Sale 1166 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Thursday, 24-26 October, 2017
Category — 1875-88 Bank Note Co. Issues (Scott 178-218)
5c Blue (179). Original gum, lightly hinged, rich color and detailed impression, choice centering with unusually wide marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE CONTINENTAL 1875 5-CENT TAYLOR. AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT STAMP TO FIND IN SUCH EXCEPTIONALLY CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM CONDITION.
The addition of a 5c value was made necessary by the creation of the General Post Union in 1874, which specified a rate of 5c between member countries, effective July 1, 1875. Of the two regular-issue 5c Taylor stamps -- Scott 179 (Continental) and Scott 185 (American) -- the former is much more difficult to obtain in this superb original-gum condition because comparatively few multiples have ever been available to feed the demand for singles.
With 2000, 2009 and 2017 P.F. certificates (OGph, XF 90). By way of comparison, P.S.E. has only graded four higher than 85 (two at 90, one each at 90J and 95).
5c Blue, With Gill (179c). Original gum, rich color and clear impression, clearly-defined grill points, Fine and scarce, it is believed that the Continental grills were made experimentally in 1876, after a stamp-cleaning court trial renewed fears of stamp re-use, the primary source of the rare J Grills was the Worthington collection, which was dispersed in 1917, it is believed that most or all examples in collectors' hands came from the archive of Charles F. Steel, who patented the grilling machines used between 1867 and 1873
2c Vermilion, Imperforate (178a). Horizontal pair and single, the pair unused (no gum), large margins, vertical crease between stamps, the single original gum, large to huge margins, light horizontal crease at top mostly in margin, Very Fine appearance, pair with 1976 P.F. certificate, Scott Retail for pair $600.00
3c Green (184). Mint N.H., pretty shade, well-proportioned margins, Extremely Fine, with 1994 P.F. certificate for block of four
5c Blue (185). Choice centering with Jumbo margins, bold strikes of geometric cancel, rich color, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2017 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $525.00), only four have graded higher (three at 98, one at 98J)
10c Brown, With & Without Secret Mark (187-188). Horizontal pair, right stamp without secret mark, 1880 New York duplex cancels, couple barely noticeable creases, otherwise Fine and scarce combination pair, with 1988 P.F. certificate
10c Brown, With Secret Mark (188). Bright color, choice centering with wide and balanced margins, neat quartered cork cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2007 P.F. certificate (XF-Superb 95)
30c Full Black (190). Original gum, intense shade, well-centered, Very Fine, with 1982 P.F. certificate
15c Orange, Special Printing (199). Without gum as issued, radiant color, choice centering for this difficult issue, tiny thin spot as often occurs on this mesh paperEXTREMELY FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 1880 15-CENT AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 199 contains 37 certified examples. Of these, only 12 are confirmed as sound, 10 have faults and 15 need to be reexamined according to current methods and standards. Many of the stamps, regardless of condition, are off center.
Census No. 199-UNC-14. With 1975 P.F. and 2017 P.S.E. certificates
1c Gray Blue (206). Mint N.H., brilliant color on bright paper, choice centering with wide margins, long and full perforationsEXTREMELY FINE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1881 ONE-CENT RE-ENGRAVED ISSUE, SCOTT 206.
Ex "Hanover". With 1996 P.F. and 2005 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $2,000.00). This is the highest grade awarded and only seven others share it.
1c Gray Blue (206). Original gum, barest trace of hinging, bright shade and paper, near perfect centering with Jumbo margins, Extremely Fine Gem, a superb stamp in every respect, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, Superb 98 Jumbo; SMQ $1,100.00), only one unused stamp has graded higher and only one other shares this grade (both are hinged), the highest grade awarded to a Mint N.H. example is 95 (offered in previous lot)
6c Rose (208). Original gum, very lightly hinged, bright color, perfectly centered with wide marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THE 1882 RE-ENGRAVED 6-CENT ROSE IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT ISSUES TO OBTAIN IN SUCH SUPERB CONDITION. A REMARKABLE CONDITION RARITY.
Despite being the major Scott listing, the Rose shade is far rarer than the Brown Red sub-shade, Scott 208a. Power Search located only one Mint N.H. example offered in our sales since 1993, and that is off-center with perfs almost touching the design. We have offered no multiples with Mint N.H. stamps. The online records of the Philatelic Foundation contain only two in Mint N.H. condition, but we doubt they would even grade 90. For the collector who values centering, a hinged copy is all there is. The example offered here, with light hinging and perfect centering, is a true condition rarity.
Ex "Hanover". With 2009 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, Superb 98; SMQ $7,000.00). This is the highest grade awarded and no others share it. P.S.E. has never graded a Mint N.H. copy.
10c Brown (209). Top imprint, plate no. 550 and letter "M" block of ten, original gum, bottom left stamp Mint N.H., deep rich color, Very Fine and attractive plate block, with 2015 P.S.E. certificate (OGh, VF 80)
2c Pale Red Brown, Special Printing (211B). Original gum, wide margins, fresh color, small natural inclusion, Very Fine, small backstamp
2c Pale Red Brown, Special Printing, Horizontal Pair, Imperforate Between (211Bc). Original gum, remarkably well-centered, wonderfully fresh with rich colorEXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE FINEST CENTERED EXAMPLES OF THIS IMPERFORATE-BETWEEN ERROR IN EXISTENCE.
The vast majority of these error pairs are centered to the top. Using Power Search, we could find no more than one or two which compare to the centering of the pair offered here
2c Green (213). Mint N.H., deep rich color and proof-like impression, mathematically perfect centering with wide margins, long and full perforationsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS QUITE POSSIBLY THE FINEST EXTANT MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1887 2-CENT AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE. THIS STAMP IS GRADED GEM 100 BY P.S.E. -- THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED AND THE ONLY EXAMPLE TO ACHIEVE THIS PERFECT GRADE.
With 1997 P.F. and 2017 P.S.E. certificates (Gem 100; unpriced in SMQ, SMQ $5,100.00 as 98J). This is the highest grade awarded and no others share it. The next-highest is a single example graded 98J (realized $6,000 hammer in our 2016 "Hanover" sale), followed by a single example graded 95J (never offered in our sales) followed by a few graded 95. The low population numbers at the higher end of the scale is an excellent indication for how rare this is in such superb condition.
2c Green (213). Mint N.H., deep rich color, wide and balanced margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2017 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $1,200.00), only three have graded higher
5c Indigo, Imperforate (216b). Horizontal pair, original gum, h.r., large margins, rich color, Very Fine
30c Orange Brown, Imperforate (217a). Horizontal pair, large margins all around including "AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY." imprint at bottom, original gum, h.r., stamps with thin spots, Extremely Fine appearance, especially desirable with the imprint, with 1992 P.S.E. certificate
30c Orange Brown, Imperforate (217a). Horizontal pair, large margins including bottom sheet margin, original gum, each stamp small thin spot, Extremely Fine appearance, with 1992 P.S.E. certificate
90c Purple (218). Original gum, lovely bright color, balanced margins which are particularly wide at top and bottom, Very Fine and choice, with 1983 P.F. certificate