Sale 989 — 2010 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Saturday, 19 June, 2010
Category — 1870-93 Bank Note Co. Issues
2c Red Brown, Grill (135). H. Grill, original gum, beautiful color, wide margins, easily discernible grill pointsEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1870 2-CENT NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY GRILLED ISSUE.
With 2002 and 2007 P.F. certificates (XF 90)
90c Carmine (155). Used with 30c Black (154) and 6c Dull Pink (159), cancelled by blue targets and also by matching "Cincinnati O. Oct. 31" circular datestamp on reduced courthouse cover to St. Louis Mo., Feb. 1874 docketing, 90c stamp faded, some slight overall wearVERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXTREMELY RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENT AND 90-CENT NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY UNGRILLED ISSUE ON A COVER. ONLY THREE EXAMPLES OF THE 90-CENT ARE REPORTED ON COVER, AND THIS IS ONE OF ONLY TWO DOMESTIC USAGES.
The only example to a foreign destination known to us was offered in our 1974 auction of the Braus collection. It bears a single 90c with a 15c Orange (152) used by the Consolidation Coal Co. to Rio de Janeiro. The other domestic usage is illustrated in Linn's U.S. Stamp Facts and is also from Cincinnati on a courthouse cover used with a 12c to St. Louis.
With 2010 P.F. certificate.
3c Green (158). Rich color, tied by well-struck blue Pool Table fancy cancel, matching Chicago Ill. Mar. 30" circular datestamp on Dental-related corner card cover to Knoxville Ill., slightly reduced at rightEXTREMELY FINE STRIKE OF THE RARE "POOL TABLE" FANCY CANCELLATION, WHICH CLEARLY DEPICTS A BILLIARD TABLE.
Only two are reported.
10c Brown (161). Original gum, lightly hinged, bright color, beautiful centering with wide marginsEXTREMELY FINE. A GORGEOUS ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1873 10-CENT CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE.
Ex Odeneal. With 1994 and 2007 P.F. certificates (XF 90)
12c Dull Violet (151). Tied by well-struck red New York Foreign Mail Geometric cancel (Weiss Ty. GE-EN8), red "New York Sup. Paid Sep. 5" circular datestamp on folded cover to London, England, endorsed "per Str. City of Richmond" and carried aboard that Inman Line ship, 1874 London transits incl. two backstamps, faint horizontal file fold well away from stampVERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THIS COLORFUL NEW YORK FOREIGN MAIL CANCELLATION. THIS IS THE EARLIEST DOCUMENTED USE OF THIS ELABORATE NEW YORK FOREIGN MAIL CANCELLATION.
Ex Kaplan and Albert
30c Greenish Black (165 var). Original gum, lightly hinged, soft charcoal gray shade with a greenish cast that is unique to the Continental printing, crisp impression on fresh paperEXTREMELY FINE GEM. ONE OF THE MOST OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES OF THE 30-CENT 1873 CONTINENTAL WE HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED. ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE IN THE GREENISH BLACK SHADE.
The 30c Continental is extremely rare in any original-gum condition that approaches this example. Blocks have always been rare -- for example, Caspary did not have one; Lilly had one well-centered block of four and an off-center block of six -- which means that singles could not be harvested from multiples.
With 1983 and 1990 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (OGph, XF-Superb 95; SMQ $15,600.00). This is the highest grade awarded to date and only one other shares this grade. As another indicator of rarity of this issue in higher grades, SMQ does not even bother to price this as a 98.
