Sale 1326 — 2024 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Thursday, 27 June, 2024
Category — 1912 and Later Issues
2c Lake (406c). Block of four, original gum, top pair Mint N.H., bottom pair h.r., incredible depth of color in the Lake shade, centered to bottom, some perf separations at top
FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 1912 2-CENT LAKE, WITH TWO MINT NEVER-HINGED STAMPS.
Through an error at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, a small quantity of this stamp was erroneously printed using the inks in use at the time for the Postage Due issues. This is the only block listed in Power Search and it contains two Mint N.H. stamps.
With 2024 P.F. certificate. Scott value as singles.
1c Green, Perf 10 x 12 (423D). Deep rich color, "Dayton Ohio" precancel, attractive centering and margins, few shallow thin spots
VERY FINE APPEARING AND WELL-CENTERED EXAMPLE OF THE 1914 ONE-CENT PERF 10 x 12 ISSUE.
Our census of Scott 423D at https://siegelauctions.com/census/US/Scott/423D contains 51 singles, five on postcards and one on an envelope. None are known unused—all genuine stamps are used, including 42 with the Dayton, Ohio, precancel. Fewer than 20 are confirmed as sound.
Census no. 423D-CAN-08. With 1972 P.F. certificate as the old No. 424b and stating only "genuine, with a thin spot".
3c Violet (464). Mint N.H. wide right plate no. 7523 block of six, exceptional centering, deep rich color, Extremely Fine plate block, probably the best-centered example extant
20c Light Ultramarine (476). Mint N.H., bright and fresh color, near perfect centering with wide and balanced margins
EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 20-CENT UNWATERMARKED PERF 10 FRANKLIN ISSUE, SCOTT 476.
Ex Wingate. With 1992 P.F. and 2018 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98). One of nine at this desirable grade with only one higher (at 98J)
5c Rose, Error (505). Well-centered with bright color, tied by "Portland Oregon Oct. 14, 1918 6:30 PM" World War I Patriotic slogan duplex cancel with "food will win the war don't waste it", on cover to Portland address with blue Bushong & Co. Portland printer's corner card
EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE COMBINATION OF MULTIPLE ELEMENTS—A COMMERCIAL USE OF THE 1917 5-CENT ROSE ERROR ON A CORNER CARD COVER AND WITH A WORLD WAR I PATRIOTIC SLOGAN CANCEL. EVERYTHING THAT COULD BE DESIRED IN A 20TH CENTURY COVER.
Ex Saadi. With 2017 P.F. certificate.
8c Olive Bister, Perf 10 at Bottom (508c). Utica N.Y. precancel, well-centered
VERY FINE. ONE OF THE FIVE OR SIX FINEST EXAMPLES OF THIS RARE PERFORATION VARIETY ON THE 8-CENT 1917 ISSUE.
Our census at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/508c includes 24 used examples (none are known unused), but only 11 are confirmed sound. This is among the best centered of the sound stamps.
Census no. 508c-CAN-24. With 2000 A.P.S. certificate.
$2.00 Orange Red & Black (523). Top plate nos. 8179/8177 and arrow block of eight, original gum, lightly hinged with several stamps Mint N.H., position 3 natural gum skip
VERY FINE-EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND SCARCE ORIGINAL-GUM PLATE BLOCK OF THE 1918 $2.00 ORANGE RED & BLACK.
The $2.00 and $5.00 1918 Issue are the first bicolored dollar-denominated postage stamps issued by the United States. Both were released just three months after the famous 1918 24c Inverted Jenny, but the early printings were issued in small quantities, since stocks of the earlier $2.00 and $5.00 issues were still on hand. According to Johl, the $2.00 Orange Red & Black was a color error on the part of the Bureau of Engraving & Printing. The official description and order for the bicolor stamps specified "Red and Black" for the $2.00. When subsequent printings appeared in 1920 and philatelists brought the matter to the attention of the Bureau, they were told "this stamp has always been this color" (Johl, p. 306). From studies of Bureau and Post Office records, it is clear that the originally intended color was not issued until November 1920 (Scott 547), and that the earlier Orange Red stamps were mistakes. The quantity issued has been variously estimated at between 47,000 and 68,000.
From our 1980 Rarities sale where purchased by the consignor.
2c Carmine, Ty. VII, Imperforate (534B). Mint N.H. horizontal pair with vertical guide line, huge margins including 27mm wide top sheet margin with full arrow, vivid color, absolutely pristine
EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB AND VERY RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED ARROW PAIR OF THE 2-CENT TYPE VII IMPERFORATE, FROM THE DESIRABLE TOP POSITION.
Most Type VII stamps were used by private vending and affixing-machine companies. However, unlike Scott 314A and 482A, a small supply of the imperforate 2c Type VII stamps did reach the public. Mint N.H. arrow pairs do not come to market very often. This example from the premium top position is particularly choice.
With 1984 P.F. certificate. Scott value as normal pair without premium for the arrow position.
