Sale 1227 — Outstanding United States Stamps and Gold Coins
Sale Date — Monday-Friday, 19-23 October, 2020
Category — $1.00-$5.00 1893 Columbian Issue (Scott 241-245)
$1.00 Columbian (241). Original gum, barest trace of hinging, rich color, gorgeous centering with well-balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB LIGHTLY HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $1.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE.
The $1.00 is difficult to obtain in such superb condition; the margins are usually small. With 2020 P.F. certificate (XF-Superb 95).
$1.00 Columbian (241). Original gum, lightly hinged, brilliant color, well-proportioned margins, Very Fine and choice, with 1991 P.F. certificate stating "it is genuine" (implying Mint N.H.)
$1.00 Columbian (241). Original gum, lightly hinged, brilliant color, Very Fine and choice, with 1983 P.F. certificate for a block of four (this the bottom left stamp)
$1.00 Columbian (241). Mint N.H. block of four, brilliant color and crisp impressionFINE AND SCARCE MINT NEVER-HINGED BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE $1.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE.
Accompanied by part of imprint selvage. With 2020 P.S.A.G. certificate. Scott value as singles
$1.00 Columbian (241). Block of four, original gum, lightly hinged, vivid color and well-centered, light gum wrinkle top left stamp, light pencil notation bottom left stamp, the two right stamps are very choice, overall Very Fine block
$1.00 Columbian (241). Block of four, original gum, lightly hinged, bright color, horizontal crease thru bottom pair, vertical crease thru left pair, bottom left stamp with small natural inclusion, appears Fine
$1.00 Columbian (241). Duplex cancel, well-balanced margins, fresh and Extremely Fine
$2.00 Columbian (242). Mint N.H., deep rich color and proof-like impression, perfectly centeredEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A PHENOMENAL MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $2.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE, GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. -- THE DOLLAR-VALUE COLUMBIAN ISSUES ARE EXTREMELY RARE IN SUCH HIGH GRADES IN MINT NEVER-HINGED CONDITION.
Typically, when a collector assembles an Extremely Fine, Mint Never-Hinged set of Columbians, the $2.00 space remains empty to the very end due to the low supply and high demand. It is simply one of the rarest stamps of the set in this condition. The Scott value of $4,000.00 for a Mint N.H. stamp (in Very Fine grade) does not begin to reflect the true rarity of such examples.
With 2020 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $50,000.00). Only one grades higher (at 98, we have never offered it) and three others share this desirable grade. This is the first in this grade we have offered since 2013.
$2.00 Columbian (242). Original gum, lightly hinged, wide margins and choice centering, deep rich color, Extremely Fine, with 2020 P.F. certificate (XF 90)
$2.00 Columbian (242). Original gum, lightly hinged, attractive margins and well-centered, wonderful deep rich color, Very Fine, with 2007 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, VF 80; SMQ $1,000.00)
$2.00 Columbian (242). Original gum, lightly hinged, pretty color, natural gum crease, natural inclusion at bottom left, Fine, with copy of 1991 P.F. certificate for block only noting previously hinged
$2.00 Columbian (242). Block of four, original gum, single h.r. at top, rich color, some perf separations including few reinforced at left, Fine
$3.00 Columbian (243). Mint N.H., deep rich color and proof-like impression, well-centered with wide marginsVERY FINE. A FRESH AND DESIRABLE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $3.00 COLUMBIAN.
With 2020 P.S.E. certificate (VF 80; SMQ $5,250.00)
$3.00 Columbian (243). Mint N.H., brilliant shade on bright paperFRESH AND VERY FINE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $3.00 COLUMBIAN.
With 2002 P.F. certificate
$3.00 Columbian (243). Original gum, rich color on bright paper, choice centering with wide and balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $3.00 COLUMBIAN.
With 2013 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, XF 90; SMQ $2,500.00)
$3.00 Columbian (243). Original gum, wide margins and well-centered, pastel color, fresh and Extremely Fine
$3.00 Olive Green, Columbian (243a). Original gum, pretty shade, tiny picked-out inclusion at right not mentioned on certificate, appears Very Fine, with 1993 P.S.E. certificate
$3.00 Columbian (243). Disturbed original gum, rich color, intense impression, outstanding centering with wide and balanced margins, Extremely Fine, with 2019 P.S.E. certificate (DOG, XF-Superb 95; SMQ $4,800.00).
