Sale 1092 — Outstanding United States Stamps
Sale Date — Thursday-Friday, 19-20 February, 2015
Category — 1916-20 Issues (Scott 462-550)
1c-12c 1916-17 Issue (462-463, 465, 469-474). Mint N.H., wide margins throughout, fresh colors, Extremely Fine
3c Violet (464). Mint N.H., wide margins and precise centering, Extremely Fine
5c Blue (466). Mint N.H., wonderfully balanced margins, fresh color, Extremely Fine Gem
5c Carmine, Error (467). Mint N.H., balanced margins, vivid color, Extremely Fine, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $1,500.00)
5c Carmine, Error (467). Mint N.H., nicely centered, strong rich color, Very Fine
5c Carmine, Error (467). Mint N.H. double error in block of 12, natural s.e. at bottom, brilliant color, fresh and Very Fine, a pretty block
6c Red Orange (468). Mint N.H., precise centering, bright color, Extremely Fine, with 1991 and 2004 P.F. certificates
15c Gray (475). Mint N.H., wide margins, outstanding centering, rich color on fresh paper, Extremely Fine
20c Light Ultramarine (476). Mint N.H., wide balanced margins, vivid color on post-office fresh paper, tiny natural gum skip, Extremely Fine, with 1982 P.F. certificate
50c Light Violet (477). Mint N.H., wide margins and attractive centering, bright and fresh, Very Fine
$1.00 Violet Black (478). Mint N.H., brilliant shade on bright paper, outstanding centering with wide and balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN OUTSTANDING MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $1.00 PERF 10 UNWATERMARKED FRANKLIN ISSUE WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E.
With 1988 P.F. certificate for block of four. With 2015 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98; SMQ $16,000.00). This is the highest grade awarded in the P.S.E. Population Report and it is shared by no others.
$2.00 Dark Blue (479). Mint N.H., extra wide margins and perfect centering, vibrant color, Extremely Fine Gem, with 1977 P.F. certificate
$5.00 Light Green (480). Mint N.H., wonderful color on bright white paper, perfectly precise centering with large balanced margins all aroundEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1917 $5.00 MARSHALL PERF 10 ISSUE, WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E.
With 2014 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98; SMQ $2,750.00). This is the highest grade awarded
$5.00 Light Green (480). Wide margins, well-centered, lovely warm color, Extremely Fine
3c Violet, Ty. I, Coil (493). Mint N.H. joint line pair, pretty pastel shade, choice centering, Extremely Fine, with 1978, 2001 P.F. and 2015 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90; SMQ $430.00)
4c Orange Brown, Coil (495). Mint N.H. pair, precise centering, pretty shade, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2014 P.S.A.G. certificate (Superb 98)
2c Deep Rose, Ty. Ia (500). Mint N.H., outstanding centering and margins, characteristic rich color of the Ty. Ia, Extremely Fine, with 1976 P.F. certificate
2c Deep Rose, Ty. Ia (500). Horizontal strip of three with left selvage, lightly hinged, intense shade on bright paper, Fine, Scott Retail as singles
3c Dark Violet, Ty. II, "Kiss Print" or "Double Impression"? (502 or 502d?). Showing subtle but clear doubling of the entire design as do all known used examples and most unused, light cancel leaves entire design clearly visible, Extremely Fine, only four used examples (including this one) have been certified as a double impression, our census of this issue, available at our website at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/502d/502d.pdf , contains four used and approximately a dozen unused copies, ex Saadi, Floyd and Natalee Grace, with 1990 and 2001 P.F. certificates as a double impression and 2012 P.F. certificate as a "kiss print" -- a poster child for the problems caused by shifting standards -- Scott Retail as double impression $1,000.00, offered on its own merits
3c Dark Violet, Ty. II, Perf 10 at Bottom (502e). Rich color, clear "Holyoke Mass" precancel, well-centered for this, small thinVERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 1917 3-CENT PERF 10 AT BOTTOM. ONE OF ONLY SEVEN PRECANCELLED EXAMPLES WE RECORD IN OUR CENSUS.
Our census of Scott 502e (available at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/502e/502e.pdf) contains eight examples (not including this example), two of which are part of a block of three stamps (ex Zoellner and Natalee Grace). Only one other example in our census has the Holyoke precancel.