3c Deep Violet (537a). Wide left plate no. 9418 block of six, original gum, stamps are Mint N.H. except for a small adherence on gum straddling two bottom stamps, reinforced perf separations in ungummed portion of selvage, wonderful depth of color in this rare shade
FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE PLATE BLOCK OF THE 3-CENT VICTORY ISSUE IN THE DEEP RED VIOLET SHADE.
We have offered only one other Scott 537a plate block since 1993 and in our Rarities sales since 1964. That plate block with Fine-Very Fine centering (ex Drucker and Yudowitz) is also from the left position. It has narrow selvage and once had four Mint N.H. stamps but the gum has become mount glazed from improper storage. The online records of The Philatelic Foundation contain only four examples—the ex Drucker plate block, the plate block offered here, plus additional left and bottom plate blocks—both with only Fine centering. Any collector waiting for a Very Fine centered lightly hinged plate block may be in for a very long wait.
With 1973 P.F. certificate. Scott value as hinged.
2c Carmine Rose, Ty. II, Rotary Perf 11 x 10 (539). Radiant color, neat wavy-line machine cancel, attractive centering for this difficult issue
VERY FINE AND CHOICE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE USED EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT TYPE II ROTARY PERF 11 x 10. THIS IS ONE OF THE RAREST COIL WASTE STAMPS IN USED CONDITION. ONLY FOURTEEN USED SINGLES ARE KNOWN.
Since Scott 539 was put through two different perforating machines (perforated 10 vertically on the rotary perforator during the coil part of production and then perforated 11 horizontally on the flat plate perforator), most of the stamps are off-center. The rotary press sheets also had a natural tendency to curl, making perforating on the flat plate perforator especially difficult.
Our census of Scott 539 at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/539 records only fourteen used singles, one used block of four and one on cover. In recent years, some stamps from a multiple of Scott 539 were soaked to remove the gum and then struck with fake cancels. The stamp offered here, with a 1972 certificate, predates the work of this modern forger and has a genuine wavy-line machine cancel.
Census no. 539-CAN-09. With 1972 P.F. certificate.
$2.00 Carmine & Black (547). Mint N.H. top plate nos. 8179/8177 and arrow block of eight, exceptionally well-centered, beautiful rich color
EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE FINEST KNOWN MINT NEVER-HINGED TOP PLATE BLOCKS OF THE $2.00 CARMINE & BLACK 1920 ISSUE.
We have offered fewer than ten Mint N.H. plate blocks of No. 547 in the last 15 years.
$2.00 Carmine & Black (547). Mint N.H. top plate nos. 8179/8177 and arrow block of eight, well-centered, beautiful rich color, natural gum bend
VERY FINE-EXTREMELY FINE. A RARE AND BEAUTIFUL MINT NEVER-HINGED PLATE BLOCK OF THE $2.00 CARMINE & BLACK 1920 ISSUE.
We have offered fewer than ten Mint N.H. plate blocks of No. 547 in the last 20 years.
$5.00 Carmine & Dark Blue, Head of Freedom, Large Die Proof Printed Directly on Card (573P1b). 59 x 54mm printed directly on card, deep rich colors which appear slightly different than the hybrid India paper proofs and the issued stamp, probably because this was pulled at a different time
VERY FINE. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED NON-HYBRID LARGE DIE PROOF FOR THE 1922 $5.00 HEAD OF FREEDOM ISSUE.
Most of the known examples of Scott 573 large die proofs are hybrid proofs—India paper cut to shape and affixed to larger India paper mounted on card (573P1). This is one of very few non-hybrid die proofs. Although listed as 573P1b and priced at only $1,500, it is much rarer than the 573P1 proof at $5,000.
Ex Saadi. With 2013 P.F. certificate as No. 573P1 "large die proof on thin card".
$5.00 Carmine & Blue (573). Mint N.H., post-office fresh colors on crisp white paper, mathematically perfect centering with wide margins
EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A PERFECT MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $5.00 1922 ISSUE -- GRADED GEM 100 BY P.S.E.
With 2023 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100). This is the highest grade awarded and it is shared by only two others.
2c Carmine, Rotary, Perf 11 (595). Mint N.H., brilliant color on post-office fresh paper, Jumbo margins and outstanding centering
EXTREMELY FINE GEM EXAMPLE OF THE 1923 2-CENT CARMINE PERF 11 ROTARY WASTE ISSUE WITH JUMBO MARGINS. THIS STAMP IS RARELY SEEN WITH THIS MARGIN WIDTH AND CENTERING.
With 2021 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo). Only three stamps grade higher and only one other shares this grade.
2c Carmine, Ty. II (634A). Mint N.H. top right plate no. 19746 block of four, intense color and sharp impression clearly displaying the type, perfectly centered, post-office fresh
EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED PLATE BLOCK OF SCOTT 634A IN THE FINEST ATTAINABLE CONDITION AND GRADED SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E.
With 2024 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98; plate blocks unpriced in SMQ).
