Sale 968A — The Alan B. Whitman Collection, Part Two: 1870-1901 Issues
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 14-15 April, 2009
Category — 1893 Columbian Issue (Scott 230-245)
1c Columbian (230). Mint N.H., with top right corner sheet selvage, intense color and proof-like impression on bright paper, absolutely enormous margins, Extremely Fine Gem, a striking stamp, with 1991 P.F. certificate for a block and 2008 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo)
2c Columbian (231). Mint N.H., with part imprint selvage at top, rich color, Jumbo margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo)
2c Columbian, "Broken Hat" (231 var). Mint N.H. with wide selvage with plate no. 167 at top, brilliant color and remarkably detailed impression, wide margins, Very Fine and choice, with 2000 P.S.E. certificate
3c Columbian (232). Mint N.H. with selvage at right, rich color, sharp impression, Jumbo margins, fresh and Extremely Fine, with 1996 P.F. certificate
4c Columbian (233). Mint N.H., rich color and proof-like impression, wide and balanced margins, Extremely Fine Gem, a beautiful stamp, with 2000 P.F. certificate
4c Columbian, Error of Color (233a). Mint N.H., deep rich color and proof-like impression on bright paper, the deeper of the two shades, wide margins for this difficult issueVERY FINE. ONE OF THE FEW AVAILABLE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLES OF THE RARE 4-CENT COLUMBIAN ERROR OF COLOR.
The 4c Columbian color error was caused by the use of a wrong batch of ink, and spectrographic analysis has shown that the blue inks of the 4c error and 1c Columbian have the same components.
Stamps from at least two panes reached collectors, and the few cancelled examples indicate that stamps used by the public came from additional panes. It is likely that a number of full sheets were printed using the wrong ink, and most of the stamps have simply been lost to philately.
With 1980 and 1994 P.F. certificates
4c Columbian, Error of Color (233a). Mint N.H. block of four with sheet selvage at right, intense color in the deeper of the two shades, detailed impression, crisp paperFINE-VERY FINE. A RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 4-CENT COLUMBIAN ERROR OF COLOR. VERY FEW MULTIPLES ARE KNOWN OF THIS DISTINCTIVE COLOR ERROR, AND FEW ARE IN MINT NEVER-HINGED CONDITION. A GREAT RARITY OF THE ISSUE.
The 4c Columbian color error was caused by the use of a wrong batch of ink, and spectrographic analysis has shown that the blue inks of the 4c error and 1c Columbian have the same components.
Stamps from at least two panes reached collectors, and the few cancelled examples indicate that stamps used by the public came from additional panes. It is likely that a number of full sheets were printed using the wrong ink, and most of the stamps have simply been lost to philately.
With 2001 P.F. certificate
5c Columbian (234). Mint N.H. with plate no. 8 in bottom selvage, pretty shade, wide and balanced margins, fresh and Extremely Fine, a stamp of great visual appeal, with 1993 P.F. certificate
6c Columbian (235). Mint N.H. with top right corner sheet selvage, intense color, beautiful centering with Jumbo margins which are well-balancedEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING MINT NEVER-HINGED CORNER SELVAGE SINGLE OF THE 6-CENT COLUMBIAN ISSUE. A MARVELOUS STAMP.
With 1996 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo). Only six have graded higher to date and only three others share this grade.
6c Red Violet, Columbian (235a). Mint N.H., brilliant color on bright paper, choice centering with wide and balanced margins, long and full perforationsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 6-CENT COLUMBIAN IN THE RED VIOLET SHADE.
With 1983 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95). None graded higher to date and only four others share this grade
8c Columbian (236). Mint N.H. with part imprint in top selvage, brilliant color on post-office fresh paper, wide and balanced margins, fresh and Extremely Fine, a beautiful stamp, with 1993 and 1995 P.F. certificates, the former as a strip
10c Columbian (237). Mint N.H. with wide selvage at top with letter "Y", bright shade, detailed impression, well-proportioned margins, fresh and Extremely Fine, a wonderful stamp, the beauty of which far exceeds its numerical grade, with 1996 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90)
15c Columbian (238). Mint N.H., rich color and proof-like impression on post-office fresh paper, perfectly centered with wide and balanced margins, long and full perforations all aroundEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 15-CENT COLUMBIAN ISSUE, WHICH HAS BEEN AWARDED THE GRADE OF SUPERB 98 -- ONLY ONE HAS GRADED HIGHER TO DATE.
