Sale 1145 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Wednesday, 14 December, 2016
Category — Washington-Franklin and Later Issues
1c-15c "China Clay" Paper Varieties (331 var-340 var). Complete set of singles from 1c-15c, rich colors on paper which looks to us to be a slightly different shade than normal, 5c with top part imprint selvage, Fine, each with 1988 or 1989 P.F. certificate specifying they are "China Clay" paper, this lot is offered on its own merits due to the controversial nature of China Clay paper -- because of the White-Liston controversy, the P.F. will no longer certify these, although all experts agree they are printed on distinctive paper
$1.00 Violet Brown (342). H.r., choice centering, intense color and impression, Extremely Fine, with 1990 P.F. certificate
4c Orange Brown, Coil (350). Guide line pair, top stamp lightly hinged, bottom stamp Mint N.H., deep rich color, Fine, with 2016 P.F. certificate
5c Blue, Coil (355). Guide line pair, deep rich color, excellent centering, Very Fine, with 2016 P.F. certificate (VF 80)
10c Yellow, Coil (356). Lightly hinged, brilliant color, well-centered, small natural inclusion and fiber removed at top right, Very Fine appearance, with 2016 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Bluish (358). Mint N.H., incredibly well-centered for a Bluish Paper, vibrant color on post-office fresh paper, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2010 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $1,025.00)
3c Deep Violet, Bluish (359). Small h.r., exceptionally wide margins, rich color, small natural inclusion at top, small bit of ink on perfs on back at top left, Very Fine and choice
5c Blue, Bluish (361). Lightly hinged, nicely blued paper, fresh and Fine, with 1999 P.F. certificate
10c Yellow, Bluish (364). Vibrant color, intense watermark, reperfed, otherwise Very Fine
13c Bluish Green, Bluish (365). Small h.r. at top, otherwise pristine gum, nicely centered, Very Fine and choice
15c Pale Ultramarine, Bluish (366). Lightly hinged, radiant color, expertly reperfed at left, Very Fine appearance, with 2016 P.F. certificate
5c Blue, Coil (396). Mint N.H. pair, vivid color, wide margins, Extremely Fine, ex Hall
2c Lake (406c). Small h.r. at bottom, deep rich color in this distinctive shade, Fine and rare, through an error at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing a small quantity of this stamp was erroneously printed using the inks in use at the time for the Postage Due issues, with 1994 P.F. certificate
1c Green, Booklet Pane of Six, Imperforate (424e). Unused (no gum) as are all of the reported examples, nice centering with ample margins all around, right center stamp with surface scuffs, otherwise Very Fine, see article in United States Specialist Volume 40, March 1969 pp. 101-105 by George W. Brett for interesting background information concerning this error, of which 60 are reported known
4c Brown, Coil (446). Mint N.H., rich color, precise centering, Extremely Fine, ex Hall, with 2000 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Ty. I, Imperforate Coil (459). Joint line pair without the crease in the middle, lightly hinged, Extremely Fine, a choice joint line pair
5c Carmine, Error (467). Mint N.H. double error in block of twelve, natural s.e. at bottom, bottom left 2c slight soiling, otherwise Fine
5c Carmine, Error (467). Single error in Mint N.H. block of nine, rich color on bright paper, small toned spot in bottom middle 2c, error is Fine, block is overall Very Fine
$2.00 Dark Blue, $5.00 Light Green (479-480). Mint N.H., wide margins and fresh colors, $2.00 Very Fine, $5.00 Very Fine and choice
2c Carmine, Ty. II, Coil (491). Pair, h.r., rich color, choice centeringVERY FINE AND CHOICE PAIR OF THE RARE 2-CENT TYPE II PERF 10 HORIZONTAL COIL ON UNWATERMARKED PAPER.
Unlike most other issues, the horizontal coil is actually scarcer than the vertical coil. It was in production for only a short period of time before being replaced by the Type III, Scott 492.
