Sale 1062 — The Golden Oak Collection of Superb United States
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 17-18 December, 2013
Category — 1918-20 Issues (Scott 525-547a)
2c Carmine, Ty. IV (526). Mint N.H. with left selvage, brilliant color, perfect centering, bright and fresh, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98; SMQ $1,700.00), only three have graded higher
2c Carmine, Ty. V (527). Mint N.H., brilliant color, wide margins, fresh and Extremely Fine, a pretty stamp with great eye appeal, ex Scarsdale, with 2001 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Ty. VI (528A). Mint N.H., vivid color on bright paper, Jumbo margins, Extremely Fine Gem, ex Merlin, with 1991 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90 Jumbo; SMQ $225.00 as 90, $825.00 as 95)
2c Carmine, Ty. VII (528B). Mint N.H., dazzling color, Jumbo margins and perfect centering, Extremely Fine Gem, ex Whitman, with 1992, 1999 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98 Jumbo; unpriced in SMQ above the grade of 98, $1,350.00 as 98), only three have graded higher
3c Violet, Ty. III (529). Mint N.H., perfect centering, fresh color and paper, Extremely Fine Gem, a superb stamp, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98; SMQ $440.00), this is the only stamp at this grade with only four higher (all at 98J)
2c Carmine Rose, Ty. IV, Imperforate (532). Mint N.H. block of four with vertical guide line, huge even margins all around, fresh color on crisp paper, Extremely Fine Gem block, with 2003 P.F. certificate, Scott Retail as singles
2c Carmine, Ty. VII, Imperforate (534B). Mint N.H. pair, radiant color, large even margins all aroundEXTREMELY FINE AND RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED PAIR OF THE 2-CENT TYPE VII IMPERFORATE.
Most Type VII stamps were used by private vending and affixing machine companies. However, unlike Scott 314A and 482A, a small supply of the imperforate 2c Type VII stamps reached the public. Mint N.H. multiples of this issue are very rare. This is the first we have offered since a pair in our 2009 Whitman sale and it had narrower margins than the pair offered here.
With 1988 P.F. certificate for block of four, this the top pair
1c Gray Green (536). Mint N.H., wide margins and almost perfectly centered, bright color and clear impression, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2010 P.F. certificate (XF-Superb 95XQ)
1c Gray Green (536). Mint N.H. with selvage at left, deep rich color and unusually strong impression on bright paper, choice centering with wide margins, Extremely Fine Gem, a stunning stamp, ex Scarsdale, with 1994 and 2003 P.F. certificates
3c Deep Violet (537a). Barely hinged, deep rich color, unusually choice centering for this difficult issue, Extremely Fine, with 2004 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, XF 90; SMQ $1,100.00), this is the only example at this grade with none higher (two Mint N.H. are also graded 90), we are not sure what the basis is for the XF 90 SMQ value -- as it is lower than Scott Retail for Very Fine and these stamps are rarely found with Extremely Fine centering
3c Deep Violet (537a). Mint N.H., intense shade, attractive margins and centering, fresh and Fine example of this color rarity, with 2007 P.S.E. certificate (F 70; SMQ $395.00), despite the modest SMQ value for this grade, this is the second highest grade awarded and it is shared by only one other (two are graded XF 90)
1c Green, Rotary Perf 11 x 10 (538). Mint N.H., rich color and detailed impression, gorgeous centering with Jumbo margins, Extremely Fine Gem, ex Killien and Scarsdale, with 1998 P.F. and 2006 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $200.00 as 95, $740.00 as 98)
1c Green, Rotary Perf 11 x 10 (538). Mint N.H., choice centering with wide margins, bright color, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2001 and 2006 P.F. certificates (XF-Superb 95)
2c Carmine Rose, Ty. II, Rotary Perf 11 x 10 (539). Mint N.H., vivid color, outstanding centering for this difficult Rotary Waste issueVERY FINE AND CHOICE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 1919 2-CENT TYPE II ROTARY PRESS WASTE ISSUE, SCOTT 539.
At the beginning or end of a coil-stamp print run from the 170-subject rotary plates, some leading or trailing paper was left over that was too short for rolling into 500-stamp rolls. In 1919 the Bureau devised an economical plan to salvage this waste by converting the leftovers from coil stamps into sheet stamps. This was accomplished by cutting the sheets into panes and running them through the flat-plate perforator for the horizontal perforations, giving the stamps perforations on all sides. The Type III design was far more plentiful (producing Scott 540) but a small number of Type II (Scott 539) was also produced.
Since Scott 539 was put through two different perforating machines (perforated 10 vertically on the rotary perforator during the coil part of production and then perforated 11 on the flat plate perforator), most of the stamps are off-center. The rotary press sheets also had a natural tendency to curl, making perforating on the flat plate perforator especially difficult.
With 1992 P.F. certificate
1c Green, Rotary Perf 11 (544). Rich color and detailed impression, wide margins and well-centered, machine cancel leaves design clearly visibleFRESH AND VERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT ROTARY PERF 11 ISSUE, SCOTT 544.
A small quantity of 1c Rotary Press stamps was perforated 11 on a flat plate perforating machine at the end of 1922, using remainder sheets from the earlier printings that were normally perforated in 10 gauge or 10/11 compound gauge. Its existence as a Perf 11 variety was discovered in 1936, almost 13 years after it was produced. Its discovery was announced in an article in the Bureau Specialist by Max Johl, who in the same article announced the discovery of a 1c Franklin Rotary Perf 11 (what would become Scott 596 in 1963). The 1c Washington Rotary Perf 11 received its Scott Catalogue listing in 1938. Most of the recorded copies of Scott 544 are off-center or have been damaged -- the result of poor production standards and mis-handling.
With 1980 P.F. certificate
1c Green, Rotary Perf 11 (545). Mint N.H., brilliant color, detailed impression, almost perfectly centered with unusually wide and balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT ROTARY COIL WASTE ISSUE, SCOTT 545.
By their very nature, rotary press waste stamps are extremely difficult to obtain with such choice centering. The production process was far less precise, resulting in many off-center stamps. The stamps were not meant to be perforated on the flat-plate perforating machines, which were set for a slightly different size of stamp.
Ex Piedmont and Scarsdale. With 2000 and 2001 P.F. certificates (the former as a block of four). With 2007 P.S.E. certificate (XF Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $2,150.00 as 95, $8,500.00 as 98). Only two have graded higher
2c Carmine Rose, Ty. III, Rotary Perf 11 (546). Mint N.H., brilliant color, almost perfectly centered with well-proportioned margins, Extremely Fine Gem, a superb stamp, ex Scarsdale, with 2003 P.F. and 2007 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $1,750.00). Only three have graded higher in the P.S.E. Population Report
$2.00 Carmine & Black (547). Mint N.H., outstanding centering with wide margins, rich colors, Extremely Fine Gem, ex Senchuk, with 1984 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $875.00)
$2.00 Lake & Black (547a). Mint N.H., deep rich colors and proof-like impressions on bright paper, choice centering with unusually wide marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1920 $2.00 FRANKLIN ISSUE IN THE LAKE AND BLACK SHADE. THIS WONDERFUL STAMP HAS BEEN AWARDED THE GRADE OF XF-SUPERB 95 JUMBO BY P.S.E.
Ex Killien and Scarsdale. With 2007 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $1,850.00 as 95, $3,900.00 as 98). Only one has graded higher (at 98) and this is the only example to achieve this grade