Sale 913 — 2006 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Saturday, 13 May, 2006
Category — 1870-88 Bank Note Issues (Scott 145 thru 166)
1c Ultramarine (145). Original gum, radiant color on bright paper, choice centering with well-balanced margins, fresh and Extremely Fine, with copy of 1989 P.F. certificate for block of four and with 2000 P.F. certificate as single
6c Carmine (148). Original gum, deep rich color on bright paper, almost perfectly centered with wide and balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND FRESH ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1870 6-CENT NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY UNGRILLED ISSUE.
With 1997 and 2003 P.F. certificates.
6c Carmine (148). Original gum with natural gum skip at top, deep rich color and proof-like impression, well-balanced margins for this difficult issueVERY FINE AND CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF 1870 6-CENT NATIONAL BANK NOTE UNGRILLED ISSUE.
With 1989 P.F. certificate
7c Vermilion (149). Original gum, radiant color, well-proportioned marginsEXTREMELY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1870 7-CENT NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY UNGRILLED ISSUE. A STAMP OF REMARKABLE FRESHNESS.
This is a difficult stamp to find in such fresh and centered condition.
10c Brown (150). Original gum, lightly hinged, bright colorEXTREMELY FINE. A VERY SCARCE PERFECTLY-CENTERED EXAMPLE OF THE 1870 10-CENT NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY UNGRILLED ISSUE WITH ORIGINAL GUM.
With 1997 P.F. certificate
12c Dull Violet (151). Original gum, lightly hinged, deep rich color, wide marginsEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND FRESH ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 12-CENT 1870 NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY UNGRILLED ISSUE.
With 1982, 1989 and 2004 P.F. certificates.
12c Dull Violet (151). Original gum, lightly hinged, deep rich color on bright paper, wide marginsVERY FINE AND CHOICE. THE 1870 12-CENT NATIONAL IS CONSIDERABLY SCARCER IN THIS CONDITION THAN ITS 1873 CONTINENTAL COUNTERPART.
With 1992 P.F. certificate
15c Bright Orange (152). Original gum, brilliant color, well-centeredEXTREMELY FINE. THE 1870 15-CENT NATIONAL IS ONE OF THE RAREST OF BANK NOTE REGULAR ISSUES IN THIS CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM CONDITION.
Ex Argentum. With 1999 P.F. certificate
15c Bright Orange (152). Original gum, lightly hinged, vibrant color as fresh as the day it was printedVERY FINE AND CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1870 15-CENT UNGRILLED NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE.
With 2004 P.F. certificate
15c Bright Orange (152). Original gum, remarkably radiant color, choice centering with well-proportioned marginsVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 15-CENT NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY UNGRILLED ISSUE.
This stamp is most remarkable for its color, which is as bright and fresh as the day it was printed.
With 1975 and 1999 P.F. certificate.
15c Bright Orange (152). Original gum, with bottom sheet selvage and part imprint, fresh, incredibly deep rich color, choice margins and attractive centering, trivial gum disturbance specks of little consequence, still Very Fine, scarce in this condition
15c Bright Orange (152). Radiant color nicely contrasted by Chicago blue "Gin" Barrel fancy cancel, Extremely Fine strike of this desirable fancy cancel, with 1986 P.F. certificate
24c Purple (153). Original gum, incredibly fresh and bright with vivid color, exceptionally well-centeredVERY FINE AND CHOICE. THE 24-CENT 1870 NATIONAL IS RARELY SEEN IN THIS CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM CONDITION .
With 1990 P.F. certificate
24c Purple (153). Perfectly centered with well-balanced margins, brilliant color, bold strike of red New York Foreign Mail cancelEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1870 24-CENT NATIONAL IN THE FINEST CONDITION ATTAINABLE. PARTICULARLY DESIRABLE WITH THE RED NEW YORK FOREIGN MAIL CANCEL.
With 2006 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95)
24c Purple (153). Deep rich color, used with 6c Carmine (148), cancelled by bold strikes of quartered cork, "New Orleans La. Jun. 12" circular datestamp on 1872 folded letter to Bordeaux, France, red "New York Paid 12 Jun. 19" credit datestamp, red London transit datestamp and "PD" in oval, French transit and receiving datestamps, fresh and Very Fine, overpaid for the fully-prepaid rate via British Mail
30c Black (154). Original gum, small h.r., choice centering with wide margins, beautiful deep charcoal shade and detailed impressionEXTREMELY FINE. THE 1870 30-CENT NATIONAL UNGRILLED ISSUE IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT OF ALL BANK NOTE ISSUES TO FIND IN SOUND, WELL-CENTERED, ORIGINAL-GUM CONDITION.
During the past few years, we have offered a few superb original-gum examples of other 30-cent Bank Note Printings, most notably Scott 165. Collectors have recognized the rarity of these stamps, bidding aggressively for the best stamps and often setting record prices. A search of our records and past auction catalogues finds only a few stamps on a par with this example.
With 1981 and 1999 P.F. certificates.
90c Carmine (155). Original gum, single h.r. at top, deep rich color and proof-like impression, wide marginsVERY FINE AND CHOICE. THE 1870 90-CENT NATIONAL BANK NOTE ISSUE IS RARE IN CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM CONDITION.
