Sale 1172 — United States Stamps and Hawaii
Sale Date — Tuesday, 19 December, 2017
Category — Special Delivery thru Parcel Post
10c Orange, Special Delivery (E3). Mint N.H., well-centered, attractive color, Very Fine, with 2016 P.F. certificate
10c Ultramarine, Special Delivery (E6). Mint N.H., brilliant color and proof-like impression on fresh paper, wide margins and precise centeringEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1902 SERIES SPECIAL DELIVERY STAMP, SCOTT E6, WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E.
Scott E6 is the first of the "Messenger on Bicycle" Special Delivery designs. It was released as part of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing's "Series of 1902" regular postage issues (Scott 300-313). Scott E6 is printed on double-line "USPS" watermarked paper with 12-gauge perforations. In 1908 the "Helmut of Mercury" Special Delivery stamp was issued. However, the Messenger on Bicycle design was re-issued in 1909 from new plates, and the same basic design was issued continuously until the Motorcycle Delivery design replaced it in 1922. Changes in the paper and perforation gauge for the issues from 1909 until 1922 mirror the changes in the Washington-Franklin series of the same period.
With 2007 and 2017 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98; SMQ $7,400.00). This is one of only three E6's to grade in the 98 or higher range. There are two others in this range, graded 98J and 100. We have offered both of these stamps, most recently in Sales 1150 (98J) and 1138 (100)
10c Ultramarine, Special Delivery (E6). Mint N.H. with top plate no. 1774 selvage, narrow h.r. in selvage only, wide margins, nice centering, Very Fine and choice, with 2017 P.S.E. certificate
10c Ultramarine, Special Delivery (E9). Mint N.H., exceptionally well-centered, wide margins, rich color on bright paper, Extremely Fine, with 2016 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $750.00)
1c Brown (J1). Barely hinged, radiant color, exceptional centering with enormous Jumbo margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2016 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, Superb 98 Jumbo; unpriced in SMQ above the grade of 95), this is the highest grade awarded and the only J1 graded 98J in any condition category (Mint N.H., hinged or used)
50c Red Brown (J21). Original gum, deep rich color and strong impression, Fine, with 2017 P.F. certificate
30c Pale Rose (J36b). Mint N.H. with bottom part imprint selvage, two tiny h.r. bottom edge of selvage, fresh and Fine, surprisingly scarce in Mint N.H. condition, Power Search contains only three other singles (and no blocks), with copy of 2010 P.S.E. certificate for a strip of three
1c Carmine Lake (J52). Mint N.H. block of six, choice centering and margins, vibrant color, Very Fine-Extremely Fine, with 2017 P.F. certificate for a block of 12, this the lower half, Scott Retail as singles
1c Rose (J59). Mint N.H., sheet margin at right with "VING & PRINTING" of imprint with star at right, unusually choice centering, post-office freshEXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN INCALCULABLY RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1916 ONE-CENT PERF 10 UNWATERMARKED POSTAGE DUE ISSUE. THIS IS ONE OF THE FINEST EXAMPLES IN EXISTENCE.
The Perf 10 stamps were printed on unwatermarked paper for only a brief period of time. Well-centered original-gum examples are exceedingly rare. We have only sold five Mint N.H. examples in the past nineteen years, when we started to keep computerized records. Of those, only one or two compares favorably with the example offered here.
Ex "Scarsdale". With 1999 and 2007 P.F. certificates.
1c Rose (J59). Original gum, vivid color on fresh paper, Fine, scarce Perf 10 Postage Due on unwatermarked paper, with 2017 P.F. certificate
2c Rose (J60). Mint N.H., wide margins, vibrant color on fresh paper, Very Fine, with 2017 P.S.E. certificate
16c-40c Offices in China (K8/K13). Six stamps with plate no. selvage, including Mint N.H. Nos. K8, K8a and K13, hinged Nos. K12 (two) and K13, Fine group
16c on 8c Offices in China (K8). Mint N.H., pretty shade, beautiful centering with well-proportioned margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 1980 P.F. and 2017 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $1,150.00)
$1.00 on 50c Offices in China (K15). Mint N.H., choice balanced margins, bright color, fresh and Extremely Fine, with 2017 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $2,600.00)
$2.00 on $1.00 Offices in China (K16). Rich color on bright paper, light machine cancel, Very Fine, with 2017 P.S.E. certificate (F-VF 75; SMQ $475.00)
$2.00 on $1.00 Offices in China (K16). Deep rich colors and sharp proof-like impression, unusually wide and balanced margins for this issue, bold Shanghai Postal Agency roller cancelEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB USED EXAMPLE OF THE $2.00 ON $1.00 OFFICES IN CHINA.
The $2.00 on $1.00 Offices in China is very rare in the highest grades in used condition. There are only four used stamps graded 90J or higher in the P.S.E. Population Report, while there are 19 original-gum examples graded in that range.
With 2012 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90 Jumbo; SMQ $3,000.00). Only two have been graded higher and one other shares this grade
2c on 1c Offices in China (K17). Mint N.H., choice centering and margins, bright and fresh, Extremely Fine, with 2016 P.F. certificate
15c Agriculture (O7). Original gum, lightly hinged, vivid color, wide margins, fresh and Very Fine, with 2015 P.S.E. certificate
2c Justice (O26). Original gum, small h.r. at top, wonderfully choice centering with wide margins, vivid color, Extremely Fine, a very elusive stamp in the higher grades, with 2010 P.F. certificate (XF 90), by way of comparison, P.S.E. has graded only one unused stamp above 80J, this is one of only two graded XF 90 in the P.F. database
$6.00 Ultramarine, 1875 Issue (PR26). Unused (regummed), expertly repaired adding small piece and bit of design at lower left, otherwise Very Fine, actually quite attractive and well-centered example of this scarce stamp, with 2017 P.F. certificate
$12.00 Blue Green, 1875 Issue (PR28). Disturbed original gum, h.r., deep rich color, small filled thin in margin at left, otherwise Very Fine, a scarce stamp, with 2017 P.F. certificate
$24.00 Dark Gray Violet, 1875 Issue (PR29). Original gum, rich color, reperfed at right, appears Very Fine, with 2017 P.F. certificate
$50.00 Dull Rose, 1895 Issue (PR112). Attractive margins and centering, clear strike of negative "B" fancy cancel, rich color, tiny perf thin at top, Very Fine appearance, a rare fancy cancel on this issue which is scarce with any type of cancel, with 2017 P.F. certificate
3c Parcel Post (Q3). Mint N.H., precise centering, strong color on fresh paper, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2008 and 2017 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98; SMQ $950.00)
5c, 25c Parcel Post (Q5, Q9). Both with wide and beautifully balanced margins, duplex and double oval cancels, Extremely Fine Gems, with 2007 and 2015 P.F. certificates (XF-Superb 95)
10c Parcel Post (Q6). Mint N.H., brilliant color, near perfect centering with huge margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2008 and 2017 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98; SMQ $2,200.00), only two have graded higher (at 98J and 100J)
50c Parcel Post (Q10). Barely hinged, vivid color, wide and exceptionally well-balanced margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 1996 P.F. and 2016 P.S.E. certificates (OGph, Superb 98; SMQ $1,200.00)
$1.00 Parcel Post (Q12). Jumbo margins and precise centering, bold N.Y. double oval cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2015 P.S.A.G. certificate (95J used)