With 2001 A.P.S. certificate
5c Rose, Error (505). Mint N.H. single error in a pair with 2c, vivid color, huge margins, fresh and Extremely Fine Gem, wonderful quality for this popular error
5c Rose, Error (505). Single error in block of nine, natural s.e. at top, error Mint N.H., top and bottom center stamps h.r., brilliant color, Very Fine
2c Carmine (519). Mint N.H., deep rich color on bright paper, gorgeous centering with wide marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT PERF 11 DOUBLE-LINE WATERMARKED ISSUE, SCOTT 519. A RARE STAMP IN SUCH SUPERB CONDITION.
This stamp was created in 1917 when a small excess supply of the imperforate Scott 344 was returned by the New York City post office to the Bureau for credit. Rather than issue the credit, the Bureau perforated the sheets and returned them to the New York City post office for public sale.
With 2014 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $3,250.00). Only three have graded higher (all at 98) and only three others share this grade.
2c Carmine (519). Mint N.H., rich color, Very Fine, with copy of 1978 P.F. certificate for a block of four
2c Carmine (519). Lightly hinged, brilliant color, wide margins, Very Fine and choice, with 1977 P.F. certificate
$2.00 Orange Red & Black (523). Mint N.H. with left part arrow selvage, wide margins and choice centering, Extremely Fine, with 2015 P.S.E. certificate (VF-XF 85; SMQ $1,300.00)
$2.00 Orange Red & Black (523). Mint N.H., fresh colors, wide margins, Very Fine and choice, with copy of 1987 P.F. certificate for a block of four
$2.00 Orange Red & Black (523). Top plate nos. 8179/8177 and arrow block of eight, lightly hinged, rich colors, unusually choice centeringEXTREMELY FINE. A GORGEOUS SOUND AND CENTERED LIGHTLY-HINGED PLATE BLOCK OF THE 1918 $2.00 ORANGE RED & BLACK.
The $2.00 and $5.00 1918 Issue are the first bi-colored 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 bi-color 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.
$2.00 Orange Red & Black (523). Block of nine, fresh vivid colors, neat "Washington D.C. Oct. 23, 1918" duplex cancels, small wrinkle center left stamp, Fine and scarce large used block, the only larger example contained in Power Search is a bottom-margin block of 16 from our 1976 Rarities sale, Scott Retail as block of four and singles
$5.00 Deep Green & Black (524). Mint N.H., well-balanced margins, rich colors, Extremely Fine
2c Carmine Rose, Ty. IV, Imperforate (532). Mint N.H., massive margins showing significant portion of all eight adjoining stamps, radiant color, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2007 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100 Jumbo; unpriced in SMQ above the grade of 98, SMQ $250.00 as 98), this is the highest grade possible on the grading chart
2c Carmine, Ty. VII, Imperforate (534B). Horizontal pair with guide line at center, large even margins all around, brilliant color, neat strike of duplex cancel, right stamp faint vertical crease not mentioned on accompanying certificateEXTREMELY FINE APPEARING USED PAIR OF THE RARE 2-CENT TYPE VII IMPERFORATE OFFSET STAMP. THIS IS THE ONLY USED MULTIPLE WE HAVE OFFERED SINCE KEEPING COMPUTERIZED RECORDS.
According to Armstrong, the imperforates were issued to satisfy the needs of the last remaining private coil manufacturer. The Mail-O-Meter Company merged with the Schermack Company and so these issues are also known with the Schermack Type III perforations, such as are also seen on Scott 314A and 482A. However, a small supply of the imperforate 2c Type VII stamps without Schermack perfs did reach the public.
Our informal review of auction catalogues and the records of the Philatelic Foundation found four blocks of four and nine pairs, of which only four are sound. The example offered here is the only used multiple we have offered since keeping computerized records, which includes all of our Rarities sales and auctions going back to 1993.
Ex Sheriff (as a block), Twigg-Smith and Natalee Grace. With 1971 P.F. certificate as block.
1c Green, Rotary (545). Mint N.H., nicely balanced margins for this challenging rotary issue, bright color, Very Fine and choice, with 1984 P.F. certificate