Sale 1096 — The Robert R. Hall Collection of Outstanding United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Thursday, 28-30 April, 2015
Category — 1913-15 Washington-Franklin Issues (Scott 424-461)
1c-15c 1913-15 Issue (424-437). Blocks of four, incl. No. 435a, two stamps Mint N.H. on 1c, 2c, 11c, one 12c and 15c, all stamps Mint N.H. on 6c, 10c and other 12c, few h.r., Fine-Very Fine, a fresh and desirable group
1c-12c 1913-15 Issues (424-429, 431-435). Plate blocks of six, incl. 1c and 2c "Coil Stamps" plate blocks of ten, No. 434 Mint N.H. (small nick in margin), most others few stamps h.r., rich colors, Fine-Very Fine, a desirable group of plate blocks
7c Black (430). Top plate no. 6916 block of six, intense shade and impression, Fine-Very Fine
15c Gray (437). Bottom plate no. 6819 block of six, radiant color, Fine-Very Fine
20c Ultramarine (438). Mint N.H. left plate no. 6920 block of six, radiant colorFRESH AND FINE. A RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED PLATE BLOCK OF THE 20-CENT PERF 10 SINGLE-LINE WATERMARKED FRANKLIN ISSUE.
We have offered only one other Mint N.H. plate block since our 2008 Rarities sale
30c Orange Red (439). Mint N.H. bottom plate no. 6914 block of six with unusually wide selvage, vibrant color, few minor perf separations sensibly reinforced at bottom edge of selvage (easily trimmed to maintain Mint N.H. status)FRESH AND FINE. A REMARKABLY FRESH AND RARE WIDE-BOTTOM MINT NEVER-HINGED PLATE BLOCK OF THE 30-CENT 1914 ISSUE.
This is only the second Mint N.H. plate block of Scott 439 we have offered since keeping computerized records. Scott Retail as Mint N.H.
30c Orange Red (439). Block of four with bottom plate no. selvage, lightly hinged, vibrant color, fresh and Fine
50c Violet (440). Mint N.H., pretty pastel color, well-balanced margins, fresh and Extremely Fine, with 1997 P.F. certificate
50c Violet (440). Block of four, lightly hinged, intense shade on bright paper, fresh and Fine-Very Fine, a scarce block, with 1989 P.F. certificate
50c Violet (440). Top plate no. 7057 block of six with wide selvage, barely hinged with few Mint N.H., intense shade and proof-like impressionFINE-VERY FINE. A RARE WIDE TOP PLATE BLOCK OF THE 1915 50-CENT PERF 10 WITH SINGLE-LINE WATERMARK.
This is the first wide top plate block we have offered since 2007. With 1983 P.F. certificate
1c Green, Coil (443). Guide line pair, left stamp Mint N.H., right stamp lightly hinged, detailed impression, perfect centering, Extremely Fine, with 1996 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Coil (444). Guide line pair, vivid color, essentially perfect centering, Extremely Fine Gem, with 1995 P.F. certificate
3c Violet, Coil (445). Mint N.H. pair, deep rich color, precise centering, Extremely Fine, with 1993 and 2006 P.F. certificates (XF 90)
3c Violet, Coil (445). Pair, pretty color, neat duplex cancel, fresh and Very Fine, with 2003 P.F. certificate
4c Brown, Coil (446). Mint N.H. pair, rich color, wide margins and choice centering, slightly weak perfs, still Extremely Fine, with 1997 P.F. certificate
4c Brown, Coil (446). Mint N.H., rich color, precise centering, Extremely Fine, with 2000 P.F. certificate
5c Blue, Coil (447). Mint N.H., exceptional depth of color, outstanding centering, Extremely Fine, with 1999 P.F. certificate
2c Red, Ty. I, Coil (449). Mint N.H. pair, classic shade of the Ty. I coil, nicely balanced marginsVERY FINE MINT NEVER-HINGED PAIR OF THE 1915 2-CENT TYPE I VERTICAL COIL.
The 2c Type I rotary plate was used very briefly to make vertical coils issued in late 1915. It was briefly used because the Type I plate was not very deeply engraved and the curvature of the rotary press yielded impressions lacking in some of the details. The Bureau noticed this immediately, and quickly replaced it with the Type III plate (according to Scott, the EDU for No. 449 is Oct. 29, 1915, and the EDU for Type III is Dec. 10, 1915).
With 1991 and 2006 P.F. certificates (F-VF 75)
2c Red, Ty. I, Coil (449). Mint N.H., brilliant color, attractive margins and centeringVERY FINE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE SCARCE 2-CENT COIL, SCOTT 449.
With 2000 P.F. certificate
2c Red, Ty. I, Coil (449). Pair, brilliant color, choice centering for this difficult issue, bold strikes of registry oval cancels, showing joint line at topEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB USED PAIR OF THE 2-CENT TYPE I VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 449.
The 2c Type I rotary plate was used very briefly to make vertical coils issued in late 1915. It was briefly used because the Type I plate was not very deeply engraved and the curvature of the rotary press yielded impressions lacking in some of the details. The Bureau noticed this immediately, and quickly replaced it with the Type III plate (according to Scott, the EDU for No. 449 is Oct. 29, 1915, and the EDU for Type III is Dec. 10, 1915).
With 2003 P.F. certificate
3c Violet, Coil (456). Mint N.H. pair, pretty pastel color, fresh and Fine-Very Fine, with 1999 P.F. certificate
3c Violet, Coil (456). Mint N.H., bright and fresh, Extremely Fine, with 1997 P.F. certificate
3c Violet, Coil (456). Pair, bright color, light strike of duplex cancel, fresh and Very Fine, with 2001 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Ty. I, Imperforate Coil (459). Mint N.H. joint line pair without crease, bright color, Extremely Fine, with 1981 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Ty. I, Imperforate Coil (459). Pair, large margins to full, bright color, light strike of registry oval cancel, Very Fine, very rare in used form, with 1991 and 2002 P.F. certificates
$1.00 Violet Black (460). Lightly hinged, exceptional centering with wide margins, Extremely Fine, with 1979 P.F. certificate for a block of four
$1.00 Violet Black (460). Block of four, deep rich color and proof-like impression, fresh and Very Fine, with 2003 P.F. certificate
$1.00 Violet Black (460). Top imprint, plate no. 5782 and letter "A" block of six with wide selvage, four stamps Mint N.H., top center and top right stamps lightly hinged, rich color, choice centering throughout, accompanying certificate notes top center stamp with light creases which look to us more like natural gum creasesEXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE PLATE BLOCK OF THE 1915 $1.00 PERF 10 DOUBLE-LINE WATERMARKED ISSUE, SCOTT 460.
Lewis Kaufman records only six top and six bottom plate blocks for this issue. Plate 5782 was the only plate prepared for each of the $1.00 Franklin issues (Scott 423, 460, 478 and 518). This is the first wide top plate we have offered since our 2007 Saddleback sale (which was centered to top and left). We have offered only one in Mint N.H. condition since keeping computerized records.
With 1996 P.F. certificate
2c Pale Carmine Red, Ty. I (461). Block of four with top selvage, bottom stamps Mint N.H., top stamps small h.r., radiant color, Fine, Scott Retail as singles
2c Pale Carmine Red, Ty. I (461). Mint N.H. left plate no. 7259 block of six, brilliant color, Very Fine and choice, an attractive Mint N.H. plate block