Sale 1003 — Specialized U.S. Collections, Air Post, Foreign Stamps & Covers
Sale Date — Wednesday-Friday, 15-17 December, 2010
Category — United States Postage Due Issues (Blocks and Plate Blocks, Scott J20-J49a)
Lot
Symbol
Photo/Description
Cat./Est. Value
Realized
5340
30c Red Brown (J20). Mint N.H. top imprint and plate no. 332 block of twelve, natural s.e. with part arrow at left, bright shade, well-proportioned marginsVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED PLATE BLOCK OF TWELVE OF THE 1884 30-CENT RED BROWN POSTAGE DUE ISSUE. EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST IN EXISTENCE.
We have offered only one other in Mint N.H. condition since keeping computerized record, in 2004. That was a plate block of ten. Scott Retail as Mint N.H. singles
6,600
4,500
5341
1c Bright Claret (J22). Matched top and bottom imprint and plate no. 314 blocks of ten and 14 respectively, top light toning and selvage rejoined, bottom Mint N.H., natural pre-print paper fold and separation, otherwise Fine
1,630
500
Back to Top5342
1c, 3c, 5c Bright Claret, 1891 Postage Due (J22, J24-J25). 1c top part imprint and plate no. 313 block of eight, other two blocks of four with plate nos. 317 and 318 respectively, original gum, six 1c Mint N.H., wonderfully fresh, lovely colors, one 1c natural crease, Fine-Very Fine lot
1,380
300
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1c Deep Claret (J31). Mint N.H. bottom imprint and plate no. 57 block of six, fresh and crisp, attractively centered, Very Fine
1,900
1,300
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3c Deep Claret (J33). Bottom imprint and plate no. 70 block of six, completely separated between pos. 2/5 and 3/6, stamps Mint N.H., small tear pos. 6, otherwise Fine-Very Fine, with clear 2003 P.S.E. certificate, Scott Retail as six Mint N.H. singles (plate block catalogs $5,000.00)
4,050
950
Back to Top5345
10c Deep Claret (J35). Mint N.H. bottom imprint and plate no. 72 block of six, deep rich color on bright paper, well-balanced margins throughoutVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED PLATE BLOCK OF THE 10-CENT 1894 UNWATERMARKED BUREAU POSTAGE DUE ISSUE. VERY FEW ARE KNOWN.
The first Bureau printings of all stamps were made in 1894 on unwatermarked paper, which was soon replaced with USPS-watermarked stock. Many denominations on unwatermarked paper were issued in extremely small quantities. The Bureau's first efforts at producing stamps were marred by perforating and gumming problems, which further limits the supply of stamps available to collectors in higher grades of condition. Finally, the popular collecting of imprint and plate number strips of three drastically reduced the number of plate blocks of six, which is the standard for collectors today.
With 2005 P.F. certificate. Scott Catalogue does not list this plate block in Mint N.H. condition. Scott Retail as singles
6,600
3,750
Back to Top5346
30c Deep Claret (J36). Bottom imprint and plate no. 73 block of six, top right and top left stamps Mint N.H., others h.r., bright color, few sensibly reinforced perf separationsVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE PLATE BLOCK OF THE 30-CENT UNWATERMARKED POSTAGE DUE ISSUE.
Power Search contains only one other plate block, in the Pale Rose shade. Undercatalogued in Scott.
