Sale 1085 — The Curtis Collection: U.S. Officials
Sale Date — Thursday, 6 November, 2014
Category — 1875 American Bank Note Co. Printing on Soft Paper (Scott O94-O117)
Lot
Symbol
Photo/Description
Cat./Est. Value
Realized
4182
1c Agriculture, Soft Paper (O94). Without gum as issued, block of four, incredibly radiant color and strong impression on bright paper, exceedingly choice centering, tiny natural inclusion on one stampVERY FINE AND CHOICE BLOCK OF THE 1879 ONE-CENT AGRICULTURE AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY PRINTING ON SOFT PAPER. ONE OF A MERE FOUR BLOCKS RECORDED.
The Agriculture Officials were printed from sheets of 100 consisting of one pane. In December 1878 Continental merged with American Bank Note Company, which assumed production for United States stamps early in 1879, including the Officials. As with the regular Bank Note issues, the Officials printed by American can be distinguished by the use of soft, porous paper. Philip Ward recorded only four blocks of four of this stamp.
Ex Markovits.
30,000
15,500
4183
1c Agriculture, Soft Paper (O94). Without gum as issued, incredibly bright color, trivial light thin, Fine, an attractive collectible example of this rare Official Soft Paper issue, with 2001 P.F. certificate
6,000
1,200
Back to Top4184
3c Agriculture, Soft Paper (O95). Original gum, bright fresh color, single unpunched perf at top left, Very Fine, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (OGh, VF 80; SMQ $570.00)
550
750
Back to Top4185
3c Agriculture, Soft Paper (O95). Block of four, original gum, lightly hinged, wonderful centering, brilliant color, Very Fine and choice, ex Markovits, with 2011 P.F. certificate
2,750
1,300
Back to Top4186
1c Interior, Soft Paper (O96). Original gum, lightly hinged and attractively centered, classic soft pastel shade of the Interior Department Soft Paper issue, Extremely Fine, with 1990 P.F. certificate for block from which this came and 2008 P.S.E. certificate (VF-XF 85; SMQ $390.00)
300
325
Back to Top4187
1c Interior, Soft Paper (O96). Top left margin imprint and plate no. 52 block of twelve, original gum, multiple h.r. and reinforcements, bright fresh color, some separation and trimmed top selvage, couple small thins, Fine-Very Fine appearing, a rare plate block
4,500
1,200
Back to Top4188
1c Interior, Soft Paper (O96). Bright color, nice margins and centering, light cancel, Very Fine and choice, ex Kirke, with 2011 P.F. certificate
275
1,500
Back to Top4189
3c Interior, Soft Paper (O98). Top margin imprint and plate no. 27 block of 20, the top two rows of the sheet, original gum, gum loss on the left three vertical pairs, signed "Harold L. Ickes, Secretary of the Interior, Feby 19, 1938," some small faults incl. some selvage missing and separation, Fine, an interesting collateral item
E. 400-500
300
Back to Top4190
6c Interior, Soft Paper (O99). Half sheet of 50 comprising of the top half incl. plate no. 56 and complete imprint, original gum, five stamps lightly hinged (incl. plate no. block) with the rest being Mint N.H., bright colors, some perf separations, pencil marking in top selvage and a trivial selvage crease at top left, Very Fine-Extremely Fine, we notice some superb examples in the block
860
450
Back to Top4191
10c Interior, Soft Paper (O100). Original gum, lightly hinged, stunning Jumbo margins all around, fresh color, Extremely Fine, a massive stamp, with 2000 P.F. certificate
110
300
Back to Top4192
10c Interior, Soft Paper (O100). Mint N.H. block of four, bright color on fresh white paper, Fine, Scott Retail as Mint N.H. singles
1,000
130
Back to Top4193
10c Interior, Soft Paper (O100). Tied by well-struck Washington, D.C. oval registry handstamp on "Department of the Interior, General Land Office, Official Business" imprint with penalty clause legal-size cover to Chicago, received backstamp, slightly reduced at right, file fold (away from adhesive) and small peripheral tears, stamp with light crease, Fine
E. 300-400
250
Back to Top4194
12c Interior, Soft Paper (O101). Block of four, original gum, h.r., exceedingly well-centered block, vivid color, small natural inclusion on top right stamp, Very Fine, with 2011 P.F. certificate
1,075
325
Back to Top4195
15c Interior, Soft Paper (O102). Original gum, well-centered, incredibly wide margins, Very Fine
400
325
Back to Top4196
15c Interior, Soft Paper (O102). Block of four, original gum, couple hinge reinforcements, Fine
1,750
160
Back to Top4197
15c Interior, Soft Paper (O102). Unusually intense color, neat cancel, Very Fine and choice, with 2001 P.F. certificate
260
1,300
Back to Top4198
24c Interior, Soft Paper (O103). Original gum, characteristic pastel shade, wide marginsVERY FINE AND CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE SCARCE 24-CENT INTERIOR AMERICAN BANK NOTE PRINTING.
