Sale 1251 — The John B. Field Collection of Superb United States Stamps
Sale Date — Wednesday-Thursday, 2-3 March, 2022
Category — 1893 Columbian Issue (Scott 230-245)
1c-$5.00 Columbian, Plate Proofs on Card (230P4-245P4). Large margins, bright colors, fresh and Very Fine set
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1c-15c Columbian (230-238). Mint N.H., including extra 2c with Broken Hat and also additional 6c in the Red Violet shade, rich colors, choice centering, Very Fine-Extremely Fine, 3c with 1989 P.F. certificate
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1c-15c Columbian (230-238). Mint N.H. except 15c lightly hinged, including additional 2c with Broken Hat, 10c with wide bottom part imprint selvage, 3c with left selvage, rich colors, fresh and Very Fine-Extremely Fine group, five with certificates from the 1980s or 1990s
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2c Brown Violet, Columbian, Broken Hat (231). Mint N.H., deep rich color and proof-like impression, choice centering with wide and balanced margins, Extremely Fine, with 1983 P.F. certificate
3c Green, Columbian (232). Mint N.H., rich color on bright paper, Extremely Fine, with 2022 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $250.00)
4c Blue, Columbian, Error of Color (233a). Original gum, lightly hinged, breathtaking deep rich color on bright paper, unusually choice centering with Jumbo marginsEXTREMELY FINE. THIS IS EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES OF THE RARE 4-CENT COLUMBIAN ERROR OF COLOR. A MARVELOUS STAMP.
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 other 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.
Ex Hetherington ("Quality" collection) and Merlin. With 1951 P.F. and 2006 P.S.E. certificates (OGph, VF-XF 85 Jumbo; SMQ $30,000.00). Only one grades higher (at 90).
10c Black Brown, Columbian (237). Mint N.H., deep rich color and detailed impression, well-balanced margins, Extremely Fine, with 1980 P.F. certificate
30c Orange Brown, Columbian (239). Mint N.H., rich color on bright paper, unusually choice centering, fresh and Extremely Fine, with 2022 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $2,400.00)
$1.00 Salmon, Columbian (241). Bright shade, tied by "World's Fair Station Sep. 15 1893 4-PM" machine cancel on cover with return address for the Hotel Bismarck to the World's Fair post office in Chicago, cover with small tear at bottom of little consequence, Very Fine and attractive use from the exhibition
50c Slate Blue, Columbian (240). Mint N.H. with bottom part imprint selvage, deep rich color and proof-like impression, phenomenal centering with Jumbo marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE FINEST MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLES OF THE 50-CENT COLUMBIAN ISSUE IN EXISTENCE. THIS REMARKABLE STAMP IS GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 JUMBO BY P.S.E. -- ONLY TWO GRADE HIGHER AND NO OTHERS SHARE THIS DESIRABLE GRADE.
With 1999 P.F. and 2005 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $15,000.00). Only two grade higher (at 98 and 100) and none share this desirable grade.
$2.00 Brown Red, 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. -- THE DOLLAR-VALUE COLUMBIAN ISSUES ARE EXTREMELY RARE IN SUCH HIGH GRADES IN MINT NEVER-HINGED CONDITION.
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 $3,600.00 for a Mint N.H. stamp (in Very Fine grade) does not begin to reflect the true rarity of such examples.
Ex Whitman. With 1999 P.F., 2008 and 2013 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $65,000.00). Only one grades higher (at 98, we have never offered it) and four others share this high grade. These are exceedingly small population numbers for such a popular series as the Columbian Issue.
$3.00 Yellow Green, Columbian (243). Mint N.H., rich color, detailed impression, choice centering for this difficult issueEXTREMELY FINE. 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, AND THIS EXAMPLE HAS BETTER CENTERING THAN MOST.
The $3.00 Columbian is one of the most difficult of the dollar values to obtain in such choice condition. Only 24,713 were issued, which is approximately half the number of the $1.00 and $2.00.
Ex Whitman. With 1992 P.F. certificate
$4.00 Crimson Lake, Columbian (244). Mint N.H. with bottom right corner selvage, radiant color, Jumbo margins, tiny natural inclusion at center not mentioned on accompanying certificateVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A JUMBO MINT NEVER-HINGED CORNER-MARGIN 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 SHEET-MARGIN POSITION.
Ex Whitman. With 2014 P.F. certificate
$5.00 Black, Columbian (245). Original gum, barest trace of hinging, intense shade and impression, Fine, with 2021 P.F. certificate