Sale 1140 — Outstanding United States Stamps, featuring The Irwin Weinberg Inventory
Sale Date — Wednesday-Friday, 9-11 November, 2016
Category — 1861-66 Issue (Scott 62B-78)
10c Dark Green, First Design (62B). Intense shade of the First Design, light strike of red cancel, fresh and Very Fine, with 1968 P.F. certificate
1c Blue (63). Pretty pastel shade, exceptionally well-centered with wide and balanced margins, crossroads cork cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, a superb stamp and extremely rare in this quality, with 2015 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98; SMQ $1,850.00), this is the highest grade awarded to a Scott 63, either used or unused, and it has been equaled by only two other used examples
3c Pink (64). Original gum, vivid color, natural vertical gum crease, Fine appearance, a scarce original-gum example of the 3c Pink, with 2001 P.S.E. certificate
3c Pink (64). Brilliant color, neat strike of "Paid 3" in arc cancel, fresh and Fine, a pretty stamp
3c Rose Pink (64b). Mint N.H., vibrant color as fresh as the day it was printed on crisp paper, Very Fine and choice, a scarce Mint N.H. example of this better shade, with 2000 P.F. certificate, Scott Retail as hinged
3c Rose (65). Natural s.e. at left, cancelled by Union Soldier's Head fancy cancel of New York City (Skinner-Eno PH-F 72), some short perfs but the strike is clear, Fine, the creation and use of this fancy cancel in the Spring of 1866 coincided with the return of soldiers from the Civil War, it is known on at least one domestic cover, but apparently the cancelling device migrated to the foreign-mail exchange office, where it was used to cancel stamps on mail to foreign countries
3c Rose (65). Calendar containing 365 stamps on twelve hand-made pages (one for each month), each stamp cancelled by clear strike of circular datestamp, range of cancels, shades and condition with some Fine and some faulty (usual "plating quality")A RARE CALENDAR OF THE 3-CENT 1861-66 ISSUE. AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT GROUP TO ASSEMBLE.
After June 23, 1860, new postal regulations prohibited postmasters from using town markings to cancel stamps. Most stamps were cancelled by other devices, such as circle of wedges, corks, etc. As this calendar illustrates, not all postmasters adhered to the new regulations.
5c Buff (67). Rich color, part strike of San Francisco cogwheel cancel, trace of red transit cancel in corner, Very Fine, with 1988 P.F. certificate
5c Brown Yellow (67a). Unused (no gum), vivid color, defective and repaired with portions of left and right margins added, small tear at bottom, otherwise Fine, a presentable example of the 1861 Brown Yellow, which is very rare unused, with 2016 P.F. certificate
5c Brown Yellow (67a). Almost perfectly centered, bright shade, neat double-circle datestamp cancel.EXTREMELY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF THE 1861 5-CENT BROWN YELLOW.
With 2016 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $3,000.00)
12c Black (69). Unused (no gum), intense shade and clear impression, choice centering, fresh and Extremely Fine, with 1989 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90; SMQ $1,000.00)
12c Black (69). Unused (no gum), well-centered with balanced margins, intense shade, nibbed perf at top, otherwise Very Fine and choice
24c Steel Blue (70b). Unused (no gum), intense shade, three wide margins, reperfed at bottom, appears Fine
30c Orange (71). Original gum, lightly hinged, vivid color, fresh and Fine example of this challenging unused stamp, with 1998 P.S.E. certificate
90c Dull Blue (72). Original gum, pretty pastel color, wide margins at top and bottom and attractive centering, incredibly fresh, Very Fine, with 2015 P.F. certificate
90c Blue (72). Original gum, bright color, centered to top, Fine, with 2003 P.S.E. certificate
3c Scarlet (74). Original gum, vivid color in the unmistakable Scarlet shade, detailed impressionVERY FINE. A RARE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1861 3-CENT SCARLET TRIAL PRINTING.
The story of the 3c Scarlet was documented by the late Jerome S. Wagshal in a series of articles appearing in the Chronicle (Nos. 56, 60, 61 and 62). Wagshal quotes statements made in 1893 and 1910 by a Washington D.C. stamp dealer, Carl F. Rothfuchs, to the effect that Rothfuchs obtained a supply of the 3c Scarlet in 1893 -- probably from the Post Office Department in exchange for his assistance with the Columbian Exposition -- and sold them with pen marks and original gum. The Rothfuchs lot is not from the same supply acquired by John W. Scott in the late 1870's, from which stamps exist uncancelled and cancelled with a New York City Station D oval.
With 1987 P.F. certificate
5c Red Brown (75). Original gum, barely hinged, fiery shade of Red Brown, outstanding centering with balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB SOUND AND CENTERED ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1861 5-CENT RED BROWN. A GREAT RARITY IN THIS OUTSTANDING CONDITION.
The 5c Red Brown is one of the 1861-66 stamps that challenges collectors who demand choice original-gum examples. Multiples are extremely rare, with only one recorded original-gum block; therefore, there has never been a supply of blocks from which singles could be harvested. The vast majority of original-gum singles are off-center, faulty or both. The example offered here -- in superb original-gum condition -- is a truly rare stamp.
With 2016 P.F. certificate (XF 90 XQ). The "XQ" denotes extraordinary quality. By way of comparison, the highest graded original gum example of Scott 75 contained in P.S.E.'s Population Report is Fine 70
5c Red Brown (75). Large part original gum which covers most of the back (though a bit unevenly), deep rich color in the Red Brown shade, proof-like impression, Fine, scarce in sound condition with original gum, with 2014 P.S.E. certificate
24c Lilac (78). Original gum, lightly hinged, attractive centering for this difficult issueVERY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 24-CENT LILAC 1863 ISSUE.
With 2010 P.S.E. certificate
24c Lilac (78). Large part original gum, intense shade, Fine, with 2005 P.F. certificate
24c Lilac (78). Choice centering with well-proportioned margins, strong color, circle of wedges cancel, Extremely Fine, with 2009 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $1,000.00)
24c Lilac (78). Bright color, small tears at top, clear strike of Bat fancy cancel of Hingham Mass. (Skinner-Eno PA-BT 1), trace of red circular datestamp at left, Extremely Fine strike