Sale 989 — 2010 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Saturday, 19 June, 2010
Category — Air Post and Back-of-Book Issues
24c Carmine Rose & Blue, 1918 Air Post, Grounded Plane Variety (C3 var). Lightly hinged, brilliant colors, vignette shifted strongly to bottom with wheels well into "Cents", wide marginsVERY FINE AND CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 1918 24-CENT FIRST AIR POST ISSUE GROUNDED PLANE VARIETY.
The true Grounded Plane stamps, in which the wheels of the plane break thru the top of "Cents", come from portions of three sheets. The discovery sheet was owned and broken up by J. Klemann of Nassau Stamp Company. A second sheet was discovered in 1946 and sold in the Thomas A. Matthews sale (H.R. Harmer, Nov. 4, 1964), where it was purchased by Georges A. Medawar, publisher of Sanabria Airmail Catalogue. In Linn's Stamp News of April 21, 1986, specialist Joseph R. Kirker Jr. published his research revealing a third source of this variety.
With 2010 P.F. certificate
10c Green, Special Delivery (E7). Mint N.H. with selvage at top containing a trace of the imprint, mathematically perfect centering with Jumbo margins, radiant colorEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS STUNNING MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF SCOTT E7 HAS BEEN GRADED GEM 100 JUMBO BY P.S.E. -- THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE POSSIBLE.
With 2010 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100 Jumbo; unpriced in SMQ above the grade of 98, SMQ $1,600.00 as 98). This is the highest grade possible, and only one other has achieved this ultimate grade.
10c Pale Ultramarine, Special Delivery (E10). Mint N.H. with plate no. 6046 with wide selvage at top, brilliant color, mathematically precise centering with Jumbo marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS MAGNIFICENT STAMP HAS BEEN GRADED GEM 100 JUUMBO BY P.S.E. -- THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE POSSIBLE ON THE GRADING CHART AND IT IS THE ONLY EXAMPLE TO ACHIEVE THIS GRADE.
With 1995 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (Gem 100 Jumbo; unpriced in SMQ above the grade of 98, SMQ $3,750.00 as 98). This is the highest grade possible on the grading chart and it is the only example to achieve this grade.
10c Ultramarine, Registration (F1). Mint N.H. top imprint, plate no. 5726 and letter A block of six with extra wide selvage, brilliant color, choice centeringEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND FRESH MINT NEVER-HINGED PLATE BLOCK OF THE 10-CENT REGISTRATION ISSUE.
With 2003 P.S.E. certificate
3c Dull Rose (J54a). Mint N.H., brilliant color on post-office fresh paper, unusually choice centering with Jumbo marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1914 3-CENT POSTAGE DUE ISSUE IN THE DULL ROSE SHADE.
With 1997 and 2006 P.F. and 2006 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $6,750.00 as 95, unpriced as 98). This is the highest grade awarded to date.
1c Executive (O10). Original gum, lightly hinged, brilliant color on crisp paper, unusually choice centering with wide and balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT ISSUE.
With 2006 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, XF-Superb 95; SMQ $2,750.00). This is the highest grade awarded to date and only one other shares this grade.
6c Executive (O13). Tied by cork cancel, "Washington D.C. Jul. 20" circular datestamp on Executive Mansion cover addressed to "Hon. Edward Pierrepont, &c &c &c &c, London England", red "London AU 13, 1877" backstamp and additional London datestamp at bottom left, docketed at leftVERY FINE. ONE OF THE FINEST OF THE SIX RECORDED COVERS BEARING THE 6-CENT EXECUTIVE ISSUE. ONE OF THE GREAT RARITIES OF OFFICIALS COLLECTING.
Pierrepont was a former Attorney General under President Grant. Ex "Crystal", Weill and Robertson. With 1981 P.F. certificate
1c State, "Sepcimen" Error (O57Sa). Without gum as issued, deep rich color on bright paper, unusually wide margins for this difficult issueVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT STATE DEPARTMENT WITH "SEPCIMEN" OVERPRINT MISSPELLING.
