Sale 1234 — The Gary Petersen Collection of Important United States Stamps
Sale Date — Thursday-Friday, 29-30 April, 2021
Category — Newspapers and Periodicals (PR4-PR52)
5c Light Blue, White Border, 1865 Issue (PR4). Without gum as issued, bright color, fresh and Fine sound example
48c Rose, 1875 Issue (PR19). Original gum, h.r., brilliant color on bright paper, fresh and Very Fine, with 1999 P.F. certificate
60c Rose, 1875 Issue (PR20). Original gum, h.r., radiant color, small natural inclusion on one perf at top right not mentioned on certificate, Very Fine, with 2004 P.F. certificate
84c Rose, 1875 Issue (PR22). Original gum, brilliant color, fresh and Very Fine, with 2004 P.F. certificate
$1.92 Dark Brown, 1875 Issue (PR24). Accompanying certificate notes redistributed original gum which looks normal to us, rich color on bright paper, Very Fine and attractive, with 2005 P.S.E. certificate
$3.00 Vermilion, 1875 Issue (PR25). Disturbed original gum, vivid color, reperfed at bottom, small faults, Very Fine appearance, with 2002 P.S.E. certificate
$6.00 Ultramarine, 1875 Issue (PR26). Unused (regummed), rich color on bright paper, Fine, with 2001 A.P.S. certificate
$9.00 Yellow, 1875 Issue (PR27). Original gum, h.r., vibrant color, choice centering for this difficult issueVERY FINE. A RARE SOUND ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $9.00 1875 NEWSPAPER ISSUE.
Sound, original-gum and centered examples of high-denomination Newspaper stamps, particularly of the First Issue, are incredibly rare. With 2005 P.S.E. certificate
$12.00 Blue Green, 1875 Issue (PR28). Unused (no gum), rich color on bright paper, Very Fine and choice, with 2000 P.F. certificate
$24.00 Dark Gray Violet, 1875 Issue (PR29). Unused (no gum), unusually choice centering with wide and balanced margins, deep shade and detailed impression, Extremely Fine, a beautiful stamp, ex Geisler, with 2001 P.F. certificate
$36.00 Brown Rose, 1875 Issue (PR30). Slightly disturbed original gum, intense shade and impression, Fine example of this scarce high-denomination Newspaper issue, an extremely difficult issue to obtain in sound condition, ex Geisler, with 2001 P.F. certificate
$48.00 Red Brown, 1875 Issue (PR31). Original gum, h.r., deep rich color, small natural inclusion at top left not mentioned on certificateVERY FINE. A RARE SOUND ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $48.00 1875 NEWSPAPER ISSUE.
Sound, original-gum and centered examples of high-denomination Newspaper stamps, particularly of the First Issue, are incredibly rare. With 2006 P.F. certificate
4c Gray Black, 1875 Special Printing (PR35). Without gum as issued, detailed impression, well-balanced margins, Extremely Fine, with 2003 P.F. certificate
6c Gray Black, 1875 Special Printing (PR36). Without gum as issued, detailed impression, fresh and Fine, with 2001 P.F. certificate
8c Gray Black, 1875 Special Printing (PR37). Without gum as issued, sharp impression, beautiful centering with wide margins, Extremely Fine, with 2002 P.F. certificate
9c Gray Black, 1875 Special Printing (PR38). Without gum as issued, detailed impression, wide margins, Very Fine and choice, with 2002 P.F. certificate
10c Gray Black, 1875 Special Printing (PR39). Without gum as issued, crisp impression, well-balanced margins, fresh and Extremely Fine, only 1,499 sold, with 2005 P.F. certificate
12c Pale Rose, 1875 Special Printing (PR40). Without gum as issued, rich color, Fine, only 1,313 sold, with 2000 P.F. certificate
24c Pale Rose, 1875 Special Printing (PR41). Without gum as issued, bright shade, Very Fine, an attractive stamp, only 411 sold, with 1999 P.F. certificate
36c Pale Rose, 1875 Special Printing (PR42). Without gum as issued, rich color on bright paper, Fine, only 330 sold, with 2004 P.F. certificate
48c Pale Rose, 1875 Special Printing (PR43). Without gum as issued, bright colorVERY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 48-CENT 1875 CONTINENTAL NEWSPAPER SPECIAL PRINTING.
Only 268 sold. With 1999 P.F. certificate
60c Pale Rose, 1875 Special Printing (PR44). Without gum as issued, bright colorFINE EXAMPLE OF THE 60-CENT 1875 CONTINENTAL NEWSPAPER SPECIAL PRINTING.