$3.00 Olive Green, Columbian (243a). Unused (regummed), outstanding centering and margins, fresh color, Extremely Fine, with 2019 P.S.E. certificate (RG, XF-Superb 95; SMQ $1,500.00)
$3.00 Columbian (243). Bottom imprint, plate no. 106 and letters "B B" at right strip of four, original gum, lightly hinged, bright color, few minor natural paper wrinkles in selvageVERY GOOD. A SCARCE IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER STRIP OF FOUR OF THE $3.00 COLUMBIAN.
The $3.00 Columbian is extremely difficult to find in any form of plate number multiple. Only three plate blocks are known (they are blocks of six). We have offered only three other imprint and plate number strips of four since 1993.
Ex "Lake Shore"
$3.00 Columbian (243). Block of four, lower left stamp Mint N.H., others lightly hinged, deep rich color, few sensibly reinforced perf separationsFINE BLOCK OF THE $3.00 COLUMBIAN, CONTAINING A MINT NEVER-HINGED STAMP AT BOTTOM LEFT.
Scott value as hinged block of four
$3.00 Columbian (243). Intense color and detailed impression, unobtrusive circular datestamp cancel at left, Very Fine and choice, with 2010 P.S.E. certificate (VF-XF 85; SMQ $1,250.00)
$3.00 Columbian (243). Wide margins, fresh color, New York oval registry cancel, small crease at top visible only in fluid, short perf at bottom, Very Fine appearance
$4.00 Columbian (244). Mint N.H., brilliant color on bright paper, outstanding centering with balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $4.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE, GRADED XF 90 XQ BY THE PHILATELIC FOUNDATION -- THIS STAMP EXHIBITS A REMARKABLE DEGREE OF FRESHNESS RARELY SEEN ON COLUMBIAN DOLLAR-VALUE STAMPS.
The $4.00 Columbian depicts the two central figures in the story of Columbus -- Queen Isabella and Columbus himself. The portrait of Isabella is said to be based on a painting in Madrid, but its origins have been lost to history. The portrait of Columbus is based on a painting by the artist Lorenzo Lotto (c. 1480-1556). This portrait of Columbus was painted in 1512 as a commission from Domenico Malpiero, a Venetian senator and historian, and was executed shortly after the death of Columbus in 1504. It is one of the earliest portraits of Columbus (none is known to have been painted in his lifetime). This image was also used for several stamps of Chile.
With 2020 P.F. certificate (XF 90 XQ). The "XQ" denotes extraordinary quality
$4.00 Columbian (244). Original gum, lightly hinged, pretty shade, wide margins, Very Fine, with copy of 2002 P.F. certificate for block
$4.00 Columbian (244). Unused (no gum), well-centered with wide and balanced margins, bright color, Very Fine and choice, with 1993 P.S.E. certificate
$4.00 Pale Aniline Rose, Columbian (244a). Block of four, original gum, h.r. at top, vibrant color, small thin spot straddles bottom stamps at bottom, top pair with horizontal creaseFINE APPEARING ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF THE $4.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE.
With 1974 P.F. certificate mentioning only the thin spot
$4.00 Columbian (244). Block of four, slightly disturbed original gum, rich color, few minor perf separationsFINE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF THE $4.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE.
Blocks of this issue are uncommon. Only 26,350 stamps were printed from Plate 107, and according to Luff 3,357 were destroyed.
$5.00 Columbian (245). Original gum, choice centering, Very Fine, P.S.E. encapsulated (OGph, F-VF 75; SMQ $1,650.00)
$5.00 Columbian (245). Original gum, deep shade, Fine, with 1999 P.F. certificate
$5.00 Columbian (245). Unused (no gum), detailed impression, well-balanced margins, Very Fine
$5.00 Columbian (245). Intense shade and impression, choice centering with well-balanced margins, neat strike of 1893 circular datestamp cancel, Extremely Fine, red Dietrich backstamp, with 2009 P.F. certificate
$5.00 Columbian (245). Detailed impression, neat target cancel leaves design clearly visible, tiny thin spot, small repair at top center, Extremely Fine appearance