With 2003 P.S.E. certificate
1c Agriculture, Soft Paper (O94). Without gum as issued, choice centering, vibrant color as fresh as the day it was printedVERY FINE AND CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT AGRICULTURE AMERICAN BANK NOTE PRINTING ON SOFT PAPER. AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT STAMP TO OBTAIN IN SUCH CHOICE CONDITION.
With 1987 P.F. and 2007 P.S.E. certificates
5c-25c Newspaper, 1875 Special Printings (PR5 var-PR7 var). Without gum as issued, each with bottom margin, huge margins other sides, brilliant colorsEXTREMELY FINE. A RARE AND DESIRABLE SET OF THE 1875 CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING OF THE FIRST NEWSPAPER ISSUE.
According to Scott Catalogue, Continental Bank Note Co. made a special printing from new plates, which did not have the colored border. They exist both perforated and imperforate, and were not regularly issued.
Each with 2006 P.S.E. certificate.
$2.00 Scarlet, 1895 Issue (PR108). Lightly hinged, vibrant color as fresh as the day it was printed, unusually choice centering with Jumbo marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $2.00 1895 UNWATERMARKED NEWSPAPER ISSUE. THIS IS A DIFFICULT ISSUE TO FIND WITH SUCH SUPERB CENTERING AND IN SUCH WONDERFUL CONDITION.
With 2010 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; unpriced in SMQ above the grade of 90, SMQ $2,900.00 as 90). This is the highest grade awarded to date and the only example to achieve this grade.
20c Parcel Post (Q8). Wide right plate no. 6193 and "TWENTY" block of eight, lightly hinged, rich color, well-proportioned margins, Pos. 1 with additional ink in left "20", Pos. 6 with unusual ink smear at bottom from adherence on the plate, purple post office mark in selvage, light natural gum bend at top right, bottom stamp natural gum creaseFINE-EXTREMELY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE AND DESIRABLE PLATE NUMBER AND "TWENTY" BLOCK OF EIGHT OF THE 209-CENT PARCEL POST ISSUE.
The Parcel Post issues were printed from plates of 180 which consisted of four panes of 45. According to Johl, the uniform color of the twelve denominations led to confusion on the part of postal clerks, who complained that they were forced to examine the stamps in detail to ensure they had the correct values. In response, on January 27, 1913 large capital letters were added to the margins near each plate number. At top and bottom the imprint is in the selvage next to the plate number; on the sides it is separated by a stamp with blank selvage, except in the case where the lettering is too long. We can tell that this came from the bottom right pane, because on that pane the letters precede rather than follow the plate number at the side. In the case of the 20c, the spacing of the letters stretches across three stamps and so the most desirable way to collect this with the imprint is as a block of eight.
$1.00 Parcel Post (Q12). Top plate no. 6262 block of six with wide selvage, five stamps Mint N.H., lightly hinged in selvage and top left stamp, brilliant colorFRESH AND FINE-VERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE PLATE NUMBER BLOCK OF SIX OF THE $1.00 PARCEL POST. ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE FROM THE TOP POSITION.
Very few top plate positions are known. With 2009 P.F. certificate
10c Dark Green, Parcel Post Postage Due (JQ4). Bottom plate no. 6252 block of six with wide selvage, top left and bottom right stamps Mint N.H., others very lightly hinged, deep rich color, choice centering throughoutEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB PLATE BLOCK OF THE 10-CENT PARCEL POST POSTAGE DUE ISSUE.
The 10c is the rarest plate block of the series. With 2009 P.F. certificate
(no denomination) Blue on Amber, Postal Service entire (UO16). Printed Division of Dead Letters return address at left, cancelled by quartered cork, "Philadelphia Pa. Feb. 12" circular datestamp and addressed to Barbados, West Indies, St. Thomas and 1878 receiving backstamps, back of cover also with printed "The inclosed letter was recovered from the wreck of the Steamer Metropolis, lost on Currituck Beach, North Carolina, January 31, 1878", opened for display, some staining along edges, Very Fine, a most unusual usage, the Metropolis was bound for Para, Brazil and was driven ashore during a gale near the Kitty Hawk Signal Station -- 102 lives were lost -- this official entire was used to transit pieces of mail recovered from the wreck
13c Olympic Torch, Black & Yellow Inverted (UX102a). Unused, bright colorsVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A RARE POSTAL CARD WITH NOT ONE BUT TWO COLORS INVERTED. A REMARKABLE RARITY -- ONLY FIVE HAVE BEEN REPORTED.