The 1870 90c National Ungrilled Issue, Scott 155, is somewhat overshadowed by its grilled counterpart, Scott 144. Collectors are also misled by the availability of Scott 166, the 90c 1873 Continental. Although the difference in shades is distinct, collectors have a tendency to confuse the two and under-rate the 1870 National printing.
With 1989 P.F. certificate
2c Brown (157). Mint N.H., intense color on brilliant paper, choice centeringEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A GORGEOUS MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1873 2-CENT RED BROWN CONTINENTAL ISSUE.
With 1999 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail as hinged
2c Brown (157). Top imprint and plate no. 241 block of sixteen, natural s.e. at left, original gum, barely hinged with several stamps Mint N.H., small natural gum skips at top barely affecting plate block, bright color, choice centeringVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A RARE ORIGINAL-GUM PLATE BLOCK OF SIXTEEN OF THE 1873 2-CENT CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE.
Listed but unpriced as a plate block of fourteen. Scott Retail as plate block of twelve and two pairs.
3c Green (158). Mint N.H., beautiful fresh color and proof-like impression, perfectly centered with jumbo margins, small natural wood fiber inclusion at bottom leftEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A TRULY SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1873 3-CENT CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE.
This stamp realized almost twenty times catalogue value at auction in 1989.
Ex Zoellner. With 1989 P.F. certificate for block of six and 2001 P.F. certificate as single. Scott Retail as hinged
6c Dull Pink (159). Original gum, brilliant color, choice centeringEXTREMELY FINE AND FRESH ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1873 6-CENT CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE.
With 1999 P.F. certificate
7c Orange Vermilion (160). Original gum, bright color, wide marginsEXTREMELY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1873 7-CENT CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE.
With 2000 P.F. certificate
10c Brown (161). Original gum, bright color and crisp impression, well-centered with wide margins all aroundEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1873 10-CENT CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE.
With 1989 P.F. certificate
10c Brown (161). Block of ten, original gum, lightly hinged, deep rich color, faint horizontal creasesVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE BLOCK OF TEN OF THE 1873 10-CENT CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE.
Scott Retail as two blocks of four and a pair.
12c Blackish Violet (162). Original gum, lightly hinged, incredibly dark shade on fresh paper, unusually choice centering with wide margins all aroundEXTREMELY FINE GEM EXAMPLE OF THE 1873 12-CENT CONTINENTAL -- ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT BANK NOTE ISSUES TO OBTAIN IN THIS OUTSTANDING CONDITION.
With 1992 P.S.E. certificate. With 2001 P.F. certificate.
15c Yellow Orange (163). Original gum, lightly hinged, vibrant color, wide marginsEXTREMELY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 1873 15-CENT CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE WITH ORIGINAL GUM.
With 2002 P.F. certificate
15c Yellow Orange, Ribbed Paper (163 var). Clear vertical ribbing, original gum, lightly hinged, rich color and proof-like impression, choice centering with wide and balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS THE FIRST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1873 15-CENT CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE ISSUE ON RIBBED PAPER WE HAVE OFFERED SINCE KEEPING COMPUTERIZED RECORDS.
With 1989 P.F. certificate
30c Gray Black (165). Original gum, lightly hinged, attractive charcoal gray shade, fine impression on fresh paperEXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENT 1873 CONTINENTAL PRINTING. A SUPERB STAMP IN EVERY RESPECT.
Lost among the 1870 National Grilled and Ungrilled Issues, 1875 Continental and 1880 American Bank Note Special Printings, and the 1879 and 1888 American Issues is the 30c 1873 Continental printing. Scott 165 is distinguished from its National counterpart by shade and the shape of the perforations, and from its 1879 American counterpart by paper. Many philatelists -- even intermediate and advanced collectors -- have difficulty classifying Scott 165. When it comes to naming the most elusive Bank Note stamps in choice original-gum condition, the 30c 1873 is often overlooked. However, go to any serious collection and look for this stamp, and most of the time it is missing or represented by something that compromises quality. The 30c 1870 is frequently found filling the space for Scott 165. The 30c Continental is extremely rare in any original-gum condition that approaches this example. Blocks have always been rare -- for example, Caspary did not have one; Lilly had one well-centered block of four and an off-center block of six -- which means that singles could not be harvested from multiples. Our analysis of the rarity of this stamp is confirmed by the $21,000 hammer realization for a superb example in our 2000 Rarities sale. We hope that collectors who still have a tendency to overlook the 30c Continental will be awakened to its rarity in Extremely Fine original-gum condition by our comments and recent realizations.
With 1979 and 2000 P.F. certificates
30c Gray Black (165). Original gum, lightly hinged, attractive charcoal gray shade, fine impression on fresh paper, enormous marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES OF THE 30-CENT 1873 CONTINENTAL PRINTING IN EXISTENCE. A SUPERB STAMP IN EVERY RESPECT.
Among the various Bank Note issues, the 30c 1873 Continental printing deserves special note. The 30c Continental is extremely rare in any original-gum condition that approaches this example. Blocks have always been rare -- for example, Caspary did not have one; Lilly had one well-centered block of four and an off-center block of six -- which means that singles could not be harvested from multiples.
Ex Drucker. With 1988 and 2003 P.F. certificates
90c Rose Carmine (166). Original gum, very lightly hinged, wonderful margins and centering with beautiful rich colorEXTREMELY FINE. AN EXCEPTIONALLY CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THIS 1873 CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE COMPANY HIGH VALUE.
With 1986 P.F. certificate