Sale 1062 — The Golden Oak Collection of Superb United States
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 17-18 December, 2013
Category — 1894 Unwatermarked Bureau Issue (Scott 246-263)






EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A BEAUTIFUL MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1894 2-CENT TYPE III UNWATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE IN THE CARMINE COLOR. THIS STAMP HAS BEEN GIVEN THE GRADE OF XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E.
Ex Merlin. With 2011 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $3,900.00). Only one has graded higher (at 98) and two others share this grade.




EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1894 3-CENT UNWATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE.
With 2004 P.F. and 2007 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $3,400.00). Only one has graded higher (at 98) and seven others share this grade, a statistic that has not changed in over a year.










EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1894 10-CENT UNWATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE. THE 10-CENT IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT DENOMINATIONS OF THE SET TO OBTAIN IN SUCH SUPERB CONDITION. THIS PHENOMENAL STAMP HAS BEEN GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. -- IT IS THE HIGHEST GRADE WE HAVE OFFERED IN ONE OF OUR AUCTIONS.
A review of our past computerized records confirms that this is the finest example we have offered.
Ex Scarsdale. With 1989 and 2000 P.F. certificates. With 2004 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $7,350.00). Only three have graded higher (two 95J and one 98).


EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1894 15-CENT UNWATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE.
With 2000 P.F. certificate






EXTREMELY FINE. THE 1894 $1.00 TYPE II UNWATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE IS A DIFFICULT ISSUE TO OBTAIN IN MINT NEVER-HINGED CONDITION WITH DECENT CENTERING.
Collectors of this issue know that it is extremely difficult to find the first Bureau issue in centered, Mint Never-Hinged condition, particularly the higher denominations. This is mostly due to production problems as the Bureau of Engraving and Printing assumed responsibility for stamp production after the American Bank Note contract expired. We have offered just over a dozen Mint N.H. examples of Scott 261A in the past 19 years, and this is one of the finest.
With 1999 P.F. certificate

EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1894 $2.00 UNWATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE.
Brookman notes "Only 10,027 of this stamp were issued and for some reason the centering on most of the copies we have seen is very poor." This amounts to just a bit more than 100 panes. Only a small number were used, mostly on parcels or other oversize or heavy mailings. The stamps on these mailings tend to be heavily cancelled and many were damaged from use or were discarded, resulting in a small population of sound used stamps. No covers are known. Given Brookman's comments on centering, the existence of this superb stamp is a true anomaly.
With 1985 P.F. certificate

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1894 $5.00 UNWATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE, AND EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST IN EXISTENCE.
Brookman notes "The $5 is the scarcest stamp in the 1894 series as the total issue of the stamp consisted of 6,251 stamps. It is probable that more of these stamps might have been sold were it not for the fact that speculators were dumping $5 Columbians at a discount to face because the rise they had anticipated had failed to materialize." Very few were used. A review of Power Search and P.S.E'.s Population Report found very few used and centered copies of this issue.
With 1985 P.F. certificate. Acquired by the owner in 1988 and offered to the market for the first time in 25 years.