Sale 956 — The Jay Hoffman Collection of United States Stamps
Sale Date — Thursday-Friday, 8-9 May, 2008
Category — 1917-23 Issues (Scott 528A-595)
2c Carmine, Ty. VI (528A). Mint N.H., brilliant color as fresh as the day it was printed on crisp paper, wide margins, long and full perforations, Extremely Fine, with 2003 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Ty. V, Imperforate (533). Mint N.H., huge margins all around incl. sheet margin at left, radiant color, Extremely Fine, a beautiful stamp, with 1988 P.F. certificate for pair
2c Carmine, Ty. VII, Imperforate (534B). Mint N.H. horizontal plate no. pair, rich color, large margins all around including wide right sheet marginEXTREMELY FINE AND FRESH PAIR OF THE RARE 2-CENT TYPE VII IMPERFORATE. ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE WITH THE PLATE NUMBER.
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 did reach the public.
With 1992 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine Rose, Ty. II, Rotary Perf 11 x 10 (539). Mint N.H., rich color and sharp impression, wide balanced margins and choice centeringEXTREMELY FINE. A CHOICE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THIS RARE ROTARY-PRESS COIL WASTE ISSUE. AN EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT STAMP TO FIND IN SUCH CONDITION. THIS IS ONE OF THE FINEST WE HAVE EVER OFFERED.
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 a plan to salvage this waste by converting the stamps from coil stamps into sheet stamps. This was accomplished by cutting the sheets into panes and putting the panes through the flat-plate perforator in use at the time, giving the stamps perforations on all sides.
Since Scott 539 was put through two different perforating machines of differing gauges at different times, most of the stamps are off-center. The stamp offered here is a true condition rarity by virtue of its centering, margins and Mint N.H. state. The only example we have encountered in a better grade realized $22,000 hammer in the Scarsdale sale.
Ex Odeneal. With 2000 and 2007 P.F. certificates
1c Green, Rotary Perf 11 (544). Mint N.H., fresh and bright color, choice centering for this notoriously challenging issueVERY FINE AND CHOICE. ONE OF THE FEW EXTANT MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLES OF THIS MAJOR 20TH CENTURY RARITY. PROBABLY FEWER THAN 20 OF THE 1923 ONE-CENT ROTARY PERF 11, SCOTT 544, EXIST IN ANY UNUSED STATE -- LESS THAN TEN ARE MINT NEVER-HINGED.
A small quantity of 1c Rotary Press stamps was perforated 11 at the end of 1922, using remainder sheets from the earlier printings that were normally perforated in 10 gauge or 11/10 compound gauge. Its existence as a Perf 11 variety was discovered in 1936, and the stamp 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.
Ex Grunin and Geisler. With 1972, 1991 and 2007 P.F. certificates.
3c Violet, Ty. II (541). Mint N.H., vivid color on bright paper, well-proportioned margins, fresh and Extremely Fine, with 2004 P.F. certificate
$2.00 Carmine & Black (547). Barest trace of hinging, intense colors, detailed impressions, Very Fine and choice, with 2001 P.F. certificate
5c Pilgrim Tercentenary (550). Mint N.H. with top right corner sheet margins, deep rich color on bright paper, wide margins, Extremely Fine, a huge stamp, with 2005 P.F. certificate
1c Green, Rotary (578). Mint N.H., bright shade on crisp paper, wide margins for this difficult issue, Extremely Fine, with 1996 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Rotary (579). Mint N.H., radiant color, wide margins, fresh and Extremely Fine, a pretty stamp of great visual appeal, with 2002 P.S.E. certificate
10c Orange, Perf 10 (591). Mint N.H., vivid color, choice centering for this difficult issue with wide and balanced margins, Extremely Fine Gem, a superb stamp in every respect, with 2000 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Rotary, Perf 11 (595). Mint N.H., brilliant color, wide margins for this issue, Very Fine and choice, with 1992 P.F. certificate
1c Green, Rotary, Perf 11 (594). Unused (no gum), bright color (accompanying certificate notes stained but this has been removed), three wide margins, deep thin spot at rightFINE APPEARANCE. AN ATTRACTIVE UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT ROTARY PERF 11 ISSUE, SCOTT 594. ONE OF THE RAREST 20TH CENTURY STAMPS IN UNUSED CONDITION.
The 1c Green, Scott 594, is waste from a horizontal rotary printing used to make coils. At the beginning or end of a coil-stamp print run from the 170-subject rotary plates, some leading or trailing paper was produced that was too short for rolling into 500-stamp rolls. In 1919 the Bureau devised a plan to salvage this waste by perforating and cutting the sheets into panes. They were put through the 11-gauge flat-plate perforator in use at the time, giving the sheets full perforations on all sides. The existence of Scott 594 was not reported until four months after the final sheets were delivered, and the 1c Rotary Perf 11 was soon recognized as one of the rarest United States stamps.
Our census of Scott 594 unused, based on the Levi and P.F. records, contains only 21 stamps. Of these, ten have no gum at all, and eight have only a small part of original gum (these were removed from postcards and envelopes). Of all unused stamps, only six are sound, including two with perforated initials of Crowell Publishing Co. of Springfield, Ohio. As an indication of rarity, the last time we offered an unused example was in our Golin sale in 1999.
With 1983 P.F. certificate