Sale 1040 — Outstanding United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Thursday, 26-28 March, 2013
Category — 1893 Columbian Issue, Multiples, cont. incl. Panes & Sheets (Scott 230-245)
6c Columbian (235). Bottom imprint, plate no. 104 and letter "Z" block of eight, original gum, several h.r. reinforcing perf separations, beautiful fresh color, outstanding centering and margins, Extremely Fine
6c Columbian (235). Mint N.H. bottom plate no. 104, imprint and "Z" block of eight, rich color, fresh and Fine, ex Drucker
6c Columbian (235). Bottom imprint, plate no. 104 and letter "Z" block of eight, original gum, h.r., bright color, unusually choice centering throughout, few perf separations between left pair, slightly toned perf at top, otherwise Extremely Fine
8c Columbian (236). Mint N.H. block of four, gorgeous color, fresh, Fine-Very Fine, attractive block, Scott Retail as singles
8c Columbian (236). Mint N.H. bottom imprint, plate no. 131 and letter "I I" block of eight, deep rich color and proof-like impression, Very Fine and choice, a beautiful plate block in a remarkable state of preservation, with 1972 P.F. certificate
8c Columbian (236). Bottom imprint, plate no. 130 and letter "I I" block of eight, original gum, top row lightly hinged, bottom row Mint N.H., bright color, bottom left selvage with translucency, usual offset on gum, Very Fine
10c Columbian (237). Mint N.H. block of six with part imprint selvage at right, deep color, Fine-Very Fine, Scott Retail as singles
10c Columbian (237). Mint N.H. bottom imprint, plate no. 99 and letter "Y" block of eight, vibrant Gray Black shade, beautifully centeredEXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED PLATE BLOCK OF EIGHT OF THE 10-CENT COLUMBIAN ISSUE.
This 10c plate block has the crackly white gum found on some Columbian stamps. The benefits of this white gum are brighter paper and its consistently crackly texture leaves no doubt that the gum is Mint Never-Hinged.
Ex Silver Lake. With 2004 P.F. certificate
10c Columbian (237). Bottom plate no. 100, imprint and "Y" block of eight, original gum, barely hinged, few natural gum bends, light vertical crease, otherwise Fine, scarce plate block
15c Columbian (238). Mint N.H. bottom imprint, plate no. 58 and letter "M" block of eight, intense proof-like shade and impression, every stamp superbly centered, as bright and fresh as the day it was issued, a few perf separations at top mentioned for accuracyEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A TRULY SPECTACULAR MINT NEVER-HINGED PLATE BLOCK OF THE 15-CENT COLUMBIAN. WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE FINEST IN EXISTENCE.
With 2006 P.S.E. certificate
15c Columbian (238). Mint N.H. bottom imprint, plate no. 58 and letter "M" block of eight, vivid color, gum creases and light diagonal selvage creaseVERY FINE. A RARE AND DESIRABLE MINT NEVER-HINGED PLATE BLOCK OF THE 15-CENT COLUMBIAN.
As noted in the description of lot 1541, the white crackly gum sometimes found on Columbians leaves no doubt that the gum is Mint Never-Hinged.
15c Columbian (238). Block of four, bottom stamps Mint N.H., top stamps lightly hinged, wonderful depth of color, vertical creases at far left and right edges not evident from front, appears Fine, Scott Retail as singles
30c Columbian (239). Bottom imprint, plate no. 59 and letter "N" block of eight, original gum, top stamps small h.r., bottom stamps Mint N.H., deep rich color, usual natural gum bends, small tear in selvage at bottom rightFINE-VERY FINE. A SCARCE PLATE BLOCK OF EIGHT OF THE 30-CENT COLUMBIAN ISSUE.
A Power Search review (which includes all of our Rarities sales) indicates that we have only sold six plate blocks of six and five other plate blocks of eight, plus a block of 18 containing two imprint and plate number multiples which has probably been broken. Of these, several had thin spots or small tears.
50c Columbian (240). Bottom imprint, plate no. 77, and letter "S" strip of four, original gum, lightly hinged, dark color, rejoined perf separations at left, Very Fine and choice, a scarce plate number multiple of the 50c Columbian
50c Columbian (240). Bottom imprint, plate no. 77 and letter "S" block of eight, original gum, fresh intense shade, exceptionally well-centered, small and trivial perf reinforcement, position 3 has small thin spotVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A DESIRABLE AND RARE IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER BLOCK OF EIGHT OF THE 50-CENT COLUMBIAN ISSUE.
The 50c Columbian is far rarer as a plate number block of eight than six. We located only eight plate blocks of this size using Power Search.
$1.00 Columbian (241). Block of four, original gum, lightly hinged, rich color, a few perf separations, bottom right stamp with faint translucent stain just showing thru (not mentioned on accompanying clear certificate), Fine-Very Fine, with 1985 P.F. certificate
$1.00 Columbian (241). Block of four, original gum, lightly hinged, radiant color, few minor perf separations at left sensibly reinforced, small thin spot and gum soak at upper right, Fine appearance, an attractive block of four of the $1.00 Columbian Issue
$2.00 Columbian (242). Mint N.H. block of four, deep rich color and detailed impression, few partly punched perfs, bottom right stamp small natural inclusionFINE. A RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE $2.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE.