Only 222 sold. Most tend to be off-center and/or have small faults. With 1995 P.F. certificate
72c Pale Rose, 1875 Special Printing (PR45). Without gum as issued, brilliant color, few short perfs not noted on certificateVERY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 72-CENT 1875 CONTINENTAL NEWSPAPER SPECIAL PRINTING.
Only 174 sold. With 2002 P.F. certificate
84c Pale Rose, 1875 Special Printing (PR46). Without gum as issued, radiant color on bright paperVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A RARE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE 84-CENT 1875 CONTINENTAL NEWSPAPER SPECIAL PRINTING.
Only 164 sold. Signed Spencer Anderson. Ex Geisler. With 1990 P.F. certificate
96c Pale Rose, 1875 Special Printing (PR47). Without gum as issued, radiant color and crisp impression, better centering than normally seen on this difficult issueVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A RARE SOUND AND CENTERED EXAMPLE OF THE 96-CENT 1875 CONTINENTAL NEWSPAPER SPECIAL PRINTING.
Only 141 sold. A Power Search review shows that most examples we have offered are either off-center or have small faults. The example offered here is a notable exception. With 2004 P.F. certificate
$3.00 Vermilion, 1875 Special Printing (PR49). Without gum as issued, vibrant color, both certificates state reperfed at top and bottom, but we disagree for reasons explained below, small corner perf crease at top rightFINE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE $3.00 1875 CONTINENTAL NEWSPAPER SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 20 WERE SOLD, AND ONLY SEVEN ARE CERTIFIED AS GENUINE.
According to sale records of the 1875 Newspaper Special Printings, 20 of the $3.00 were sold and delivered. On July 16, 1884, the Special Printings were withdrawn from sale, and the remaining supply was destroyed.
Our census of PR49, available at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/PR49 , contains seven examples.
Observing photos of the seven recorded examples, we are convinced the perforations on this stamp are genuine, including the top and bottom perfs. The seven stamps all have similar centering, which one would expect since they probably came from one sheet. In terms of spacing between the two horizontal rows of perfs, PR-UNC-05 is a precise match to the stamp offered here. We doubt the vertical height of any PR49 would allow for reperfing of both the top and bottom. On this stamp the perfs match perfectly -- they are parallel and the shape of holes are exactly correct. We think the P.F. got it wrong in 1971 and repeated the mistake in 2008, which opens up an opportunity for a collector willing to accept our opinion over the P.F.'s or, if one has the patience, to argue for an overturn.
Census no. PR49-UNC-03. With 1974 and 2008 P.F. certificates
$6.00 Ultramarine, 1875 Special Printing (PR50). Without gum as issued, brilliant color, attractive margins and centeringSOUND AND FINE EXAMPLE OF THE $6.00 1875 CONTINENTAL NEWSPAPER SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY FOURTEEN WERE SOLD, AND ONLY SEVEN HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED AS GENUINE. ONE OF THE RAREST STAMPS IN UNITED STATES PHILATELY.
According to sale records of the 1875 Newspaper Special Printings, 14 of the $6.00 were sold and delivered. On July 16, 1884, the Special Printings were withdrawn from sale, and the remaining supply was destroyed.
Our census of Scott PR50, available at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/PR50 , contains seven examples. Six are certified by The Philatelic Foundation and two by P.S.E. (this stamp has certificates from both). Number 2 is reperfed at bottom.
Census no. PR50-UNC-07. With 2007 P.S.E. and 2021 P.F. certificates
$12.00 Blue Green, 1875 Special Printing (PR52). Without gum as issued, deep rich color on fresh paper, proof-like impressionFINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE EXAMPLE OF THE $12.00 1875 CONTINENTAL NEWSPAPER SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY FIVE WERE SOLD AND THIS IS ONE OF ONLY TWO EXAMPLES CERTIFIED BY THE PHILATELIC FOUNDATION.
Official records of the Special Printings indicate that 500 of the $12.00 Newspaper were received in 1875. On July 16, 1884, 495 were still on hand. Only five copies were sold in a nine-year period, including two to Paul Lietzow, a 19th century German collector and dealer who made significant purchases of Special Printings when they were available from the Third Assistant Postmaster General’s office. Lietzow was the buyer of the only recorded example of the $24.00 Newspaper Special Printing, which realized $430,000 hammer in our 2014 Rarities of the World sale. He also bought two of the $9.00 Newspaper Special Printing, of which only one is recorded -- it brought $310,000 hammer in our 2016 Inman sale.
Our census of Scott PR52, available at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/PR52 , contains two recorded examples that originally formed a pair -- this the left stamp. It is possible that both of these stamps were sold to Lietzow. Two of the other three $12.00 Special Printings were invoiced to David H. Anthony and Stanley Gibbons (London).
Census no. PR52-UNC-01. With 1990 P.S.E. certificate. With 1970, 2003 and 2016 P.F. certificates.