$5.00 Red Brown & Black (834a). Mint N.H. double plate nos. 22167/22168 and arrow block of four, beautifully centered, deep rich colors
EXTREMELY FINE. A RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED PLATE BLOCK OF THE $5.00 PRESIDENTIAL ISSUE IN THE ELUSIVE RED BROWN AND BLACK COLORS.
Roland E. Rustad states in his book The Prexies that only twelve plate blocks of this distinctive color error are recorded (p. 329). We have no reason to doubt that count, but we have not seen anywhere close to that many. We have offered only two other different examples in our sales since 1993 and our Rarities sales since 1964.
With 1959 and 2001 P.F. certificates.
2c Jefferson, Silkote Paper (1033a). Mint N.H. pane of 100 with plate no. 25061 at lower left and selvage on all sides, radiant color, tiny pencil notation in selvage
VERY FINE. A RARE COMPLETE PANE OF 100 OF THE 2-CENT JEFFERSON ON SILKOTE PAPER.
The Silkote papers went on sale in the Westbrook and Cumberland Mills Me. post offices on December 17, 1954. They were printed using a new type of pigmented paper developed by the S. D. Warren Co., in an attempt to speed up the printing process. It contains calcium carbonate and required less moisture when printing; It was hoped this would improve perforating. In this respect it is similar to the earlier Bluish papers. They were released at the post offices with no notification, but several were purchased by employees of the S. D. Warren Co. Perhaps seven or eight panes were known and several have been broken.
With 2008 P.F. certificate. Scott value as plate block and singles.
$1.00 Candle Holder, Brown (Engraved) Color Inverted (1610c). Mint N.H., with right side selvage and white band on stamp, deep rich colors
VERY FINE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THIS POPULAR MODERN ERROR--THE CANDLEHOLDER INVERT.
This error has been popularly called the "C.I.A. Invert" since a pane of 100 stamps was purchased at the McLean Va. Post Office by employees of the C.I.A., for use on mail from the agency. They noticed the error, pooled together funds to buy a replacement sheet and kept the stamps that remained for themselves. When it was discovered who had purchased the stamps, a scandal ensued over who actually owned the stamps. Of that pane of 100, only 93 reached collectors and did not include a plate block. Recently, a block of 20 from a second pane has emerged, which yielded the unique plate block we offered in 2023 (Sale 1305, lot 2526), as well as this single.
With 2023 P.S.E. certificate.
$2.40 Moon Landing, Lithographed Black Omitted (2419c). Mint N.H. plate no. 112(1)1-1 block of four, clearly missing the lithographed black—most noticeably in the surface of the moon, plate number and color scale at the bottom
VERY FINE PLATE BLOCK OF THE $2.40 MOON LANDING WITH LITHOGRAPHED BLACK OMITTED. A GREAT RARITY OF MODERN ERROR COLLECTING.
The Datz book reports only 20-30 examples known, including two plate blocks.
With 2023 P.S.E. certificate. Scott value as four singles.
29c New York Stock Exchange Bicentennial, Center Inverted (2630c). Mint N.H., brilliant colors, wide and balanced margins
EXTREMELY FINE. A DESIRABLE EXAMPLE OF THE 29-CENT NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE INVERT.
Two panes containing this invert error were discovered, for a total of 56 examples recorded. The bottom rows of each pane have the black completely missing (twelve stamps) as the vignettes for these were printed off the top of the sheet. This is the first invert error to be discovered since the 1979 C.I.A. Invert (excluding the illegally released Nixon Invert, which cannot be legitimately owned).
With 2023 P.S.E. certificate.
32c World of Dinosaurs, Imperforate Errors (3136 var). Complete Mint N.H. sheet of 15, top pane perforations are normal, bottom pane perforations are shifted up dramatically resulting in freak perfs on numerous stamps (including in top pane) and completely imperforate stamps for Nos. 3136i (Edmontonia) and 3136l (Paleosaniwa), No. 3136n (Ornithomimus) has a perf barely touching the "U" in "USA", Very Fine and extremely rare, Scott lists this sheet completely imperforate in either the top pane (two reported) or bottom pane (one reported) but does not list this error with two or three imperforate stamps and most of the rest showing perforation freaks, Scott value for either half completely imperforate is $2,500
H Stamp, Uncle Sam's Hat, "Postcard Rate" (3260 var). Block of 16, light strikes of magenta double circle cancel, bright colors, some tiny spots possibly from moisture, mostly apparent in the gray hat brims, on the bottom left stamp the gray hat brim is slightly discolored
VERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXTREMELY RARE LARGE USED MULTIPLE OF THE H-STAMP WITH "POSTCARD RATE".
The Scott Catalogue notes that these non-denominated stamps have been found in the marketplace, but "there is no evidence they were ever officially issued." This block and others known cancelled or on cover seem to prove these were legitimately released and used. This block of 16 is by far the largest we have offered, either unused or used. Scott value for used is oddly lower than unused despite the apparent greater supply of unused in the marketplace.