30c Gray Black (165). Used with 1c Ultramarine (156) and pair of 10c Brown (161), tied by "New-York Mar. 31" duplex cancels on 1877 folded cover to Lima, Peru, red "New York Mar. 31" circular datestamp, endorsed "Str. Acapulco via Panama" in error as this was a discontinued route, sent by American Packet and then British Packet via Colon, red crayon "36/3" credit, back of cover with pair and single of Peru, 1874, 10c Orange, Postage Due (J3) stamps cancelled by Lima double-circle datestamps, Very Fine, a scarce and desirable triple-rate combination franking with Peru Postage Due stamps
90c Rose Carmine (166). Tied by partial strike of "1" duplex, second strike below with "New-York Oct. 8" circular datestamp on blue linen-lined cover to Para, Brazil, stamp defective and top of cover refoldedVERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE SINGLE FRANKING OF THE 1873 90-CENT CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE ON A COVER TO BRAZIL.
This cover was carried via St. Thomas to Para, and was carried on the third sailing of the City of Para. The 90c stamp paid 9-times the single rate.
With 1986 P.F. certificate
12c Dark Violet, Special Printing (173). Without gum as issued, rich color on bright paper, choice centering with unusually wide margins, scissors-separated as usual but leaving intact perfs on all four sidesEXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE FINEST EXAMPLES OF THE 12-CENT 1875 CONTINENTAL SPECIAL PRINTING IN EXISTENCE.
Our recently updated census records for Scott 173 contain 61 certified examples.
Unpublished Census No. 173-UNC-61. pencil "H R & Co." backstamp. With 2009 P.F. certificate
24c Dull Purple, Special Printing (175). Without gum as issued, rich color, unusually choice centering for this difficult issue with completely intact and full perforations on all sides, crisp paperEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING EXAMPLE OF THE 24-CENT 1875 CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our recently updated census records for Scott 175 contain approximately 100 examples. This is certainly one of the finest.
Unpublished Census No. 175-UNC-99. Ex Lilly. With 1966 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90; SMQ $16,100.00).
24c Dull Purple, Special Printing (175). Deep rich color on bright paper, bold strike of registry oval cancel, small faults not mentioned on accompanying certificateVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE USED EXAMPLE OF THE 24-CENT 1875 CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING. LESS THAN FIVE USED EXAMPLES ARE KNOWN.
There are no known used examples of the soft paper American Bank Note Co. Special Printing. For the hard paper Continental Bank Note Co. Special Printing, the 3c and 24c are known used. The most spectacular example is a cover bearing Scott No. 169, cancelled at the Centennial Exposition. Our records contain only three used examples of the 24c: 1) the example offered here, last offered at auction in our 1967 Rarities sale; 2) an example offered in our 1992 Rarities sale, with few horizontal creases; and 3) an example with a small thin spot and tear, offered in our Sale 930.
With 1966 P.F. certificate. Offered to the market for the first time since our 1967 Rarities Sale.
15c Red Orange (189). Block of fourteen with imprint and plate no. 31 at top, twelve stamps Mint N.H., pos. 10 and 11 lightly hinged, vibrant color as fresh as the day it was printed, few natural inclusionsVERY FINE-EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL BLOCK FOURTEEN OF THE 15-CENT 1879 AMERICAN BANK NOTE PRINTING.
Scott Retail as singles with no premium for the imprint and plate no.
10c Black Brown (209b). Horizontal pair, used with two 2c Red Brown (210) and tied by "Boston Mass. Dec. 21, 1886 2:30 PM" duplex cancels on cover to Sydney, New South Wales, San Francisco backstamp, trivial edgewear not mentioned on accompanying certificate, Very Fine, exceedingly rare use of the 10c Black Brown shade to pay double 12c treaty rate to Australia, with 2010 P.F. certificate, Scott Retail for a used No. 209b is $350.00, the value for a cover is too low at $550.00
2c Pale Red Brown, Special Printing (211B). Mint N.H. with top left corner selvage, perfectly centered with wide and balanced margins, radiant colorEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLES OF THE 2-CENT 1883 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING. ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE FROM THE CORNER SELVAGE POSITION.
With 1982 and 1991 P.F. and 2009 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $4,500.00 as 95, unpriced as 98). This is the highest grade awarded to date and the only example to achieve this grade.
