Sale 1159 — 2017 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Tuesday, 27 June, 2017
Category — 1879-88 American Bank Note Co. Issues (Scott 182-191)
6c Pink (186). Mint N.H., rich color, well-centered for this difficult issue with wide and nicely balanced marginsVERY FINE AND CHOICE. AN EXTREMELY RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1879 6-CENT AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE.
A review of our past auctions plus the records of the P.F. and P.S.E. demonstrates how rare this issue is in Mint N.H. condition. We have offered only three other singles, plus a block of nine with mixed centering. The P.F. has only certified a handful of singles stating Mint N.H.
With 1978 and 2009 P.F. certificates (VF 80)
10c Brown, Without Secret Mark (187). Original gum, wide margins and choice centering, deep rich color and clear impressionEXTREMELY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1879 10-CENT AMERICAN BANK NOTE ISSUE WITHOUT SECRET MARK. AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT STAMP TO FIND IN SOUND ORIGINAL-GUM CONDITION IN THE HIGHER GRADES.
With 2013 P.F. certificate (VF-XF 85)
10c Brown, Without Secret Mark (187). Original gum, wide to Jumbo margins, deep rich colorEXTREMELY FINE. A CHOICE WIDE-MARGINED ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1879 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE, WITHOUT SECRET MARK.
This is a striking "tall" stamp. With 1975 and 2000 P.F. certificates
10c Brown, With Secret Mark (188). Mint N.H., rich color and sharp proof-like impression, attractive centering and marginsVERY FINE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1879 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE WITH SECRET MARK.
Unlike other values of the 1879 Issue, there are virtually no 10c stamps in Mint Never-Hinged condition. A thorough review of auction catalogues, including sales of the Caspary, Close, Sinkler, Col. Green, Lilly, Braus, Wunderlich and Klein collections, among others, produced no Mint N.H. singles and no blocks containing Mint N.H. stamps. We doubt much more than half a dozen copies exist in total.
With 1997 P.F. certificate