Sale 1187 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Wednesday, 25 July, 2018
Category — 1880-83 American Bank Note Co. Soft Paper Special Printing (Scott 192-204, 205C)
1c Dark Ultramarine, Special Printing (192). Without gum as issued, deep rich color on bright paper, choice centering for this difficult issue, few thins and small creasesVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 26 ARE RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS. ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL CLASSIC UNITED STATES STAMPS.
Our census of Scott 192, available at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/192 , contains a total of 26 copies. Of these, half or fewer are reported to be sound. Many are off-center.
Census No. 192-UNC-04. Ex Beals. With 1950 A.P.S. certificate. P.F. certificate nos. 8269 and 257327 no longer accompany
2c Black Brown, Special Printing (193). Without gum as issued, intense shade, three wide margins, thin spot not mentioned on accompanying certificateVERY FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT BLACK BROWN 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 193 contains 48 certified examples, of which almost half have faults.
Census No. 193-UNC-09. With 1955 P.F. certificate
6c Dull Rose, Special Printing (195). Without gum as issued, pretty shade, wide margins, single short perf at top center not mentioned on accompanying certificateVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 6-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 27 ARE CONTAINED IN OUR CENSUS.
Our census of Scott 195 contains 26 certified examples, an oddly low number. Some of the stamps submitted as the Special Printing, but certified as the regular issue, Scott 186, could in fact be Special Printing stamps (the two are difficult to tell apart). We record another three stamps which we feel are possibly Scott 195, despite previous P.F. certification. Although most examples of this rarity are sound (or potentially sound), many are off center.
Census No. 195-UNC-16. With 1992 P.F. certificate
7c Scarlet Vermilion, Special Printing (196). Without gum as issued, brilliant color, three wide marginsFRESH AND FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 7-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 196 contains fewer than 85 examples. With 2012 P.F. certificate
7c Scarlet Vermilion, Special Printing (196). Without gum as issued, vibrant color, small thin spots, light creases at top, Fine appearance, our census contains less than 85 examples, Census No. 196-UNC-83, signed Spencer Anderson
10c Deep Brown, Special Printing (197). Without gum as issued, deep rich color, wide margins, small thin spot at bottom left not mentioned on accompanying certificateVERY FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 33 ARE RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS.
Our census records for Scott 197 contain 33 certified examples (this is a new addition to our census). Of these, ten have faults, leaving only 23 sound or potentially sound examples (seven have not been examined in many years). Several of these have poor centering.
Census No. 197-UNC-33. With 1955 A.P.S. certificate
12c Blackish Purple, Special Printing (198). Without gum as issued, intense shade and impression, well-centered but achieved by reperfing at top and left, small thin spotVERY FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 1880 12-CENT AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 198 contains 64 certified examples. Of these, at least one-third have flaws. Many have poor centering.
Census No. 198-UNC-44. From our 1976 Rarities sale. With 1966 P.F. certificate
12c Blackish Purple, Special Printing (198). Without gum as issued, deep rich color, pulled perf and thin spot at topFINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 1880 12-CENT AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 198 contains 64 certified examples. Of these, at least one-third have small flaws. Many have poor centering.
Census No. 198-UNC-64. With 1947 P.F. certificate
15c Orange, Special Printing (199). Without gum as issued, brilliant color, thin spots at right and center not mentioned on accompanying certificateFINE APPEARANCE. A SCARCE EXAMPLE OF THE 15-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 37 ARE RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS.
Our census of Scott 199 contains 37 certified examples. Of these, only 12 are confirmed as sound, 11 have faults and 14 need to be reexamined according to current methods and standards.
Census No. 199-UNC-30. With 1946 P.F. certificate
24c Dark Violet, Special Printing (200). Without gum as issued, rich color on bright paper, centered to topFINE EXAMPLE OF THE 24-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 200 contains approximately 67 certified examples.
Census No. 200-UNC-37. With 1989 P.F. certificate
24c Dark Violet, Special Printing (200). Without gum as issued, deep rich color, thin spot at top, faint horizontal creaseFINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 1880 24-CENT AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 200 contains approximately 67 certified examples.
Census No. 200-UNC-20. Ex Lilly. With 1966 P.F. certificate not mentioning any faults
30c Greenish Black, Special Printing (201). Without gum as issued, intense shade and impression, three wide margins, central thin not mentioned on accompanying certificateFINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census records for Scott 201 contain approximately 45 certified examples. Only ten are confirmed as sound and only seven of those have decent centering. Another 17 need to be reexamined for condition, but only a handful of these have nice centering.
Census No. 201-UNC-37. With 1953 P.F. certificate
90c Dull Carmine, Special Printing (202). Without gum as issued, rich colorFRESH AND FINE. A SCARCE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE 90-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 41 ARE RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS.
Our census of Scott 202 contains approximately 41 certified copies. The 90c 1880 Special Printing on soft paper is notorious for its condition. Thins or more serious faults affect about half of the known examples.
Census No. 202-UNC-29. With 1958 and 1989 P.F. certificates
5c Gray Brown, Special Printing (205C). Without gum as issued, with right selvage, deep rich color, choice centering, sealed tear at top rightEXTREMELY FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 1882 5-CENT GARFIELD SPECIAL PRINTING, SCOTT 205C. ONLY 23 EXAMPLES ARE RECORDED.
This elusive Special Printing was the subject of an informative article by William E. Mooz in Chronicle 153 (February 1992). His research provides strong evidence that the stamps recognized as Scott 205C are a small part of the 2,463 sold as Special Printings through the Third Asst. PMG, and that regular issues were used to fill the backlog of orders for the 5c Garfield.
Our census of Scott 205C, available at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/205C , illustrates the 23 recorded examples.
Census No. 205C-UNC-23. With copy of 1946 P.F. certificate as a block of four. The stamp below this one in the block once had selvage but it has since been removed, making this the only example with selvage.