2c Pale Red Brown, Special Printing, Horizontal Pair, Imperforate Between (211Bc). Original gum, lightly hinged, with "AMERICAN BAN" of imprint at top, radiant color, choice centeringEXTREMELY FINE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT 1883 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING WHICH IS IMPERFORATE BETWEEN AND SHOWS PART OF THE IMPRINT. ONLY FIVE MULTIPLES CAN SHOW ANY OF THE IMPRINT.
In 1885 the American Bank Note Co. experimented with a Hoe & Co. steam-powered, chain-driven printing press to increase the rate of production. New plates of 200 subjects were created for use on the steam press, including one with the distinctive "STEAMER - AMERICAN BANK NOTE CO." imprint at the top center of the plate. Five sheets of 200 stamps were printed from this "Steamer" plate and sent to the Post Office Department. Since the full sheets were intended to be divided into panes of 100, the vertical gutter between the two panes was left imperforate. These sheets were later sold into the philatelic market and divided into smaller units.
We can account for all five top imprint pieces from the "Steamer" sheets. One is a block of sixteen with disturbed gum and creases (Siegel 1974 Rarities sale, lot 113), which probably came from the sheet once owned by Senator Ackerman. The strip of six offered in our recent Whitman sale is the second largest multiple. These two are the only recorded multiples with the complete imprint. The three remaining imperforate-between multiples from the tops of the sheets are a block of four and two pairs, each with the "American Ban" portion of the imprint but lacking the word "Steamer".
With 1998 and 2009 P.F. certificates
4c Deep Blue Green, Special Printing (211D). Without gum as issued, intense color and sharp proof-like impressionFINE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 4-CENT 1883 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING. ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL SPECIAL PRINTINGS.
Our census of the 4c 1883 Special Printing (available at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/211D/211D.pdf ) contains 26 stamps offered as No. 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, five have small faults.
Census No. 211D-UNC-08. Originally part of a block of four with Census Nos. 211D-UNC-01, 11 and 15. With 2009 P.F. certificate as single.
5c Indigo (216). S.e. at left and few flaws, tied by quartered cork, "Ocean Grove N.J. Aug. 15, 1889" circular datestamp on cover to Seoul, Korea via San Francisco and Japan, over the weight limit and handstamped "25/T" (25 centimes deficiency) in San Francisco, postage due paid by Japan 1877 10s Blue (62), tied by boxed due marking, light strike of "Due 10" handstamp with amount in pencil, San Francisco and Yokohama backstamps, some slight edgewear, Fine appearance, an extremely rare mixed franking with a Japanese stamp used by the I.J.P.O. in Korea, with 1996 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Cap on Left "2" (220a). Mint N.H., intense shade and impression on bright paper, unusually choice centering with wide and balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1890 ISSUE WITH CAP OVER THE LEFT "2".
With 2005 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $3,650.00). This is the highest grade awarded to date (six others share this grade). As an example of how rare this is in higher grades, the SMQ does not even bother to price this as a 98.
2c Carmine, Cap on Left "2" (220a). Mint N.H., deep rich color, perfectly centered with wide and balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS SUPERB STAMP IS ONE OF THE FINEST MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLES OF THE 2-CENT 1890 ISSUE WITH CAP ON THE LEFT "2" IN EXISTENCE.
With 2003 and 2009 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $3,650.00). This is the highest grade awarded to date and only six others share this grade.
5c Chocolate (223). Mint N.H. with wide selvage at bottom with letter "I", perfectly centered with Jumbo margins all around, gorgeous color and fine impressionEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1890 ISSUE, GRADED SUPERB 98 JUMBO BY P.S.E. -- ONLY ONE HAS GRADED HIGHER TO DATE.
With 1991 and 1996 P.F. and 2007 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98 Jumbo; SMQ $7,000.00 as 98). Only one has graded higher to date (three others share this grade)