Scott Retail as four Mint N.H. singles
$3.00 Columbian (243). Block of four, large part original gum, h.r., intense color and impression, top right stamp thin spots, Fine appearance, a scarce block
$4.00 Rose Carmine, Columbian (244a). Block of four, original gum, h.r. where perf separations including vertically where completely separated, radiant colorFINE-VERY FINE. AN ATTRACTIVE MULTIPLE OF THE $4.00 COLUMBIAN IN THE ROSE CARMINE SHADE.
Scott Retail as singles
$5.00 Columbian (245). Block of four, top left stamp unused (no gum), bottom right stamp disturbed original gum, other two part disturbed original gum, detailed impression, top stamps with few faults including thins, Fine-Very Fine appearance, a scarce multiple, Scott Retail as block of four $12,500.00, Scott Retail as no gum singles
1c Columbian (230). Half-pane of 50 from the top left of the 200 subject sheet, with imprint, plate no. 196 and letter "V V" at top and with imprint at left, part arrow at bottom left, natural s.e. at bottom, stamps in top row with paper adhesion straddling top of stamps and selvage, other stamps Mint N.H., right vertical column with gum skip, pos. 2 perf fault, some minor selvage separations, otherwise Fine, Scott Retail as hinged plate block and Mint N.H. singles
1c Columbian (230). Top pane of 100 with two imprint, plate no. 47 and letter "J" blocks of eight, two imprint blocks at sides and half arrows at bottom corners, natural s.e. at bottom, hinge slivers at all four edges of selvage, applied to ungummed portion on top row and sides, other 90 stamps including both plate no. blocks Mint N.H., natural gum wrinkle thru pos. 89-90FINE-EXTREMELY FINE. A RARE FRESH AND INTACT PANE OF 100 OF THE ONE-CENT COLUMBIAN ISSUE.
All of the 1c stamps of the Columbian issue were printed from 200-subject plates, with guide arrows between the two panes of 100. The perforating machine applied horizontal perforations and cut the 200-stamp sheets into panes of 100 in the same operation, normally leaving a portion of the guide arrow on the straight edge of each pane. The 100-subject panes of the 1c stamp were then divided into half-panes of 50 for distribution and sale at post offices. The undivided full panes of 100, such as the one offered here, were only available from the Philatelic Agency in Washington D.C.
Scott Retail as two Mint N.H. plate blocks, 74 Mint N.H. singles and ten hinged singles
5c Columbian (234). Full sheet of 100 with imprint selvage at sides and two imprint, plate no. 8 and letter "B" blocks of eight at bottom, natural s.e. at top, deep rich color and proof-like impression, most Mint N.H. except where few perf separations expertly reinforced, few flaws including internal crease at center and one stamp towards top left internal tear, some perf separations as would be expectedFINE-VERY FINE. A RARE SHEET OF 100 OF THE 5-CENT COLUMBIAN ISSUE. THIS FORMAT WAS AVAILABLE ONLY THROUGH THE PHILATELIC AGENCY IN WASHINGTON D.C.
All of the 1c stamps and most but not all of the 2c stamps of the Columbian issue were printed from 200-subject plates, with guide arrows between the two panes of 100. The perforating machine applied horizontal perforations and cut the 200-stamp sheets into panes of 100 in the same operation, normally leaving a trace of the guide arrow on the straight edge of each pane. Some of the 2c stamps and all of the 3c-$5.00 stamps were printed on smaller presses from plates of only 100 subjects, with no guide arrows. When the perforating machine applied horizontal perforations to sheets from the 100-subject plates, the cutting knife came down as before, and removed either the top or bottom sheet margin (and plate numbers), reducing by half the potential number of Columbian plate blocks that might have been available to collectors. This is also why so many Columbian stamps are reperforated at top or bottom rather than at the sides -- 10 stamps from every 100-subject sheet (or pane) would show a straight edge at either top or bottom. The 100-subject sheets were then divided into panes of 50 for distribution and sale at post offices. The undivided full sheets of 100, such as the one offered here, were only available from the Philatelic Agency in Washington D.C.
Approximate Scott Retail as two hinged plate blocks plus hinged and Mint N.H. singles
6c Columbian (235). Complete right pane of 50 with bottom imprint, plate no. 104 and letter "Z" block of eight, imprint at right, natural s.e. at top, stamps in top row lightly hinged, other 45 stamps including plate block and imprint block Mint N.H., bright color, attractive centering essentially throughoutFINE-VERY FINE. A FRESH AND CHOICE COMPLETE PANE OF 50 OF THE 6-CENT COLUMBIAN ISSUE.
Scott Retail as Mint N.H. plate block, five hinged and 37 Mint N.H. singles