Sale 1040 — Outstanding United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Thursday, 26-28 March, 2013
Category — 1917-18 Issues (Scott 498-524)
1c-30c 1917-19 Issue (498-499, 501-504, 506-516). Plate no. blocks of six, several including 12c, 13c, and 30c Mint N.H., some h.r., rich colors, 15c natural gum skip and crease, 20c thin spots, others Fine-Very Fine and desirable group of plate blocks
1c Green, Horizontal Pair, Imperforate Between (498b). Error pair in strip of five with narrow selvage at right, end stamps h.r., the error Mint N.H., rich color, Very Fine, attractive multiple
2c Rose, Ty. I, Horizontal Pair, Imperforate Vertically (499b). Deep shade, centered slightly to top but better centered than most examples of this error, Very Fine, Datz states that 100 pairs are reported but they appear with far less frequency than that number would suggest, with 2011 P.F. certificate
2c Rose, Ty. I, Horizontal Pair, Imperforate Vertically (499b). Lightly hinged, brilliant color, centered to one side as are virtually all known examples, Very Fine, scarce, Datz states that 100 pairs are reported but they rarely appear at auction, the last unused example we offered was in our 2009 Whitman sale and prior to that we offered one in 2000
2c Deep Rose, Ty. Ia (500). Mint N.H., brilliant color on bright paper, Very Fine and choice, with 1996 and 2002 P.F. certificates
2c Deep Rose, Ty. Ia (500). Mint N.H., nicely centered, wonderfully fresh and crisp, magnificent color, Very Fine
2c Deep Rose, Ty. Ia (500). Block of four, lightly hinged, brilliant color, fresh and Fine
2c Deep Rose, Ty. Ia (500). Top plate no. 10209 block of six with narrow selvage, five stamps Mint N.H., top center stamp h.r., brilliant color, four side stamps natural gum bend, Fine, scarce plate block, Scott Retail as singles
3c Light Violet, Ty. I, Vertical Pair, Imperforate Horizontally (501c). Lightly hinged, brilliant color, well-balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 3-CENT SCOTT 501 VERTICAL PAIR, IMPERFORATE HORIZONTALLY.
This is one of the finest of the few examples of this error we have offered. Small Ward backstamp. With 2012 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, XF 90; unpriced in SMQ)
3c Dark Violet, Ty. II (502). Mint N.H. pane of 100 with plate no. blocks at top and right, natural s.e. other sides, small selvage creases at edges could be trimmed, minor perf separations, one row insignificant gum skips, nearly all Fine-Very Fine with a few in higher grade, a scarce complete pane, Scott Retail as plate blocks and singles
4c Brown (503). Mint N.H. pane of 100 with plate no. blocks at top and left, natural s.e. other sides, fresh, minor selvage wrinkles at top, nearly all Fine-Very Fine, Scott Retail as plate blocks and singles
5c Rose, Error (505). Mint N.H. single error in strip of three with two normal 2c stamps, brilliant color, well-balanced margins, Extremely Fine, with 2004 P.F. certificate for single error in block of nine
5c Rose, Error (505). Single error in strip of three, lightly hinged, error with tiny perf tip thin speck, Very Fine appearance, Scott Retail as error single
5c Rose, Error (505). Single error in block of nine, natural s.e. at top, error Mint N.H., creases affect four 2c stamps, few perf separations sensibly reinforced, the error is Very Fine
5c Rose, Error (505). Mint N.H. double error in block of twelve, natural s.e. at bottom, radiant color, Very Fine and choice, with 1992 P.F. certificate
5c Rose, Error (505). Mint N.H. double error in block of twelve, natural s.e. at bottom, brilliant color, top center 2c stamp natural inclusion, Fine block
5c Rose, Error (505). Double error in block of twelve, natural s.e. at bottom, top left and top right 2c stamps h.r., others (including both errors) Mint N.H., brilliant color, Very Fine and choice
5c Rose, Error (505). Double error in block of twelve, natural s.e. at bottom, both errors and most 2c stamps Mint N.H., radiant color, Fine
6c Red Orange, 9c Salmon Red (506, 509). Mint N.H. top plate no. blocks of six, fresh colors, 6c with pencil notation on back in ungummed portion of selvage, Very Fine
8c Olive Bister, Perf 10 at Top (508c). Transitional perfs at top, "Anderson, Ind." precancel, small scrape and margin nick at topFINE APPEARANCE. AN AFFORDABLE EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 8-CENT 1917 ISSUE PERF 10 AT TOP.
Our census of Scott 508c is available at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/508c/508c.pdf . This is the only example with an Anderson Ind. pre-cancel. Census No. 508c-CAN-20. With 2012 P.F. certificate
9c Salmon Red, Perf 10 at Bottom (509a). Fresh color, "Bethlehem Pa." precancel, minor creasesFINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 1917 9-CENT PERF 10 AT BOTTOM.
Our census of Scott 509a is available at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/509a/509a.pdf . Six of the 24 recorded examples have the Bethlehem Pa. pre-cancel.
Census No. 509a-CAN-28.