This was issued in 1984, and five examples were reported in 1986. However, only two have ever been offered to the market -- this is the first to come to auction since 1990.
With 2008 A.P.S. certificate.
$200.00 Internal Revenue, Perforated (R102c). Vertical strip of four and vertical strip of three, used with two $50.00 U.S.I.R. (R101c) and cancelled by March 6, 1866 manuscript cancels on "Lease and Contract between The Morris and Essex Rail Road Company and The Atlantic and Great Western Railway Company", dated Nov. 1, 1865, also with manuscript from New Jersey Collector's Office in Jersey City "I hereby certify that I have examined the annexed instrument and determined that the same is subject to a stamp duty of fifteen hundred dollars..." and also stipulating a penalty was paid in cash of $36.40 in interest since the stamps were not affixed at time of delivery of the instrument, stamps with few flawsVERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN IMPRESSIVE DOCUMENT CONTAING $1,500 IN REVENUE TAXES, AND ONE OF THE LARGEST FRANKINGS EXTANT OF THE $200.00 FIRST ISSUE REVENUE STAMP.
The Morris & Essex Railroad Co. (M&E) was incorporated in 1935 to build a line from Newark to Morristown N.J., which was later expanded. Other expansions, made M&E a serious competitor to the New Jersey Railroad (N.J.R.R.). In 1865, the Atlantic and Great Western Railway (A&GW) leased the M&E as part of their plan route to the west. The document offered here is this lease. Shortly after this lease was signed, the A&GW went bankrupt (in 1867) and the lease was cancelled. M&E continued to operate as a separate railroad until 1945, until after a series of mergers it became part of the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad.
The $200.00 First Issue Revenues were issued in sheets of eight. The payment on this document represents $20,400.00 in today's dollars, which is a hefty tax bill for a lease. According to http://thecurtiscollection.com , this is the largest recorded multiple on its original document.
1c Green, I.R. Overprint, One Without Overprint (R154c). Block of four, bottom left stamp without overprint, original gum, h.r., rich color, superb centeringEXTREMELY FINE. THIS BLOCK OF THE ONE-CENT LARGE "I.R." OVERPRINT CONTAINS WHAT IS BELIEVED TO BE THE ONLY KNOWN EXAMPLE OF THE MISSING OVERPRINT ERROR.
Ex Eagle and Tolman. With 1951 A.P.S. and 2008 P.F. certificates. Accompanied by a note from Eugene N. Costales, dated July 14, 1959, stating that this will be added to the next Scott Catalogue.
N. & C. (Newbauer & Co.), 4c Green, Silk Paper, Imperforate (RO140ba). Horizontal pair, Positions 29-30, unused (no gum), large to huge margins all around incl. part of adjoining stamp at right, light natural creasesEXTREMELY FINE. A RARE IMPERFORATE PAIR OF THE 4-CENT NEWBAUER & CO. PRIVATE DIE PROPRIETARY ISSUE ON SILK PAPER. FROM A NEW DISCOVERY -- WE ARE TOLD THAT THIS WILL BE LISTED IN FUTURE SCOTT CATALOGUES.
With 2010 P.F. certificate
N. & C. (Newbauer & Co.), 4c Green, Silk Paper, Imperforate (RO140ba). Bottom left sheet margin block of four, Positions 137-138/154-155, unused (no gum), large margins other sides, rich color, few light natural creasesEXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE CORNER MARGIN BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE IMPERFORATE 4-CENT NEWBAUER & CO. PRIVATE DIE PROPRIETARY ISSUE ON SILK PAPER. FROM A NEW DISCOVERY -- WE ARE TOLD THAT THIS WILL BE LISTED IN FUTURE SCOTT CATALOGUES.
With 2010 P.F. certificate