Census of 1c Blue, Type I (Scott 5)

Notes:

Faint red and manuscript cancels, which are so faint they barely show in illustrations. SBA notes indicate Capt. G. N. Usticke, owner of Stanley Gibbons Inc. (NYC) and a recognized philatelic authority, considered this stamp as unused, and possibly SBA did also.
Acquired by Usticke shortly before December 17, 1941.

Provenance:

Shown by Manning in CAPEX ‘78 (“Only about fifty are known to exist today...”)
12/22/1941, Barr, sold for $750, but possibly not sold.
11/14/1973, Katherine Matthies Collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, The Katharine Matthies Collection of U.S. & British Commonwealth, Sale 439, Lot 58, realized $5,750 vs. $7,000 Scott value.
2/20/1975, Siegel Auction Galleries, A Distinguished Collection of United States Stamps, Sale 466, Lot 12, realized $5,750 vs. $7,000 Scott value.
1/20/1988, Kelleher, Lot 207, realized $15,000 vs. $22,500?Scott value.
6/22/2001, Bennett, Lot 2026, realized $40,000 vs. $40,000 Scott value.
12/7/2004, Lake Shore Collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, The Lake Shore Collection, Sale 888, Lot 7, Realized $57,500, realized $57,500 hammer versus $45,000 Scott value.

Certificates:

PF (2001) states “Faint manuscript and red cancellations” and “small corner margin crease at top right and tiny surface scrapes at bottom right”. 2001 Bennett sale describes “couple microscopic surface abrasions, invisible to the naked eye and mentioned only for accuracy”.
PF 43713 (1974) Genuine with a small corner crease at top right
PF 368601 (2001) as “Faint manuscript and red cancellations” states “Genuine with a small corner margin crease at top right and tiny surface scrapes at bottom right”.