Sale 1277 — The Adventurer Collection of United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 7-8 March, 2023
Category — 1894-98 Bureau Issue (Scott 246-284)


EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1894 $5.00 UNWATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE.
The 1894 Unwatermarked issue was the first U.S. postage issue to be printed by the Bureau of Engraving & Printing, after the contract with American Bank Note Co. expired. The first stamps printed by the Bureau are notoriously difficult to find well-centered, as production was marred by initial problems as they geared up to meet the needs of the public for stamps. The designs through the $1.00 were kept the same from the 1890 ABN Co. issue, with the addition of corner triangles to distinguish the printings. The use of the same designs is another indication of the time pressure that may have caused some of the initial production problems. Perhaps the two most difficult denominations to find in superb condition are the $1.00 Type II (Scott 261A), and the $5.00.
With 1993, 2001 P.F. and 2023 P.S.E. certificates (OGph, XF-Superb 95; SMQ $14,000.00).