Sale 989 — 2010 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Saturday, 19 June, 2010
Category — 1869 Pictorial Issue and 1875 Re-Issue
1c-90c 1869 Pictorial, Small Die Proofs on Wove (112P2-122P2). Intact page from a Roosevelt presentation album with "1869" label below, brilliant colors, minor edgewear, Very Fine, scarce intact page as only approximately 85 were produced and many were broken
1c Buff, Double Grill (112 var). Horizontal pair, left stamp Mint N.H., right stamp barely hinged, clear second grill, rich colorVERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL PAIR OF THE ONE-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE WITH DOUBLE GRILL. ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE WITH ONE STAMP IN MINT NEVER-HINGED CONDITION.
This variety is very rare. An examination of Power Search found only one double grill variety (one quadruple split) offered in 1996, which was used. Our computerized records do not contain another.
With 1992 P.F. certificate for block of four. Scott Retail as hinged singles
1c Buff, Without Grill (112b). Large part original gum described on accompanying certificate as "part o.g.", bright colorVERY FINE AND EXTREMELY RARE. IT IS BELIEVED THAT ONLY THREE EXAMPLES OF THE ONE-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL WITHOUT GRILL ARE KNOWN, ACCORDING TO THE ROSE BOOK.
We have offered only two since keeping computerized records. One was offered in our 1997 Rose sale. The other, ex Coulter, was recently offered in our 2009 Whitman sale. The example offered here has been off the market for approximately 50 years.
With 1994 P.F. certificate
2c Brown (113). Jumbo margins and almost mathematically perfect centering, fresh color on bright paper, cork cancelEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A MAGNIFICENT USED EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT 1869 ISSUE GRADED SUBERB 98 JUMBO BY P.S.E. THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO DATE.
With 1991 P.F. and 2010 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98 Jumbo; unpriced in SMQ above the grade of 98, SMQ $2,150.00 as 98). This is the highest grade awarded to date and only one other shares this grade
2c Brown (113). Used with six 10c Brown (161) and tied by "N. York Steamship Nov. 13" circular datestamps on cover from Cuba to Barcelona, Spain, cover also bears four Cuba 25c Ultramarine (59) tied by indistinct strikes of oval florette cancels, Commission Merchant's printed return address on back, 1874 London transit, receiving backstamp, red crayon "86/2" rate, some flaws incl. staining around stamps and few affected from placement near edge of coverVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE MIXED FRANKING -- MIXED COUNTRIES AND MIXED ISSUES -- PAYING POSTAGE FROM CUBA TO THE UNITED STATES AND BEYOND TO SPAIN.
There are ten mixed franking covers recorded sent from Cuba to Spain.
Ex Knapp
3c Ultramarine (114). Horizontal strip of three and single, tied by Anchor in Diamond of Dots French Maritime cancels on orange cover to Caen, France, with "Etats-Unis Paq. Fr. H. No. 3 12 Juin 69" French Line H octagonal datestamp, small red "PD" boxed handstamp, receiving backstamp, missing part of top flap, strip affected from placement near edge of cover and one stamp has fallen off in transit, otherwise Fine, a very rare usage
3c Ultramarine, Without Grill (114a). Original gum, rich color on bright paper, choice centering for this difficult issue with wide and balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE. A VERY RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 3-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE WITHOUT GRILL. THE LOWER-VALUE 1869'S WITHOUT GRILL ARE MUCH RARER THAN THE HIGH VALUES, AND THEY ARE SELDOM ENCOUNTERED IN CHOICE CONDITION.
We have only offered sixteen other unused examples in our computerized records, which includes all of our Rarities sales plus 14 years of auctions. The stamp offered here has been off the market for approximately 50 years.
With 1994 P.F. certificate
6c Ultramarine (115). Original gum, lightly hinged, rich color on bright paper, well-defined grill, unusually choice centering with well-balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 6-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE, WHICH BEEN GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. A STUNNING STAMP IN EVERY RESPECT.
With 1986 and 2000 P.F. and 2005 P.S.E. certificates (OGph, XF-Superb 95; SMQ $12,000.00). This is the highest grade awarded to date and only three others share this grade.
10c Yellow (116). Original gum, single hinge mark, vibrant color as fresh as the day it was printed, wide and balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE, WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E.
Due to the slightly asymmetrical design, this value of the 1869 Pictorial set is difficult to obtain in the higher grades. With 2005 P.F. and 2006 P.S.E. certificates (OGph, XF-Superb 95; SMQ $11,000.00). Only one has graded higher to date (four others share this grade).
15c Brown & Blue, Ty. I, Double Grill (118 var). Original gum, showing clear second grill which slightly overlaps the first, pretty colorsVERY FINE AND CHOICE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 15-CENT TYPE I 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE WITH SPLIT GRILL. OUR COMPUTERIZED RECORDS CONTAIN ONLY ONE OTHER EXAMPLE OFFERED IN ONE OF OUR AUCTIONS.
With 2008 P.S.E. certificate. The only other original gum example contained in our computerized records was offered in our 1983 Rarities sale.
15c Brown & Blue, Ty. II (119). Original gum, deep rich color and proof-like impressions on crisp paper, clearly-defined grillVERY FINE AND CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 15-CENT TYPE II 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE.
With 2002 P.F. certificate
24c Green & Violet (120). Original gum, deep rich colors, clearly-defined grill, wide marginsVERY FINE AND CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 24-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE.
