Lot 2060
1894, $5 dark green (263), very well centered for this notoriously difficult high value, rich fresh color, crisp paper, and spotless never hinged original gum, Very Fine. SMQ $14,400.
Scott $15,000
AN EXTRAORDINARY NEVER HINGED MINT SINGLE, BEAUTIFULLY CENTERED AND WITH PRISTINE NEVER HINGED ORIGINAL GUM. ARGUABLY THE FINEST NEVER HINGED $5 FIRST BUREAU EXTANT AND CERTAINLY THE HIGHEST OF ONLY THREE NEVER HINGED EXAMPLES GRADED BY THE PSE, THE OTHERS GRADED AT 70 AND 75.
Expertization: 1993 PF (for block from which this came) and 2004 PSE Certificates, the latter graded VF 80.
It is no wonder this is a difficult stamp to find mint and in high quality. Only 62 sheets of 100 were sold, and unlike the $5 Columbians which were issued with collectors in mind, this issue was meant to be used for heavy parcels. Of the small number that were never used, the majority are off center and virtually all of them were hinged. We doubt if there are more than a half dozen reasonably well centered and never hinged singles, and we have seen none that could surpass this present example.
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| Realized $15,000 |