11c Light Green, Perf 10 at Top (511a). Bright color, three wide margins, unobtrusive strike of boxed handstamped cancel, Fine example of this scarce perf variety, with 2001 P.F. certificate
20c Light Ultramarine, Vertical Pair, Imperforate Between (515b). Lightly hinged, pretty shade, centered to left as are all known examples, fresh and Fine, scarce
20c Light Ultramarine (515). Mint N.H., rich color on bright paper, gorgeous centering with Jumbo margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2012 P.S.A.G. certificate (Superb 98 Jumbo)
50c Red Violet (517). Mint N.H., brilliant color, almost perfectly centered, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2004 P.F. and 2005 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $575.00)
50c Red Violet (517). Bottom plate no. 7042 block of six, four stamps Mint N.H., top left and top right stamps h.r., rich color, fresh and Fine, scarce plate block
$1.00 Violet Brown (518). Mint N.H., brilliant color, wide margins, fresh and Extremely Fine, with 2004 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $575.00)
$1.00 Violet Brown (518). Mint N.H. bottom imprint, plate no. 5782 and letter "A" block of six, edge of selvage gummed below plate number and imprint, outstanding centering throughout, deep shade on bright white paper, Extremely Fine, a beautiful plate block
$1.00 Violet Brown (518). Top imprint, plate no. 5782 and letter "A" block of six, stamps Mint N.H., lightly hinged in selvage, intense shade and impression, bottom left stamp small natural gum skip, Fine, Scott Retail as hinged
$1.00 Deep Brown (518b). Rich color in the true Deep Brown shade, detailed impression, beautiful wide and balanced margins, unusual for this difficult issue, bold strike of Sandusky O. oval registry cancelEXTREMELY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1917 $1.00 IN THE DEEP BROWN SUB-SHADE.
According to Johl, a small number of stamps were printed in this distinctive shade early in the issue of the 1917 $1.00 stamp. During the course of the six years that the stamp was issued, all other printings were made in the Violet Brown shade. Used examples of this shade are difficult to find with centering as nice as the example offered here.
With 2000 and 2006 P.F. certificates (XF 90). With 2011 P.S.E. certificate (VF-XF 85; SMQ $1,700.00 as 85, $2,500.00 as 90). While the P.F. in this case gave a higher grade, the 85 awarded by P.S.E. is still the highest recorded in the Population Report, with none equal
2c Carmine (519). Mint N.H., bright shade, detailed impression, well-proportioned margins, Extremely Fine, with 1992 P.F. and 2005 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90; SMQ $1,850.00)
2c Carmine (519). Mint N.H., brilliant color, detailed impression, tiny mark on gum, Very Fine
$2.00 Orange Red & Black (523). Lightly hinged, vibrant colors, Very Fine and choice, with 1979 P.F. certificate
$2.00 Orange Red & Black (523). Bottom arrow block of four, bottom left stamp Mint N.H., bottom right stamp barely hinged, top stamps h.r., rich colors, fresh and Fine-Very Fine position multiple, Scott Retail as singles
$2.00 Orange Red & Black (523). Top plate nos. 8179/8177 and arrow block of eight, lightly hinged, rich colors, vignette shifted noticeably to the left, two staple holes in selvage as usualFINE-VERY FINE. A RARE SOUND PLATE BLOCK OF THE 1918 $2.00 ORANGE RED & BLACK. ONLY A HANDFUL OF PLATE BLOCKS EXIST.
The $2.00 and $5.00 1918 Issue are the first bi-colored dollar-denominated postage stamps issued by the United States. Both were released just three months after the famous 1918 24c Inverted Jenny, but the early printings were issued in small quantities, since stocks of the earlier $2.00 and $5.00 issues were still on hand.
According to Johl, the $2.00 Orange Red & Black was a color error on the part of the Bureau of Engraving & Printing. The official description and order for the bi-color stamps specified "Red and Black" for the $2.00. When subsequent printings appeared in 1920 and philatelists brought the matter to the attention of the Bureau, they were told "this stamp has always been this color" (Johl, p. 306). From studies of Bureau and Post Office records, it is clear that the originally-intended color was not issued until November 1920 (Scott 547), and that the earlier Orange Red stamps were mistakes. The quantity issued has been variously estimated at between 47,000 and 68,000.
$2.00 Orange Red & Black (523). Beautifully centered with near Jumbo margins, guide line at bottom, much lighter cancel than typically seen, Extremely Fine
$5.00 Deep Green & Black (524). Mint N.H., rich colors, wide margins, guide line at bottom, Extremely Fine, with 1997 P.F. certificate
$5.00 Deep Green & Black (524). Centerline block of four, bottom stamps Mint N.H., top stamps small h.r., rich colors, fresh and Very Fine, Scott Retail as singles
$5.00 Deep Green & Black (524). Mint N.H. top margin, arrow and double plate nos. 8179/8178 block of eight, intense color, two staple holes in selvage as usualFINE-VERY FINE. A SCARCE MINT NEVER-HINGED PLATE BLOCK OF THE FIRST BI-COLORED $5.00 STAMP ISSUED BY THE UNITED STATES.
We have only offered three other Mint N.H. plate blocks of this issue since 1998
$5.00 Deep Green & Black (524). Top margin, arrow and double plate nos. 8179/8178 block of eight, hinging confined to top two center stamps, deep rich colors, nice margins and centering, two staple holes in selvage as usualVERY FINE AND CHOICE PLATE BLOCK OF THE $5.00 1918 ISSUE.
We have only offered only eleven Scott 524 plate blocks since 1998
$5.00 Deep Green & Black (524). Top plate nos. 8179/8178 and arrow block of eight, lightly hinged, rich colors, two staple holes in selvage as usual, few minor perf separations at top, gum stain at right, otherwise Fine-Very Fine