With 2007 P.S.E. certificate
24c Green & Violet (120). Bright colors, unusually choice centering with wide and balanced margins, neat strike of quartered cork cancelEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB USED EXAMPLE OF THE 24-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE.
With 2005 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $3,500.00)
24c Green & Violet (120). Rich colors and proof-like impressions, centered to bottom right with perfs slightly in, used with horizontal pair of 2c Red Brown (146), s.e. at right, tied by circle of V's fancy cancel on 1870 blue folded cover to Cadiz, Spain, red "New York Paid All Br. Transit Aug. 3" backstamp, matching "24" credit handstamp, red London Paid transit and "PD" in oval, large red "2" handstamp, Cadiz receiving datestamp, sender's blue oval datestampVERY FINE AND FRESH. A COLORFUL MIXED-ISSUE 1869 FRANKING FOR THE 28-CENT RATE TO SPAIN -- ONE OF FOUR RECORDED WITH THIS FRANKING. A SPECTACULAR COVER FROM THE GOMEZ CORRESPONDENCE.
Ten 24c 1869 covers to Spain are recorded in the 1869 PRA census, but one of these (with 1c and 3c stamps, ex Ishikawa) has been declared a forgery, leaving nine genuine covers. Four covers are prepaid with a combination of the 24c and two 2c Bank Note stamps.
Ex "European". With 2000 P.F. certificate
90c Carmine & Black (122). Unusually choice centering with wide and balanced margins, bright colors, cancelled by Star in Circle fancy cancel which is clearly visible at lower rightEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING USED EXAMPLE OF THE 90-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE, WHICH IS THE RAREST DENOMINATION WITH A FANCY CANCELLATION.
Due to the high denomination of the issue, it seems that many used examples of the 90c 1869 Pictorial Issue were cancelled by heavy corks, which were designed to prevent the reuse of the stamp. We have offered only a handful cancelled otherwise, and these are almost never seen with anything approaching a fancy design. When one factors centering and overall condition into the equation, the rarity of this stamp is multiplied exponentially.
With 2007 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (both graded XF-Superb 95; SMQ $8,500.00). Only two have graded higher to date, and the fancy cancel on this stamp should propel it to a higher grade.
15c Brown & Blue, Ty. II, Center Inverted (119b). Deep rich colors and proof-like impressions, unobtrusive strike of quartered cork cancel leaves the design clearly visible, better centering than usually found on this difficult issue, tiny thin spot at bottom right, small horizontal crease at bottom leftFINE APPEARANCE. AN ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 15-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL INVERT. ONLY 93 COPIES ARE RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS.
Our census of 1869 Inverts, published in the February 1999 Chronicle and updated with three new stamps, contains 93 examples of the 15c Invert, including three unused and 90 used (one in the British Library's Tapling collection).
Census No. 119b-CAN-CW06. With 1983 P.F. certificate
24c Green & Violet, Center Inverted (120b). Rich colors, neat strike of rosette cancel, few small flaws incl. sealed tear at upper leftVERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE OF THE 24-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE INVERT. ONLY 89 USED EXAMPLES OF THE 24-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL INVERT ARE RECORDED.
Our published 1869 Invert census (with unpublished updates) contains 89 copies of the perforated 24c Invert, including four unused stamps and used multiples.
Census No. 120b-CAN-SE08. This stamp has never been certified and is included in our census based on a 1941 auction listing.
30c Blue & Carmine, Center Inverted (121b). Unusually bright colors and fine impressions of the flags and central design, exceptionally well-defined grill, bold red Leaf cancellation at the bottom of the stamp which leaves the inverted flags completely unobscured, inconsequential corner crease at top left and corner perf crease at bottom leftVERY FINE AND CHOICE. THE FINEST OF THE FIVE RECORDED 30-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL INVERTS CANCELLED IN RED.
The red Leaf cancel was used in New York City on Supplementary Mail. It is scarce on the 30c 1869, and only five of the 36 recorded 30c Inverts are cancelled in red.
Our published census of 30c 1869 Invert (with unpublished updates) contains a total of 45 stamps, including 7 unused and 38 used.
Census No. 121b-CAN-NC01. Ex Colonel Green and Rose. With 1981 and 1997 P.F. certificates, the latter stating "genuine with faint corner creases". Scott Retail without premium for red cancellation.
2c Brown, Re-Issue (124). Deep rich color and proof-like impression on bright paper, bold strike of unusual grid cancel, long and full perforationsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A BEAUTIFUL USED EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL RE-ISSUE.
With 1983, 1999 and 2009 P.F. certificates (XF-Superb 95)
10c Yellow, Re-Issue (127). Bright color, wide margins and choice centering, cancelled by neat strike of Cleveland O. registry ovalEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL USED EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL RE-ISSUE.
With 2010 P.F. certificate
24c Green & Violet, Re-Issue (130). Unusually wide margins and nearly perfect centering, bright colors, light strike of oval registry cancel leaves design clearly visibleEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL USED EXAMPLE OF THE 24-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL RE-ISSUE. THIS MARVELOUS STAMP HAS BEEN AWARDED THE GRADE OF XF-SUPERB 95, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO DATE.
With 2009 P.F. and 2010 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $7,400.00). SMQ estimates that approximately 70 used examples are known. This is the highest grade awarded to date and only one other has achieved this grade.