6c Dull Brown, USIR Watermark
(271a). Showing clear "R" of watermark, deep rich color, bold cancel,
light creases at top left and bottom right, few short perfs at
topFINE APPEARANCE. ONLY SIXTEEN USED COPIES OF THE 6-CENT 1895 USIR WATERMARK STAMP ARE KNOWN TO US.
Unlike its more common 8c counterpart, the 6c is an extremely rare stamp. Of the fifteen used copies certified by the Philatelic Foundation, eight have perfs either close or touching the design (including both stamps in the only known pair), and one has a straight edge.
Unpublished Census No. 271a-CAN-13. With 1984 P.F. certificate. (Image)
8c Violet Brown, USIR
Watermark (272a). With "I" of watermark clearly visible, deep rich
color, lightly cancelled, light diagonal crease, otherwise Fine, our census
of Scott 272a records less than 75 surviving copies
(Image)
$1.00 Black, Ty. I-II
(276-276A). Block of four, left stamps Ty. I, right stamps Ty. II,
light strikes of oval cancels, top left stamp small sealed tear at
topFINE APPEARANCE. A SCARCE USED COMBINATION BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE $1.00 WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE.
The plate of the $1.00 1894 Bureau Issue consisted of fifteen vertical rows of Type I and five vertical rows of Type II, which accounts for the scarcity of Type II compared with Type I. There are only ten positions on the plate which yield combination pairs. The layout of the plate, combined with the fact that very few used blocks are known of either type, makes this a great rarity. Scott assigns a $1,300.00 premium for a combination block of four compared to two combination pairs. (Image)