Sale 1028 — The Natalee Grace Collection of Used U.S. Stamps, Part Three: 1902 and Later Issues
Sale Date — Thursday, 20 September, 2012
Category — 2c Shield Issue (Scott 319-320)
2c Shield Issue (319-320). Ten used items, each a different Scott-listed shade incl. Nos. 319, 319b, 319c, 319F, 319Fi, 319Fj, 320 pair, 320b block of four with plate no. 3250, 320c pair with plate no. 3222, better centering than normally seen, range of different cancels, Very Fine-Extremely Fine, the shade varieties on this issue are extremely difficult to obtain as sound stamps with any decent centering, thousands of copies were examined to obtain the group offered here, No. 319Fj with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (90J)
2c Lake, Ty. II, Imperforate (320A; formerly 320a). Block of four, gorgeous color in the true Lake shade, large margins to full, bottom left stamp major double transfer at bottom, Chicago oval registry cancels, top left stamp small sealed tear (not mentioned on accompanying certificate), Very Fine appearance, a scarce used multiple of this shade, with 1939 letter from dealer Y. Souren who notes at that time only two unused blocks were known, with 1955 P.F. certificate, severely undercatalogued in Scott as a used block at $275.00 -- this realized $525 hammer in 1999
2c Scarlet, Ty. I, Booklet Pane of Six (319p). Position C or I with guide line at left, radiant color, bold strikes of New York City oval cancels, lacking tab at top, middle stamp at right with small tear at top right, bottom left stamp tiny crease not mentioned on accompanying certificate, Very Fine appearance, this is an extremely rare pane in used condition, it is the first we have offered since keeping computerized records, none was offered in the Brody sale, with 2002 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Ty. I, Booklet Pane of Six (319g). Position E, radiant color, unusually choice centering throughout, light "Kansas City Mo." roller cancel, fresh and Extremely Fine, this pane is scarce in such superb used condition, ex Brody, with 2003 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine Rose, Ty. I, Booklet Pane of Six (319n). Position D with plate no. 3822, neat "Beverly Ma." oval registry cancels, radiant color, top left stamp with small thin spot, few sensibly reinforced perf separations at top (not mentioned on accompanying certificate), Very Fine appearance, a rare used booklet pane with plate no., with 2003 P.F. certificate
2c Lake, Ty. II, Booklet Pane of Six (319Fq; formerly 319q). Position E, neat strikes of Kansas City Mo. boxed cancels, deep rich color in the true Lake shade, nice centering, couple light creases in bottom stamps, Very Fine appearance, a phenomenal rarity in used condition, the only recorded used example of this booklet with the tab intact, ex Beutel, with 2010 P.F. certificate, the Type II booklet pane is only known in the Lake shade and was only on press for a period of approximately four months (compared to 55 months for the Type I), we are only aware of one other (which lacks the booklet tab), in our opinion this is severely undercatalogued in Scott
2c Carmine, Ty. II, Imperforate (320Ad; formerly 320d). Radiant color, full Schermack perfs on both sides which are clear of the design, neat wavy-line machine cancelVERY FINE AND RARE. THE 2-CENT IMPERFORATE CARMINE TYPE II DESIGN IS ONE OF THE RAREST OF THE 2-CENT SHIELD ISSUES. VERY FEW ARE KNOWN.
The Scott Catalogue notes that "No. 320Ad was issued imperforate, but all examples were privately perforated with large oblong perforations at the sides (Schermack Type III)." In this respect it is similar to its more expensive counterparts, Scott 314A and 482A.
The Type II imperforate Shield issue is only known in the Lake and Carmine colors. The Lake color exists fully imperforate. The Carmine color is only known with Schermack Type III perforations. We have been fascinated by this listing for some time, and undertook a census. All used examples are illustrated below and shown at our website at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/320Ad/320Ad.pdf . There are only two used singles and a used strip of six recorded in our census, plus a pair used almost 25 years after the stamps were issued (not shown). Of unused examples, there are six pairs, one strip of three and nine strips of four.
With 2002 P.F. and P.S.E. certificates. It is a mystery to us why the catalogue value is so low, at only $250.00. Our estimate is also conservative.