Sale 962 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Wednesday-Friday, 24-26 September, 2008
Category — Officials, Newspapers
3c Agriculture (O3). Original gum, lightly hinged, exceptionally well-centered, beautiful glowing color, Extremely Fine, with 2008 P.F. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $910.00)
12c Agriculture (O6). Original gum, lightly hinged, vibrant color as fresh as the day it was printed, well-proportioned margins, Extremely Fine, a pretty stamp, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $1,050.00)
30c Agriculture (O9). Original gum, choice margins and essentially perfectly centered, Extremely Fine, with 1992 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90; SMQ $1,300.00)
10c Executive (O14). Original gum, fresh and unusually choice for this difficult Official, bright color and well centered, Extremely Fine, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate
1c Interior (O15). Block of six with selvage at left, right vertical pair Mint N.H., others barely hinged, left stamps light natural gum skips, bright color, choice centering, fresh and Extremely Fine, with 2006 P.F. certificate, Scott Retail as block of four and two Mint N.H. singles
90c Interior (O24). Original gum, single hinge mark at top, pretty shade, crisp impression, long and full perforations all around, Extremely Fine, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (VF-XF 85; SMQ $520.00)
30c Navy (O44). Original gum, fairly lightly hinged, incredibly beautiful oversize margins with precise centering, pristine color and impressionEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM 30-CENT NAVY DEPARTMENT STAMP WE HAVE EVER SEEN.
With 1992 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98; SMQ $1,350.00 as 95, unpriced in this 98 grade). This is the only 98 listed in the P.S.E. Population Report for No. O44 with none higher.
30c State (O66). Slightly disturbed original gum (really negligible), marvelous color and handsome centering, Very Fine and choice, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate
$2.00 State (O68). Bold cork cancel, defective incl. tear at bottom, otherwise Fine, scarce in used condition
$10.00 State (O70). Original gum, lightly hinged, absolutely perfect centering and wide even margins, proof-like impression and colors, pristineEXTREMELY FINE GEM. UNDOUBTEDLY ONE OF THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES OF THE $10.00 STATE DEPARTMENT ISSUE IN EXISTENCE.
The large format State Department dollar values are notorious for poor centering. Even well-centered stamps have slightly skewed vertical perforations which angle in toward the design at one spot or another. This stamp is perfectly "boxed" at all corners. We really see nothing to have justified anything less than a 95 grade, but we defer to the P.S.E. In any case, the other two OG stamps in the P.S.E. Population Report are graded 50 and 75!
With 2008 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 90; SMQ $12,400.00)
Post Office Registry Seal, Green, Imperforate, National Bank Note Co. Reprint (OXF1b var). Vertical pair, without gum as prepared, large to huge margins, Extremely Fine, a lovely rare Official Seal variety, with 2008 P.F. certificate, the original issue was printed in 1872 from plates of 30 containing two panes of 15, the 1875 reprint was printed from a pane of 9
96c Red, 1879 Issue (PR70). Original gum, lightly hinged, lovely pastel color, Fine, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate
$36.00 Indian Red, 1879 Issue (PR77). Original gum, lightly hinged, nice margins and centering, pretty soft pastel color, Very Fine, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate
10c Intense Black, 1894 Issue (PR94). Original gum, faintly hinged, three wide margins, Fine, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate