Sale 1027 — The Natalee Grace Collection of Used U.S. Stamps, Part Two: 1869 to Pan-American Issues
Sale Date — Wednesday, 19 September, 2012
Category — 1895 Watermarked Bureau Issue (Scott 264-278)

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN ABSOLUTELY STUNNING USED 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.
The $5.00 stamps were generally used on heavy parcels, high-value registered covers or philatelic covers. Heavy parcels and registered package wrappers were usually discarded, and the high-denomination stamps were typically heavily cancelled. Only one cover is known bearing this issue -- a philatelic registered use to Bohemia with a single stamp cancelled by a circular datestamp. The stamp offered here, cancelled by an oval registry, with perfect centering and in pristine condition, is truly remarkable.
With 2000 P.F. and 2009 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98; SMQ $10,700.00). This is the highest grade awarded to date and only two others share this grade.