Blue pen notation on back.
4,500
2,200
Back to Top4199
24c Interior, Soft Paper (O103). Bottom margin horizontal imprint and plate no. 104 strip of five, mostly lightly hinged with two being small h.r., selvage with small natural gum bend and single hinge reinforcementFINE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER STRIP OF THE 24-CENT INTERIOR DEPARTMENT ON SOFT PAPER.
Scott Retail for a block of four is $25,000.00 and they list, but do not price, a plate number and imprint strip of six (from our 1982 Rarities sale, Sale 596, lot 385). There are no reported plate blocks of the 24c Interior on soft paper.
With 1974 P.F. certificate
22,500
13,500
Back to Top4200
6c Justice, Soft Paper (O107). Original gum, Jumbo margins all around, strong color and impression, Extremely Fine, with 2007 P.F. certificate (VF-XF 85 Jumbo)
475
600
Back to Top4201
6c Justice, Soft Paper (O107). Block of four, original gum, h.r., two stamps with light crease and minor perf separation, Fine
2,250
275
Back to Top4202
3c Treasury, Soft Paper (O109). Block of four with traces of plate no. and half arrow at top, natural s.e. at right, Star fancy cancels, some hinge reinforcement, small nick and some creasing, well-centered, very scarce block of which only three are believed to be known
900
650
Back to Top4203
10c Treasury, Soft Paper (O111). Original gum, well-centered, warm color, Very Fine and choice
260
450
Back to Top4204
30c Treasury, Soft Paper (O112). Unused (no gum), well-centered amid incredible Jumbo margins, deep rich color on fresh paper, Extremely Fine, a stunning stamp with wonderful eye-appeal, with 1989 P.F. certificate
875
1,300
Back to Top4205
30c Treasury, Soft Paper (O112). Block of four, original gum, deep shade, small thin on top two stamps, a minute crease on bottom right stamp and some clipped perfs on bottom left stampDESPITE ITS FAULTS, THIS FINE-CENTERED BLOCK IS EXTREMELY DESIRABLE AS ONE OF THE FEW KNOWN MULTIPLES OF THE 30-CENT TREASURY DEPARTMENT ON SOFT PAPER.
With 2011 P.F. certificate
12,000
1,300
Back to Top4206
30c Treasury, Soft Paper (O112). Neat cancels, rich color, small corner crease ending in a tear at top right, appears Extremely Fine, scarce in used condition, with 2003 P.F. certificate
425
110
Back to Top4207
90c Treasury, Soft Paper (O113). Mint N.H., wide margins, rich color and strong impression, stamp with just the faintest trace of paper clip marks, Fine, much better condition than typically seen and we have never encountered another Mint N.H. example of the 90c Treasury on soft paper
5,500
1,700
Back to Top4208
3c War, Soft Paper (O116). Horizontal strip of three cancelled by light violet Fort Custer, Montana Terr. circular datestamp and accompanying target cancel, Fine, ex Markovits
E. 150-200
110
Back to Top4209
3c War, Soft Paper (O116). Tied on piece by "Fort Snelling, Minn., Feb 28, 1884" circular datestamp, Very Fine strike
E. 150-200
80
Back to Top4210
6c War, Soft Paper (O117). Cancelled by blue Indian Head fancy cancel and part of box of Fort Keough, Montana Terr., single short perf at left, Very Fine, ex Markovits
E. 400-500
300
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