4,750
2,200
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1c Deep Claret (J38). Mint N.H. top and bottom imprint and plate no. 267 blocks of six, top position exceptionally wide selvage, Fine-Very Fine, lovely matched pair
900
275
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1c, 2c Deep Claret, Shades (J38-J39). Imprint and plate no. blocks of six, three of each, one 1c plate block of ten original gum, one 1c Mint N.H., all different plate nos., few minor separations, virtually all Fine-Very Fine
1,885
475
Back to Top5349
2c Deep Claret (J39). Mint N.H. bottom imprint and plate no. 247 block of six, uncommonly well-centered, Very Fine-Extremely Fine, scarce Postage Due plate block, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate
450
300
Back to Top5350
2c Deep Claret (J39). Mint N.H. bottom imprint and plate no. 60 block of six, sensational centering for this tightly-margined issue, wonderfully fresh and crisp, Extremely Fine, truly outstanding plate block
450
275
Back to Top5351
2c Deep Claret (J39). Mint N.H. bottom imprint and plate no. 247 block of six, extraordinarily well-centered, Very Fine-Extremely Fine
450
200
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2c Deep Claret (J39). Mint N.H. bottom imprint and plate no. 159 block of six, choice centering, Very Fine-Extremely Fine, lovely plate block, with 2003 P.F. certificate
450
350
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3c Deep Claret (J40). Wide top imprint and plate no. 70 block of six, original gum, lightly hinged in selvage, pos. 5 h.r., others Mint N.H., Fine
1,000
275
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3c Deep Claret (J40). Mint N.H. bottom imprint and plate no. 70 block of six, deep rich color, Fine
1,800
475
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3c Deep Claret, 5c Rose Carmine (J40-J41). Top imprint and plate no. blocks of six, one 3c thin spot, 5c separations neatly reinforced with hinge slivers, Fine-Very Fine appearance
2,050
425
Back to Top5356
5c Deep Claret, Postage Due (J41). Mint N.H. bottom imprint and plate no. 71 block of six, rich color and detailed impression, Very Fine and choice, scarce in such pristine condition
1,050
550
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5c Deep Claret (J41). Mint N.H. top imprint and plate no. 255 block of six, narrow selvage clear of imprint and plate no., Fine-Very Fine
2,000
375
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10c Deep Claret (J42). Wide top imprint and plate no. 72 block of six, faintly hinged in selvage, stamps Mint N.H., lovely color, Fine-Very Fine, Scott Retail as six Mint N.H. singles (hinged plate block catalogs $1,050.00)
1,800
475
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10c Carmine (J42). Mint N.H. bottom imprint and plate no. 256 block of six, light "42 Carmine" in pencil on back of selvage, extraordinarily well-centered, Very Fine-Extremely Fine, outstanding quality
2,000
3,250
Back to Top5360
1c Deep Claret (J45). Left imprint, star and plate no. 5522 block of six, lightly hinged at top, otherwise Mint N.H., deep shade and sharp impression on fresh paper, wide side margins, Very Fine-Extremely Fine
525
250
Back to Top5361
1c, 2c Deep Claret (J45-J46). Bottom imprint, star and plate no. blocks of six, two of the 2c (one Mint N.H.), 1c and other 2c some reinforcement, 1c also couple natural perf dimples and 2c adherences, otherwise Fine-Very Fine
1,875
275
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2c Deep Claret (J46). Mint N.H. bottom imprint, star and plate no. 5538 block of six, intense color, Fine-Very Fine
850
350
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5c Deep Claret (J48). Bottom imprint, star and plate no. 5524 block of six, original gum, deep rich color, couple tiny selvage reinforcements, Fine-Very Fine
1,150
325
Back to Top5364
5c Deep Claret (J48). Bottom imprint, star and plate no. 5524 block of six, pos. 2 small h.r., others Mint N.H., deep rich color, Fine, Scott Retail as five Mint N.H. and one hinged singles (hinged plate block catalogs $1,150.00)
1,630
300
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10c Deep Claret (J49). Top imprint, star and plate no. 5540 block of six, some separations neatly reinforced with hinge slivers, Fine appearance
1,500
450
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10c Deep Claret (J49). Mint N.H. wide top imprint, star and plate no. 5532 block of six, deep rich color, Very Good, Scott Retail as six Mint N.H. singles (Mint N.H. plate block not listed, hinged is $1,500.00)
2,160
400
Back to Top5367
10c Rose Carmine (J49a). Wide left imprint, star and plate no. 6555 block of six, stamps Mint N.H., slight thin in selvage and small separation, otherwise Fine-Very Fine, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate
1,500
450
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