With 1998 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98). Only one has graded higher to date and only five others share this grade.
30c Columbian (239). Mint N.H., radiant color as fresh as the day it was printed on post-office fresh paper, perfectly centered with wide marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS MAGNIFICENT MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENT COLUMBIAN ISSUE HAS BEEN AWARDED THE GRADE OF SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E. -- ONLY TWO HAVE GRADED HIGHER TO DATE. A STUNNING STAMP OF GREAT VISUAL APPEAL.
With 1998 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98). Only two have graded higher to date (one graded 98J and one graded 100 which realized $100,000 hammer in our Sale 962) and only eight others share this grade.
50c Columbian (240). Mint N.H., deep rich color and proof-like impression, well-balanced marginsVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A BEAUTIFUL MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 50-CENT COLUMBIAN ISSUE.
With 1996 P.F. certificate
$1.00 Columbian (241). Mint N.H. with part imprint at right, radiant color as fresh as the day it was printed, wide margins for this issueVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A WONDERFULLY FRESH MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $1.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE.
With 1978 P.F. certificate for block of four
$2.00 Columbian (242). Mint N.H., deep rich color and sharp proof-like impression, perfectly centered with wide and balanced margins for this difficult stampEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A MAGNIFICENT MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $2.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE. THIS STUNNING STAMP HAS ACHIEVED THE GRADE OF XF-SUPERB 95 FROM P.S.E., WHICH IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO ANY $2.00 COLUMBIAN, AND ONLY THREE HAVE ACHIEVED IT.
Typically, when a collector assembles an Extremely Fine, Mint Never-Hinged set of Columbians, the $2.00 space remains empty to the very end due to the low supply and high demand. It is simply one of the rarest stamps of the set in this condition. The Scott value of $4,250.00 for a Mint N.H. stamp (in Very Fine grade) does not begin to reflect the true rarity of such examples. We offered one of the two other Mint N.H. $2.00 stamps in this high grade in our Scarsdale sale in 2006.
With 1999 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95). This is the highest grade awarded to date and only two others share this grade.
$3.00 Columbian (243). Mint N.H., rich color, detailed impression, choice centering for this difficult issueVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A BEAUTIFUL MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $3.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT DENOMINATIONS TO OBTAIN IN MINT NEVER-HINGED CONDITION.
A review using Power Search shows that we generally offer less than one Mint N.H. example a year in any grade.
With 1992 P.F. certificate
$4.00 Columbian (244). Mint N.H. with bottom right corner sheet selvage, radiant color, Jumbo margins, tiny natural inclusion at center not mentioned on accompanying certificateVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A JUMBO MINT NEVER-HINGED CORNER COPY OF THE $4.00 COLUMBIAN. AN OUTSTANDING STAMP -- THIS IS A DIFFICULT DENOMINATION TO OBTAIN IN MINT NEVER-HINGED CONDITION, AND THIS STAMP IS ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE AS A CORNER-MARGIN POSITION.
A review using Power Search found only nine Mint N.H. examples in either shade offered in our auctions since 1992.
With 1992 P.F. certificate
$4.00 Rose Carmine, Columbian (244a). Mint N.H., vibrant shade on bright paper, well-proportioned and nicely balanced marginsVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $4.00 COLUMBIAN IN THE ROSE CARMINE SUB-SHADE. A DIFFICULT ISSUE TO OBTAIN IN MINT NEVER-HINGED CONDITION.
A review using Power Search found only two Mint N.H. examples of this shade offered since 1992.
With 1999 P.F. certificate
$5.00 Columbian (245). Mint N.H. with part imprint selvage at left, intense shade and impression, long and full perforationsVERY FINE. A RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $5.00 COLUMBIAN.
The number of Extremely Fine, Mint Never-Hinged examples of the $5.00 Columbian is extremely limited. Using Power Search, we found that we have averaged selling only one or two a year in any grade. This stamp comes from a vertical imprint pair that was broken years ago.
With 1992 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (F-VF 75)