Sale 1234 — The Gary Petersen Collection of Important United States Stamps
Sale Date — Thursday-Friday, 29-30 April, 2021
Category — 1880-83 American Bank Note Special Printings (Scott 192-211D)
1c Dark Ultramarine, Special Printing (192). Without gum as issued, deep rich color on bright paperVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A RARE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 192, available at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/192 , contains 27 examples, including one in the Miller collection owned by The New York Public Library, leaving 26 available to collectors. Of these, only eleven are reported to be sound. The example offered here, centered to bottom but with perfs clear and in completely sound condition, is a very desirable example of this issue.
Census no. 192-UNC-11. Ex "Vineyard" and Hoffman. With 1971 and 2001 P.F. certificates
2c Black Brown, Special Printing (193). Without gum as issued, deep rich color and detailed impression, unusually choice centering, small filled thin at center not mentioned on certificateVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 2-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 193 contains 51 examples, including one in the Miller collection owned by The New York Public Library, leaving 50 available to collectors. Almost half have faults (mostly thins, which are endemic to this soft porous paper). Of the sound examples, nearly all are centered to top or one side. The example offered here, with well-proportioned margins, is very desirable.
Census no. 193-UNC-50. With 1952 P.F. certificate
3c Blue Green, Special Printing (194). Without gum as issued, deep rich color, choice centering for this difficult issue, small corner creases at top right are negligibleVERY FINE APPEARANCE. THE 3-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SOFT-PAPER SPECIAL PRINTING IS ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL SPECIAL PRINTINGS -- OUR CENSUS RECORDS ONLY 15 EXAMPLES IN PRIVATE HANDS.
Our census of Scott 194, available at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/194 , contains 16 examples, including one in the Miller collection owned by The New York Public Library, leaving 15 available to collectors. Nine are confirmed as sound but almost half have perfs close on at least one side. Its rarity is similar to or exceeds the most valuable Special Printings, such as Scott Nos. 180 (24 known), 181 (10 known), 203 (20 known), 204 (18 known), 205C (23 known) and 211D (27 known). In fact, it is the rarest of any Bank Note Special Printing among the Scott-listed "sets" (167-177 and 192-202).
Census no. 194-UNC-08. Ex Dr. Test ("Concord"). With 1994 P.F. certificate
6c Dull Rose, Special Printing (195). Without gum as issued, fresh and bright color, completely soundFINE. A RARE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE 6-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 29 EXAMPLES ARE RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS. A PHENOMENAL RARITY.
Our census of Scott 195 contains 29 examples, including one in the Miller collection owned by The New York Public Library, leaving 28 available to collectors. This is an oddly low number. Some of the stamps submitted as the Special Printing, but certified as the regular issue, Scott 186, could in fact be Special Printing stamps (the two are difficult to tell apart). We record another three stamps which we feel are possibly Scott 195, despite previous P.F. certification. Although most examples of this rarity are sound (or potentially sound), many are off center.
Census no. 195-UNC-28. Ex Honeyman. With 2007 P.F. certificate
7c Scarlet Vermilion, Special Printing (196). Without gum as issued, deep rich color
FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 7-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 196 contains approximately 86 examples. Census no. 196-UNC-52.
10c Deep Brown, Special Printing (197). Without gum as issued, rich color and sharp proof-like impression, beautiful centering with wide marginsEXTREMELY FINE. A RARE SOUND AND CENTERED EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 197 contains 34 examples, including one in the Miller collection owned by The New York Public Library, leaving 33 available to collectors. Of these, ten have faults, leaving only 23 sound or potentially sound examples (seven have not been examined in many years). Several of these have poor centering.
Census no. 197-UNC-22. Ex West. With 1994 P.F. and 2006 P.S.E. certificates (VF 80 Jumbo; SMQ $50,000.00)
12c Blackish Purple, Special Printing (198). Without gum as issued, deep rich color and detailed impressionFRESH AND FINE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE 1880 12-CENT AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
#Our census of Scott 198 contains 65 examples, including one in the Miller collection owned by The New York Public Library, leaving 64 available to collectors. Of these, at least one-third have flaws. Many have poor centering.
Census no. 198-UNC-37. With 1969 and 2000 P.F. certificates
15c Orange, Special Printing (199). Without gum as issued, brilliant color, fine impressionVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A FRESH EXAMPLE OF THE 15-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 199 contains 38 examples, including one in the Miller collection owned by The New York Public Library, leaving 37 available to collectors. Of these, only 12 are confirmed as sound, 11 have faults and 14 need to be reexamined according to current methods and standards.
Census no. 199-UNC-04. With 1952 and 2001 P.F. certificates
24c Dark Violet, Special Printing (200). Without gum as issued, deep rich color and intense impressionFINE EXAMPLE OF THE 1880 24-CENT AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 200 contains approximately 67 examples.
