Sale 1231 — The James P. Myerson Collection of Superb United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 9-10 February, 2021
Category — 1898 Trans-Mississippi Issue (Scott 285-293)
5c Trans-Mississippi (288). Beautifully balanced wide margins, deep rich color on fresh paper, light registry oval cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, a superb stamp in every respect, with 2011 and 2013 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98; SMQ $1,150.00), this is the highest grade awarded and it is shared by only three others
10c Trans-Mississippi (290). Perfectly centered with wide margins, fresh color on bright paper, registry oval cancel struck at right leaving the beautiful dead horse engraving completely visible, Extremely Fine Gem, a superb stamp, with 2012 P.S.A.G. (98 used) and 2013 P.F. certificates (Superb 98), by way of comparison the highest grade awarded by P.S.E. is also 98 (three examples)
50c Trans-Mississippi (291). Impressively wide margins and precise centering, deep rich color, vignette-free cancel leaves the iconic engraving of Remington's "Gold Bug" completely visible, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2005 and 2014 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SQ $1,100.00), only three grade higher (the highest is a 98)
$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (292). Outstanding centering with wide margins, intense shade on bright paper, unobtrusive circular cancelsEXTREMELY FINE GEM USED EXAMPLE OF THE $1.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE.
The $1.00 Trans-Mississippi is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful designs in U.S. philately. The picture is supposed to portray cattle in the American West and is labeled "Western Cattle In Storm" at bottom. However, the subject of the original painting by J. A. MacWhirter, who specialized in romantic landscapes and first exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy at the age of 14, was cattle in the West Highlands of Scotland.
With 2016 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $4,000.00). Only four grade higher.
$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (293). Intense color as fresh as the day it was printed, bright paper, unusually choice centering for this difficult issue with well-balanced margins, unobtrusive strike of circular datestamp cancel leaves entire design clearly visibleEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THE $2.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN IN SUCH SUPERB CONDITION. THIS REMARKABLE STAMP, WITH GORGEOUS COLOR, CHOICE CENTERING, UNOBTRUSIVE CANCEL AND OVERALL FRESHNESS, IS WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE FINEST IN EXISTENCE.
The design of the $2.00 Trans-Mississippi depicts the Eads bridge, which spans the Mississippi River at St. Louis. The original engraving was used on the admission ticket to the Republican Convention of 1896, which nominated William McKinley as candidate for president. The stamp, issued during the McKinley administration, illustrates the natural boundary between East and West and so was appropriate for the Trans-Mississippi issue.
All of the $2.00 Trans-Mississippi stamps were printed in a single day's run on June 3, 1898. The $2.00 was printed in sheets that have narrower spacing between the horizontal rows than between the vertical columns. For this reason, it is extremely difficult to obtain stamps with top and bottom margins that equal the sides. This stamp essentially achieves that unnatural effect, which could only occur when the horizontal perforations were applied in such a way that the holes impinged on the space allocated to the rows above and below.
Brookman notes "the $2.00 is not easy to obtain well-centered as many of these stamps seem to be perforated close to the top and its color is such that it cancels rather badly. This combination makes fine used copies difficult to obtain. I consider it more difficult to obtain in choice used condition than any of the high values of the Columbian issue."
Ex Rubin, "Natalee Grace" and Helton. With 1997 and 2009 P.F. certificates. With 2009 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $8,750.00). Only one grades higher (at 98, we have never offered it) and five others share this desirable grade.