$1.00 Black (261). Uncharacteristically wide margins for this issue and perfectly centered, very light cancel, bright and fresh

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A NOTEWORTHY USED STAMP, AS THE 1894 FIRST BUREAU ISSUE $1.00 STAMPS ARE NOTORIOUS FOR HAVING SMALL MARGINS AND POOR CENTERING, AS WELL AS HEAVY CANCELS. THIS REMARKABLE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE IS GRADED SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E.

The $1.00 Type I, which is defined as having an incomplete circle around the left "$1", occurred on 150 of the 200 subjects of Plate 76. However, the $1.00 unwatermarked stamps are notorious for having small margins. To date there are no stamps graded 100, only one has graded 98J, the example offered in the "Natalee Grace" collection (Sale 1027, lot 138), though it also has a heavier cancel. Only this example along with one other have graded 98. Far fewer of the unwatermarked stamps were issued compared to its watermarked counterpart -- 26,284 of Scott 261 were issued compared to 192,449 of the watermarked Scott 276. They were mostly used on parcels or other oversize or heavy mailings. The stamps on these mailings tend to be damaged from use or were discarded, resulting in a small population of sound used stamps.

With 2011 P.F. and 2007 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98; SMQ $8,250.00).

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