Census no. 200-UNC-13. Ex Golin. With 1974 P.F. certificate
30c Greenish Black, Special Printing (201). Without gum as issued, intense shade and detailed impression, perfectly centered, tiny thin spot at top right on one perf tipEXTREMELY FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 201 contains 46 examples, including one in the Miller collection owned by The New York Public Library, leaving 45 available to collectors. Only ten are confirmed as sound and only seven of those are well-centered. Another 17 need to be reexamined for condition, but only a handful of these have better than Fine centering. Other than the truly negligible perf tip thin, which is symptomatic of soft porous paper and hardly cause for concern, this stamp exhibits the most striking centering and margins of any 30c 1880 Special Printing.
Census no. 201-UNC-19. Ex Stephen Brown and Geisler. Signed by Sloane in pencil. With 1972 and 2001 P.F. certificates
90c Dull Carmine, Special Printing (202). Without gum as issued, rich color on bright paper, small thin spot at topFINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 90-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 42 ARE RECORDED.
Our census of Scott 202 contains 42 examples, including one in the Miller collection owned by The New York Public Library, leaving 41 available to collectors. The 90c 1880 Special Printing on soft paper is notorious for its condition. Thins or more serious faults affect about half of the known examples.
Census no. 202-UNC-27. With 1968 P.F. certificate
2c Scarlet Vermilion, Special Printing (203). Without gum as issued, well-centered for this difficult stamp with wide margins, beautiful rich color on fresh bright paperVERY FINE AND CHOICE. THIS IS ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL BANK NOTE SPECIAL PRINTINGS. OUR CENSUS RECORDS ONLY 20 EXAMPLES OF THE 2-CENT SCARLET VERMILION 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE FINEST COPIES IN EXISTENCE.
Our census of Scott 203, available at our website at https://siegelauctions.com/census/ us/scott/203 , contains 20 examples, including one in the Miller collection owned by The New York Public Library. Of the 19 available to collectors, six have faults or have not been examined in recent years to determine soundness.
Census no. 203-UNC-03. Ex Hetherington, Anderson, Weisman and Floyd. With 1992 P.S.E. certificate. With 1953, 1998 and 2006 P.F. certificates (last graded VF 80)
5c Deep Blue, Special Printing (204). Without gum as issued, deep rich color and detailed impression on bright paper, exceptional centering with wide and balanced margins, tiny "nick" at right in 6th perf hole down from topEXTREMELY FINE. THIS IS ONE OF THE TWO WIDEST-MARGINED AND BEST-CENTERED EXAMPLES OF THE RARE 5-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 18 ARE RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS.
The 5c 1880 Special Printing on soft paper is one of the most elusive of all the Bank Note Special Printings. Our census of Scott 204, available at our website at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/204 , contains 18 examples, including one in the Miller collection owned by The New York Public Library. Only one other's margin width and centering rival this stamp’s (204-UNC-05, Siegel Sale 1025, lot 175). Despite the tiny flaw, which was probably the natural result of perforating and separating, this is one of the most striking of the ultra-rare Bank Note Company Special Printings.
Census no. 204-UNC-04. Ex Lilly, Meilstrup, Hetherington and "Newport". With 1948 (clear) and 2008 P.F. certificates.
5c Gray Brown, Special Printing (205C). Without gum as issued, deep rich color, attractive centering and marginsFRESH AND FINE EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 1882 5-CENT GARFIELD SPECIAL PRINTING, SCOTT 205C. ONLY 23 EXAMPLES ARE RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS.
This elusive Special Printing was the subject of an informative article by William E. Mooz in Chronicle 153 (February 1992). His research provides strong evidence that the stamps recognized as Scott 205C are a small part of the 2,463 sold as Special Printings through the Third Assistant Postmaster General and that regular issues were used to fill the backlog of orders for the 5c Garfield.
Our census of Scott 205C, available at our website at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/205C , contains 23 examples.
Census no. 205C-UNC-16. Ex Crocker and Peyton ("Isleham" collection, Siegel Sale 662). Light pencil expertizing signature on back. P.F. certificate no. 22896 no longer accompanies. With 1993 P.F. certificate
4c Deep Blue Green, Special Printing (211D). Without gum as issued, rich color and proof-like impression, accompanying certificate notes a small thin spot, which is a tiny speck at top, barely visible and is quite possibly a natural artifact of the soft porous paper and not a true thin at allVERY FINE AND CHOICE CENTERING. A MAGNIFICENT EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 4-CENT 1883 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING. THIS IS ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL SPECIAL PRINTINGS.
Our census of the 4c 1883 Special Printing, available at our website at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/211D , contains 26 stamps offered as Scott 211D, of which 25 have been certified by The Philatelic Foundation. Post Office Department records indicate that only 26 were sold. Of the known copies, at least six have small faults and several others have not been examined for condition in many years.
Census no. 211D-UNC-26. Ex Hale. Tiny light "S.S. & C. Co." (Scott Stamp & Coin Co.) backstamp. With 2003 P.F. certificate.