Sale 962 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Wednesday-Friday, 24-26 September, 2008
Category — Trans-Mississippi Issue (Scott 285-293)
1c Trans-Mississippi (285). Mint N.H. with top plate no. 590, large margins and precisely centered, marvelous color and impressionEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A BREATHTAKING MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE.
With 2008 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98; SMQ $3,450.00)
1c Trans-Mississippi (285). Mint N.H., superbly centered, intense shade and impression, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $1,050.00)
1c Trans-Mississippi (285). Mint N.H., attractive margins and centering, fresh, rich color, Extremely Fine, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $285.00)
1c Trans-Mississippi (285). Bottom right corner selvage imprint and plate no. 598 block of eight, deep rich color, naturally short gum at bottom, Fine-Very Fine
2c Trans-Mississippi (286). Mint N.H. top imprint and plate no. 733 block of four with wide selvage, deep rich color, choice centering, fresh and Very Fine, a pretty plate block
4c Trans-Mississippi (287). Mint N.H., almost perfect centering, bright vivid color, Extremely Fine, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $1,250.00)
4c Trans-Mississippi (287). Mint N.H., brilliant color, Very Fine, with 2005 P.F. certificate
4c-5c Trans-Mississippi (287-288). Mint N.H. top imprint and plate no. pairs, bright colors, fresh and Fine-Very Fine
5c Trans-Mississippi (288). Mint N.H., exceptionally wide margins and well-centered, strong color, Extremely Fine, with 2008 P.F. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $1,250.00)
8c Trans-Mississippi (289). Original gum, lightly hinged, unusually wide margins for this Trans-Mississippi value, rich color, exceptional centering, Extremely Fine, with 2007 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $410.00)
50c Trans-Mississippi (291). Original gum, wide margins and almost precise centering, rich color, Extremely Fine, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $1,400.00)
50c Trans-Mississippi (291). Original gum, barest trace of hinging (described on 2000 P.F. certificate as Mint N.H.), intense color on crisp paper, long and full perforations all around, Very Fine and choice, with 2000 and 2008 P.F. certificates
50c Trans-Mississippi (291). Original gum, h.r., rich color, wide and balanced margins, Extremely Fine, a huge stamp
50c Trans-Mississippi (291). Mint N.H. horizontal block of six, wonderfully fresh, small separation between pos. 2 and 3, centered bottom left, perfs essentially clear all around, reasonably attractive and a scarce multiple in post-office fresh condition
$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (292). Original gum, lightly hinged, sharp proof-like impression which shows every nuance of this remarkable engraving, mathematically perfect centering with wide marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A MAGNIFICENT ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $1.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE, WHICH HAS BEEN AWARDED THE PERFECT GRADE OF GEM 100 BY P.S.E. THIS IS THE ONLY EXAMPLE OF THE $1.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI TO ACHIEVE THIS GRADE, AND, IN FACT, IT IS PRESENTLY THE ONLY DOLLAR-VALUE COMMEMORATIVE STAMP WITH A P.S.E. GEM 100 GRADE FOR ANY ISSUE.
The focus on stamps with a Gem 100 grade is growing more intense as collectors strive for the highest possible ranking in the P.S.E. Set Registry. We are now about four years into the start of the bull market for graded stamps, which some track to the Siegel firm's 2005 record-breaking sale of an XF-Superb 95 Inverted "Jenny." During this period, the P.S.E. Population Report has grown significantly. P.S.E. currently has a total of 6,348 Columbian and Trans-Mississippi stamps in the Population Report. Of these, 1,169 dollar-denominated Columbian and Trans-Mississippi stamps have been graded in any category of unused condition. Remarkably, only one stamp has achieved a Gem 100 grade, and that stamp is the $1.00 Trans-Mississippi offered here. Only twelve other dollar-value stamps with original gum have achieved 98 (all of them hinged, and none with the Jumbo appellation). It is difficult to argue with these statistics. The rarity of perfectly-centered 98-point-plus dollar-value commemoratives is obvious: the one Gem 100 stamp represents 0.086% of the P.S.E. graded population of all unused dollar-value commemoratives.
With 2008 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100; unpriced in SMQ above the grade of 98, SMQ $8,700.00 as 98). This is the only $1.00 Trans-Mississippi to grade Gem 100 (followed by one 98). The highest Mint N.H. grade is 95. The SMQ value for a 98 seems conservative, and the premium for Gem 100 should be a multiple of the 98 value.
$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (292). Original gum, lightly hinged, intense shade on bright paper, beautiful centering with wide and balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $1.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE, WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED XF-XUPERB 95 BY P.S.E.
With 2008 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $4,150.00). Only two hinged examples have graded higher to date (none in Mint N.H. condition have graded higher).
$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (292). Original gum, lightly hinged, handsome margins and attractive centering, fresh, Very Fine and choice, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (VF-XF 85; SMQ $1,600.00)
$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (292). Original gum, lightly hinged, wide margins and attractively centered, Very Fine and choice, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (VF-XF 85; SMQ $1,600.00)
$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (292). Original gum, h.r., intense shade and impression, choice centering, tiny natural gum wrinkle, Very Fine
$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (292). Original gum, h.r., detailed impression, Very Fine
$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (292). Original gum, owner's handstamp on back, Fine
$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (292). Intense shade and impression, gorgeous centering with wide and balanced margins, neat strikes of Boston oval cancelsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB USED EXAMPLE OF THE $1.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE, WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. -- ONLY ONE USED EXAMPLE HAS GRADED HIGHER TO DATE.
With 1990 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $4,450.00). Only one used copy has graded higher (at 98), and only four others share this desirable grade. As an indication of how rare this stamp is in higher grades, the highest grade awarded to date to a Mint N.H. copy is 95, and only one used and two original-gum copies have graded higher than 95.
$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (292). Incredibly wide margins, essentially Jumbo dimensions, superbly centered, intense shade on bright paper, lightly cancelled by duplex datestamp and oval gridEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A FANTASTIC COMBINATION OF THE ELEMENTS OF QUALITY -- WIDE MARGINS, SUPERIOR CENTERING AND LIGHT CANCELLATION -- WHICH RARELY COME TOGETHER IN USED EXAMPLES OF THIS BEAUTIFUL COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE.
With 2007 P.F. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $4,450.00)
$1.00 Trans-Mississippi (292). Unusually wide margins, oval numeral grid cancel, Very Fine and choice, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (VF-XF 85; SMQ $950.00)
$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (293). Original gum, lightly hinged, detailed impression showing every nuance of the engraving, post-office fresh paper, unusually choice centering for this difficult issueEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $2.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE, WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. -- THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO DATE TO THIS ISSUE.
The $2.00 Trans-Mississippi Issue is widely regarded as being the most difficult denomination of the series to obtain with any decent-size margins. The margins are almost always narrow on the $2.00, making it difficult for collectors of Gem-quality stamps to fill this space in their albums.
With 2003 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $7,050.00). This is the highest grade awarded to date in any category -- used, Mint N.H. etc., and only nine others share this grade.
$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (293). Original gum, lightly hinged, much nicer than typical centering, bright colorVERY FINE AND CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $2.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE.
With 1981 and 2008 P.F. certificates
$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (293). Original gum, lightly hinged, bright color, Fine
$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (293). Original gum, pretty color, few perf flaws incl. reperfed at left, Fine appearance
$2.00 Trans-Mississippi (293). Oval grid duplex cancel, Fine, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate