Sale 1159 — 2017 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Tuesday, 27 June, 2017
Category — 1880-83 American Bank Note Co. Soft Paper Special Printing (Scott 192-203, 205C, 211D)
1c Dark Ultramarine, Special Printing (192). Without gum as issued, radiant color on crisp paper, completely soundVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 26 ARE RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS. ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL CLASSIC UNITED STATES STAMPS.
Our census of Scott 192, available at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/192/192.pdf , contains a total of 26 copies. Of these, half or fewer are reported to be sound.
Census No. 192-UNC-24. With 2012 P.F. certificate
1c Dark Ultramarine, Special Printing (192). Without gum as issued, deep rich color on bright paper, centered to bottom left, a few small thin spots noted on most recent certificate, which seem to be a common occurrence on this soft porous paper (after examining many of the known population of this stamp we feel that some of the thins noted on certificates are natural)FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 192, available at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/192/192.pdf , contains a total of 26 copies of this rarity.
Census No. 192-UNC-19. Ex Lake Shore. With 1954 and 2006 P.F. certificates
2c Black Brown, Special Printing (193). Without gum as issued, deep rich color, nice margins and centering, small thin spot at topVERY FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT BLACK BROWN 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 193 contains 48 certified examples, of which almost half have faults.
Census No. 193-UNC-45. With 1992 P.F. certificate
6c Dull Rose, Special Printing (195). Without gum as issued, fresh color, natural straight edge at rightFINE AND EXTREMELY RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 6-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 26 ARE CONTAINED IN OUR CENSUS.
Our census of Scott 195 contains 26 certified examples of Scott 195, an oddly low number. Some of the stamps submitted as the Special Printing, but certified as the regular issue, Scott 186, could in fact be Special Printing stamps (the two are difficult to tell apart). We record another three stamps which we feel are possibly Scott 195, despite previous P.F. certification. A majority are sound or potentially sound, but many are off center to some degree.
Census No. 195-UNC-25. Ex Curtis. With 1953 and 1982 P.F. certificates
10c Deep Brown, Special Printing (197). Without gum as issued, intense color and proof-like impression, exceptionally wide margins and choice centering, small thin spot at top centerEXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF THE FINEST-APPEARING OF THE 32 10-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING STAMPS RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS.
Our census of Scott 197 contains 32 certified examples. Of these, few are as well-centered with wide margins as the stamp offered here.
Census No. 197-UNC-18. Ex Ballman and Curtis. With 1991 and 2002 P.F. certificates
12c Blackish Purple, Special Printing (198). Without gum as issued, rich color, nice centering and margins, negligible faint toningVERY FINE. AN ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE OF THE 1880 12-CENT AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 198 contains 62 certified examples. Of these, one-third have small flaws. Many have poor centering.
Census No. 198-UNC-41. Small pencil notation and light ink line on back (does not show thru). With clear 1952 P.F. certificate
15c Orange, Special Printing (199). Without gum as issued, vibrant color, natural straight edge at right clear of designFINE AND EXTREMELY RARE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE 15-CENT 1880 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-23. Ex Curtis. With 1997 P.F. certificate
24c Dark Violet, Special Printing (200). Without gum as issued, well-centered, dark color and sharp impression, new certificate notes a "tiny repaired tear" in a perf hole at right, but this is truly nothing more than a miniscule crease off one perf hole, there is a small white line in portrait oval which is a natural paper flaw and not mentioned on certificateVERY FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 1880 24-CENT AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 200 contains approximately 67 certified examples.
Census No. 200-UNC-58. Ex Col. Green and Hansen. With 1950 and 2008 P.F. certificates
30c Greenish Black, Special Printing (201). Without gum as issued, bright color and detailed impression, two small thins, single short perf at top not mentioned on accompanying certificateVERY FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census records for Scott 201 contain approximately 45 certified examples.
Unpublished Census No. 201-UNC-23. With 1947 and 2008 P.F. certificates
90c Dull Carmine, Special Printing (202). Without gum as issued, rich color, accompanying certificate notes "top left corner has been cleaned" (to remove a small blue ink spot), which is difficult to detectFINE AND SCARCE EXAMPLE OF THE 90-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 41 ARE KNOWN TO EXIST.
Our census of Scott 202 contains approximately 41 certified copies. The 90c 1880 Special Printing on soft paper is notorious for its condition. Thins or more serious faults affect about half of the known examples.
Census No. 202-UNC-05. With 2009 P.S.E. certificate
2c Scarlet Vermilion, Special Printing (203). Without gum as issued, intense shade and impression, choice centering for this difficult issueEXTREMELY FINE. THIS IS ONE OF THE FINEST EXAMPLES OF THE 1880 2-CENT VERMILION AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING, ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL SPECIAL PRINTINGS. ONLY 20 ARE RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS, MANY OF WHICH ARE OFF CENTER.
Our census of Scott 203, available at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/203/203.pdf , contains only 19 stamps which are available to collectors. The 20th copy is in the Miller collection at The New York Public Library. Five of the 19 available stamps have small faults or short perfs. Of the 14 remaining sound copies, we see only two others which rival the stamp offered here for centering and margins.
Census No. 203-UNC-07. Ex Gleysteen, Zoellner and Gorham. With 1943 A.P.S. certificate. With 1972, 1998 and 2013 P.F. certificates.
5c Gray Brown, Special Printing (205C). Without gum as issued, deep rich color and proof-like impression, choice centering with wide marginsVERY FINE AND CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT GARFIELD 1882 SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 21 ARE RECORDED.
This elusive Special Printing was the subject of an informative article by William E. Mooz in the Chronicle, February 1992. His research provides strong evidence that the stamps recognized as Scott 205C are a small part of the 2,463 sold as Special Printings through the Third Assistant Postmaster General's office, and that regular issues were used to fill the backlog of orders for the 5c Garfield.
Our census of Scott 205C (available at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/205C/205C.pdf ) illustrates the 21 recorded examples (only three have faults).
Census No. 205C-UNC-02. Ex Meilstrup. With 1964 and 2008 P.F. certificates
4c Deep Blue Green, Special Printing (211D). Without gum as issued, rich color on bright paper, trivial nibbed perf at top not mentioned on any of three previous certificatesVERY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 1883 4-CENT AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 26 ARE RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS.
Our census of the 4c 1883 Special Printing, available at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/211D/211D.pdf , contains 26 stamps offered as No. 211D, of which 25 have been certified by The Philatelic Foundation. Post Office Department records indicate that only 26 were sold.
Census No. 211D-UNC-09. Ex Lilly. With clear 1998 P.F. certificate. 1941 and 2012 (507796) P.F. certificates, also stating only "genuine", no longer accompany