Sale 1227 — Outstanding United States Stamps and Gold Coins
Sale Date — Monday-Friday, 19-23 October, 2020
Category — 1895 Watermarked and 1897-1903 Change of Colors Bureau Issues (Scott 264-284)
$2.00 Bright Blue (277). Mint N.H. wide top imprint and plate no. 84 strip of three, gorgeous color, attractive centering and margins, center and left stamps with very slight gum scratch at bottom not mentioned on accompanying certificateVERY FINE AND INCREDIBLY RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER STRIP OF THE $2.00 1895 WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE.
This issue was printed from only one printing plate -- Plate 84. This is only the second Mint N.H. imprint and plate number strip we have offered in more than 25 years. This strip was held for generations after being purchased from the post office in the 1890s. Lewis Kaufman records only five full plate blocks of this issue and all are hinged (the last we offered realized $160,000 hammer in our 2009 sale of the "MLG" collection). This is a rare opportunity to combine the desirable attributes of a scarce wide top position piece with Mint N.H. gum.
With clear 2019 P.S.E. certificate for a strip of ten. Unpriced in Scott as Mint N.H.. Scott value for three Mint N.H. singles, which does not convey the rarity of this piece