1c Green, Vertical Pair, Imperforate Horizontally (498a). Huge margins all around, fresh color, Extremely Fine Gem, a premium example of this error, with Scott no. pencil notation on gum
1c Green, Horizontal and Vertical Pairs, Imperforate Between (498b, 498c). Horizontal pair Mint N.H., bright and fresh, Very Fine, second with Scott no. pencil notation on gum
2c Rose, Ty. I, Vertical and Horizontal, Pairs, Imperforate Horizontally and Vertically (499a, 499b). Both with radiant colors, nice margins, fresh and Very Fine, first with Scott no. pencil notation on gum
2c Rose, Ty. I, Vertical Pair, Imperforate Between (499c). Mint N.H., bright color, slight bend in bottom stamp, Very Fine and rare, this is only the second example we have offered since 1998 and the other was lightly hinged, with 1977 A.P.S. certificate, Scott Retail as hinged
3c Light Violet, Ty. I, Vertical Pair, Imperforate Horizontally (501c). Bottom stamp Mint N.H., brilliant color, well-balanced margins, Very Fine and scarce with only 25 pairs reported in Datz
3c Light Violet, Ty. I, Double Impression (501d). Clear doubling of design, perfs clear of design all around, natural gum crease, Fine, a highly collectible example of this rare printing anomaly
3c Dark Violet, Ty. II, Vertical Pair, Imperforate Horizontally (502c). Mint N.H., rich color, outstanding centering with balanced margins, Extremely Fine, very rare in Mint N.H. condition with such choice centering
5c Rose, Error (505). Single Mint N.H. error in block of nine, natural s.e. at top, brilliant color, completely free from the natural gum skips and bends that are often found on this issue, Very Fine and choice, a beautiful multiple, ex "Scarsdale", with 2002 P.F. certificate
6c Red Orange, Perf 10 at Top (506a). Sweated original gum, bright color with just a faint trace of oxidation, centered to right but with perfs clear, light creasing at topFINE APPEARANCE. AN INCREDIBLY RARE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 6-CENT 1917 ISSUE PERF 10 AT TOP. ONLY ONE OTHER UNUSED EXAMPLE IS RECORDED.
At some point during production of the 1917 Issue, one of the perforating wheels became defective. In the course of repairs part of one perforation wheel was inadvertently changed from Perf 11 to Perf 10. Based on the physical evidence of surviving copies, this was the nineteenth row of pins on the wheel.
Many examples of the Perf 10 on One Side rarities show transitional perfs from 10 to 11 or from 11 to 10. This is because the out-of-gauge perforation pins would frequently cross the span of more than one stamp, depending on where the wheel contacted the sheet.
The Perf 10 on One Side varieties span both the 1917 Washington-Franklin and 1922-23 Issues. It is interesting to note that, apart from the 2c, there is no duplication of denominations between the issues. This would seem to indicate that the improperly repaired wheel was in use for only a short period of time, as there was little overlap in production of the issues. Based on dates of issue of the basic stamps, this probably occurred early in 1923.
Our census of Scott 506a, available at our website at http://siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/506a/506a.pdf , contains 21 used and two unused examples.
Census No. 506a-OG-02. With 1979 P.F. certificate
11c Light Green, Perf 10 at Top (511a). Lightly hinged and with pencil notation on gum, rich color, fresh and Fine example of this scarce Perf 10 at top variety
20c Light Ultramarine, Vertical Pair, Imperforate Between (515b). H.r., bright pastel color, attractive margins with perfs clear of design all around, single pulled perf at upper left, Very Fine appearing example of this error, most we have seen have perfs cutting in on the left side, (Datz states most are poorly centered), Scott Retail as Fine
$2.00 Orange Red & Black (523). Mint N.H., rich color, three extra wide margins, Fine
1c Gray Green, Horizontal Pair, Imperforate Between (525c). Block of four with two error pairs, natural s.e. at top and right, fresh color, small thin spot at bottom, Very Fine appearance, exceedingly rare, this error only occurred in the two right-hand rows from the left pane of the plate and so is always found with straight edge at right -- and in this case at top as well since this was also from the top row -- we have not offered another example since 2000 (a used block), Datz states at least three used pairs are known but makes no mention of an unused pair
2c Carmine, Ty. Va, Vertical Pair, Imperforate Between (528g). Bottom stamp Mint N.H., fresh and bright colorFINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT TYPE Va VERTICAL PAIR IMPERFORATE BETWEEN.
This is the first example we have offered since 2000 and that pair had a faint crease. Datz notes this error is "rare".
Ex Stollnitz. With 1976 P.F. certificate
1c Gray Green, Horizontal Pair, Imperforate Vertically (536a). Small h.r., bright color, outstanding centering with wide margins, Extremely Fine, Colman guarantee backstamp, we have offered only five pairs and one block of four since keeping computerized records, this is one of the finest we have seen
2c Carmine, Ty. II, Coil (599A). Mint N.H. pair, bright shade, Fine-Very Fine, ex Merlin, with 1983 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Ty. II (634A). Mint N.H., post-office fresh, Fine, with photocopy of 2002 P.S.E. certificate as block of six from which this originated