Sale 1108 — The Robert Bowman Collection of Superb U.S. Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday, 29 September, 2015
Category — 1893 Columbian Issue (Scott 237-245)
$3.00 Olive Green, Columbian (243a). Perfect centering with wide and balanced margins, radiant color, face-free strike of target cancel at top leaves entire design clearly visibleEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE FINEST USED EXAMPLES OF THE $3.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE IN EXISTENCE. THIS PHENOMENAL STAMP HAS BEEN AWARDED THE GRADE OF SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E., WHICH IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED.
The dollar-value Columbians are rarely found with centering that would qualify for a high numerical grade, but in used condition they are further handicapped by heavy registry cancels, which almost invariably knock points off the final grade. The $3.00 offered here is extraordinary not only for its precise centering and wide margins, but the lightly-struck cancel leaves the entire design visible. We doubt that more than a handful of any Columbian dollar values will ever reach Superb 98 status.
With 1999 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98; SMQ $10,500.00). This is the highest grade awarded to Scott 243a and only one other shares it, a statistic that has not changed since 2008. Only one example of the main shade, Scott 243, has achieved this grade.
