face-free cancel, Very Fine and choice, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (VF-XF 85; SMQ $335.00)
$2.00 Bright Blue (277). Original gum, pretty color, reperfed at left, Extremely Fine appearance
$5.00 Dark Green (278). With plate no. 85 selvage at bottom, original gum, deep rich color and proof-like impression, perfectly centered with wide and balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A MAGNIFICENT ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1895 $5.00 WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE, WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E. -- THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO DATE IN ANY CONDITION.
With 2008 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98; SMQ $12,200.00). Only one other hinged copy and one used have equalled this grade, and none has graded higher.
$5.00 Dark Green (278). Original gum with part bottom imprint selvage, rather attractive centering, magnificent color, crisp impressionVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1895 $5.00 WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE, SHOWING PART OF THE IMPRINT AT BOTTOM.
With 2008 P.F. certificate (VF-XF 85; SMQ $3,350.00)
$5.00 Dark Green (278). Original gum, h.r., detailed impression, fresh and Very Fine
$5.00 Dark Green (278). Wide margins which are close to Jumbo proportions, almost perfectly centered, light cancel, Extremely Fine, with 2008 P.F. certificate
$5.00 Dark Green, Imperforate (278a). Horizontal pair, original gum, lightly hinged, large margins, fresh and crisp, rich colorEXTREMELY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING IMPERFORATE PAIR OF THE $5.00 1895 BUREAU ISSUE.
With 1988 P.F. certificate
2c Rose Carmine, Ty. IV (279Bc). Block of four with bottom left corner sheet selvage, original gum, top pair and bottom left single Mint N.H., other barely hinged, perfs close to touch, about Fine for this scarce shade multiple
4c Rose Brown (280). Mint N.H. block of four with horizontal guide line, wonderfully fresh, right pair natural gum wrinkle, otherwise that pair and one other Fine-Very Fine, top left beautifully centered and Extremely Fine, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate, Scott Retail as four Mint N.H. singles
5c Dark Blue (281). Mint N.H., lovely margins and flawless centering, beautiful rich color on bright paperEXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN OUTSTANDING 5-CENT 1898 BUREAU ISSUE WITH A P.S.E. GRADE OF SUPERB 98.
With 2008 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98; SMQ $3,950.00). This is the only Mint N.H. No. 281 graded 98 (one higher, 98J) in the P.S.E. Population Report
15c Olive Green (284). Original gum, lightly hinged, much wider margins than typically seen and with near perfect centering, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $800.00)