One Of My Holy Grails Is On The Way :)

Put in an offer on this last night before bed and it was accepted. Should be here next week.

This is a stamp I had only dreamed of having in the past:



I'm gonna feel like a kid waiting for Christmas until it arrives

WOW

Excellent !

Thanks Kirk - I think I'll be asking for a new avatar next week LOL

Can't wait to get a scan of that on my scanner.

I keep staring at the empty spot in my album. That can't get here fast enough :)

Wow, the red cancel really enhances the stamp! Congratulations Mike33

Nice going. I know exactly how you feel. I too was excited to get a stamp I have wanted since I was a kid.

And I agree that the red cancel really adds to it.

Very nice. 4 margins and a neat New York grid from the looks of it.

Well done. I still remember when I bought my #1 (as a special treat to fulfill a longtime dream; I don't really collect classic US). I suppose I should get around to a #2 at some point to keep Mr. Franklin from getting lonely. I have one on cover, but not one for the album....

Sweet stamp, with wide, even margins and sharp corners! Congrats!

paperhistory, the #2 is on a whole other level than the #1. I've stampcrow'd a #1. I don't suspect I will ever find a #2 in a box-lot of old almanacs and desk calanders.

Actually, by definition, there can be only one Holy Grail because it's a specific, unique legendary, sought-after object. That doesn't mean that there aren't multiple claimants to being the Holy Grail, but each claimaint is claimed to be the One and Only Grail. I think that would hold true even in Pythonology, though I am largely ignorant of Pythonology.

But, yes indeed, it is a very nice, one-to-be-proud-of stamp.

Congratulations Mike33!

I know very little of these classic stamps, BUT I sure know a beauty when I see one!

And, I like the pleasant congratulatory comments left by all.

Did you buy this #1 with a certificate? Looks too good to be true, esp. if you got a "good buy"

I hope that you saw in the listing on ebay that it has a tiny thin.

Glenn Estus

Please expand on the thin Glen, my novice eyes can't see it. Also, since I've never really seen a high resolution scan of one (missing from my collection) are the letters DUAT on the bottom engravers initials?

Lovely piece Mike, congrats!

The letters on the bottom are R.W.H.&E., five characters representing the engraving company, Rawdon, Wright, Hatch, & Edson. There are 5 characters in on this one.

The bureau reprint in 1947 had B.E.& P.

You'll find more history on RWH&E (Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson) at this link:

http://arago.si.edu/index.asp?con=1&tid=2027497

And while on the subject of the 5c Franklin stamp, did you know there are more than 25 different shades of the stamp known to exist ... and more than a hundred varieties listed under those? (That's a fact I didn't know.) More here:

http://arago.si.edu/index.asp?con=1...&tid=2027502

Glenn - no certificate but it compares well with all the others I've looked at. Are you doubting it's real?

Yes, I did see in the listing about the tiny thin and I'm assuming it's on the back so that's not going to bother me unless it's not "tiny"

I'll get a better look when it arrives and go from there

thanks all