Sale 1111 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Thursday, 27-29 October, 2015
Category — Officials
6c Agriculture (O4). Original gum, intense shade, Jumbo margins, Very Fine, with 2015 P.F. certificate (VF 80 Jumbo)
15c Agriculture (O7). Original gum, lightly hinged, vivid color, wide margins, fresh and Very Fine, with 2015 P.S.E. certificate
10c Navy (O40). Brilliant color, gorgeous centering with Jumbo margins, light cancel at top, Extremely Fine Gem, a phenomenal stamp, with 2015 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98 Jumbo; unpriced in SMQ above the grade of 95)
30c Navy (O44). Original gum, rich color on bright paper, Jumbo margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2015 P.S.E. certificate (OGh, VF-XF 85; SMQ $425.00 as 85, $725.00 as 90)
$20.00 State (O71). Original gum, deep rich color and detailed impressionVERY FINE AND CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $20.00 STATE DEPARTMENT.
Ex Hoffman. With 1991 and 2005 P.F. certificates
2c War (O84). Original gum, brilliant color, unusually choice centering with wide balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT WAR ISSUE, WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED SUPERB 98.
With 2000 P.F. and 2012 P.S.E. certificates (OGph, Superb 98; SMQ $2,100.00). This is the highest grade awarded and the only example to achieve this grade.
30c Interior, Specimen Ovpt. (O23S). Without gum as issued, vibrant color, expertly reperfed at right, tiny pinhole, Very Fine appearance, one of the most attractive examples of the very scarce 30c Interior Special Printing, only 75 sold, with 2015 P.F. certificate
1c Post Office, Specimen Ovpt., Inverted Ovpt. (O47Sb). Without gum as issued, wide margins and well-centered, minor pulled perf at upper left, still Very Fine example of the only invert error among the Officials Special Printings, with 2015 P.F. certificate, although the 1c Post Office stamps were printed from a 200-subject plate, the sheets were divided into panes of 100 before overprinting, therefore, only 100 of the inverted "Specimen" overprints could have been produced, and we do not know how many were sold, only a small fraction of the number printed has been located
$2.00 State, "Specimen" Overprint (O68S). Without gum as issued, deep rich colors, attractive centering with perfs well clear of design all around, gently cleaned to removed some toning at top which is noted only on most recent certificateVERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE AND CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE $2.00 STATE DEPARTMENT SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 32 WERE SOLD.
Of the 32 sold, Markovits estimated that approximately 20 are known (Bennett sale). With 1969 Friedl certificate that shows no trace of toning so the cleaning must have occurred more than 45 years ago. With 2015 P.F. certificate
$2.00 State, "Specimen" Overprint (O68S). Without gum as issued, margins to touched at left, a couple of letters in overprint slightly rubbed, P.F. certificate states reperfed at right and bottom, we agree that it is reperfed but differ on which sidesFINE CENTERING. AN AFFORDABLE AND ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE OF THE $2.00 STATE DEPARTMENT SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 32 WERE SOLD.
Of the 32 sold, Markovits estimated that approximately 20 are known (Bennett sale). With 2015 P.F. certificate
30c Dark Red on White, Entire (UO29, UPSS WD22). Size 25, knife 122, watermark 2, unused, with printed "Official Business, Chief Signal Officer of the Army, Washington City, D.C." printed address, Very Fine, UPSS value $750.00, Scott Retail
50c Postal Savings (O122). Mint N.H. left arrow margin block of four, radiant color, well-centered, faint fingerprint on gum, Very Fine and scarce in Mint N.H. condition, this is only the second Mint N.H. block to appear in Power Search and the first position piece, Scott Retail as singles
50c Postal Savings (O122). Right arrow margin block of four, rich color, neat Butte Montana double oval cancel, Very Fine and scarce used position block, Power Search does not contain any other used blocks, unlisted in Scott as used (Scott Retail $675.00 for far more common unused margin block)