Sale 1251 — The John B. Field Collection of Superb United States Stamps
Sale Date — Wednesday-Thursday, 2-3 March, 2022
Category — 1895 Watermarked Bureau Issue (Scott 264-278)








EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING MINT NEVER-HINGED COMBINATION PAIR OF THE 2-CENT CARMINE 1895 ISSUE.
Of the six plates used to print the Type II stamp (Scott 266), only one, plate 170, contained a combination of both Types II and III. Only three rows from one pane were Type II, leaving a total of ten positions out of the plate that can yield this combination of types.
With copy of 2005 P.F. certificate for block






VERY FINE-EXTREMELY FINE MINT NEVER-HINGED TOP PLATE BLOCK OF THE 1895 WATERMARKED 3-CENT BUREAU ISSUE.
Ex Cheyney and Gross.














EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB PLATE BLOCK OF THE 1895 15-CENT WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE -- AMONG THE FINEST KNOWN.
The 15c was printed from two plates -- numbers 52 and 264. The latter has a different style of imprint. Plate blocks are very scarce and the example offered here is a true condition rarity -- combining color, centering and freshness.
Ex Nicholas Weil and Dobkin.




EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1895 $1.00 WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE WITH PLATE NUMBER SELVAGE.
With 2008 P.S.E. certificate




EXTREMELY FINE GEM MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1895 $1.00 TYPE II WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE STAMP IN THIS REMARKABLE POST-OFFICE FRESH CONDITION.
As an indication of rarity, we have only offered perhaps a half dozen other Mint N.H. examples of this issue since keeping computerized records. Of those, only one could be considered to have Extremely Fine centering.
Ex "Scarsdale" and Merlin. With 2003 P.F. and 2004 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90; SMQ $9,500.00). This is the highest grade awarded to a Mint N.H. stamp, and this is the only example to achieve this grade.


EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1895 $1.00 TYPE II.
With 1989 and 2010 P.F. certificates (XF-Superb 95). By way of comparison, P.S.E. has only graded three at 95, which is the highest grade they have awarded. For Mint N.H., their highest grade is one at 90 (offered in the previous lot).


EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $2.00 1895 WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE.
As an indication of rarity, we have offered only about 15-20 Mint N.H. examples of this issue since keeping computerized records more than 25 years ago. Few qualify as Extremely Fine.
With 2015 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $7,500.00). Only two grade higher (at 95) and none share this desirable grade.


EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $5.00 1895 WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE, GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E.
Ex "Westchester" and Merlin. With 1999 P.F. and 2007 P.S.E. certificates (OGph, XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $5,000.00). Only four grade higher and none share this grade. By way of comparison, for Mint N.H. only one grades higher than 85.