Sale 1040 — Outstanding United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Thursday, 26-28 March, 2013
Category — 1918-22 Issues (Scott 525-547a)
1c-3c 1918-20 Offset Issues (525-530, 530, 536). Imprint and plate no. blocks of six, Nos. 528A and 528B Mint N.H. (former with pre-printing paperfolds), few h.r., bright colors, Fine-Very Fine
1c Gray Green, Double Impression (525d). Showing clear doubling of the entire design, natural s.e. at right with full guide line, neat wavy-line machine cancel, small tear at bottom right, Very Fine appearance, a great rarity as only two used examples have ever been certified as genuine, the other copy was recently offered in our Natalee Grace sale, with 2007 P.F. certificate, listed but unpriced in Scott
2c Carmine, Ty. Va (528). Mint N.H. top plate no. 11900 block of six with wide selvage, brilliant color, Very Fine and choice
3c Violet, Ty. III, Printed on Both Sides (529b). Clear impression on back printed inverted in relation to the front, natural s.e. at bottom showing guide line, the guide line also appears on back which shows part of two impressions, lightly hinged, Fine, a rare example of the 3c Violet Ty. III Offset issue printed on both sides
3c Purple, Ty. IV, Double Impression (530a). Showing clear doubling of the entire design, rich color, neat wavy-line machine cancel, horizontal crease ending in tear at left, Very Fine appearance, a great rarity, our census of Scott 530a, available at our website at http://siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/530a/530a.pdf , records approximately 141 unused copies (including a pane of 100) and three used (two off cover), with 2004 P.F. certificate stating it is a genuine double impression but declining opinion as to the cancellation, with 2007 P.S.E. certificate making no such qualification, offered on its own merits
2c Carmine, Ty. V, Imperforate (533). Centerline block of four, top pair small h.r.'s, bottom pair Mint N.H, fresh, huge margins, Extremely Fine
2c Carmine, Ty. V, Imperforate (533). Right plate no. 10918 block of six, lightly hinged at top, other four stamps Mint N.H., huge margins, fresh and Extremely Fine
2c Carmine, Ty. V, Imperforate (533). Top arrow block of four, huge margins and rich color, neat Benton Harbor Mich. 1921 grid duplex cancel, Extremely Fine
2c Carmine, Ty. V, Imperforate (533). Left arrow block of four, huge margins and rich color, perfect bold Benton Harbor Mich. 1920 grid duplex cancel, Extremely Fine
2c Carmine, Ty. VII, Imperforate (534B). Mint N.H., large to huge margins including significant portion of adjoining stamp at bottom, rich colorEXTREMELY FINE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE RARE TYPE VII IMPERFORATE OFFSET STAMP.
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 2006 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $3,450.00)
2c Carmine, Ty. VII, Imperforate (534B). Block of four, huge margins including part of eight adjoining stamps and plate no. 12809 selvage at top, three stamps Mint N.H., top right stamp h.r., brilliant color, few natural gum creasesEXTREMELY FINE. A RARE BLOCK OF THE TYPE VII IMPERFORATE OFFSET STAMP, SCOTT 534B.
According to Armstrong, the imperforates were issued to satisfy the needs of the last remaining private coil manufacturer. The Mail-O-Meter Company merged with the Schermack Company and so these issues are also known with the Schermack Type III perforations, such as are also seen on Scott 314A and 482A. However, a small supply of the imperforate 2c Type VII stamps without Schermack perfs did reach the public.
Scott Retail as singles
2c Carmine, Ty. VII, Imperforate (534B). Right plate no. 12275 block of six, lightly hinged, large and even margins, rich color, center left stamp tiny ink markVERY FINE AND CHOICE. AN EXTREMELY RARE PLATE BLOCK OF THE 2-CENT TYPE VII IMPERFORATE OFFSET STAMP, SCOTT 534B.
According to Armstrong, the imperforates were issued to satisfy the needs of the last remaining private coil manufacturer. The Mail-O-Meter Company merged with the Schermack Company and so these issues are also known with the Schermack Type III perforations, such as are also seen on Scott 314A and 482A. However, a small supply of the imperforate 2c Type VII stamps without Schermack perfs did reach the public.
We have offered only one other plate block since our 1996 Rarities sale. P.F. certificate no longer accompanies.
2c Carmine, Ty. VII, Imperforate (534B). Large to huge margins, strong color on bright paper with neat wavy-line machine cancel, Extremely Fine, with 1977 and 1994 P.F. certificates
1c Gray Green (536). Mint N.H. bottom plate no. block of six, soft pastel color, fresh Very Fine
1c Gray Green (536). Mint N.H. pane of 100 with plate no. 10025 blocks at bottom and left, natural s.e. other sides with arrow and guideline at top, fresh, Very Good-Fine, Scott Retail as plate blocks and singles
1c Gray Green, Horizontal Pair, Imperforate Vertically (536a). Bright color, outstanding centering with wide margins, Extremely Fine, Colman guarantee backstamp, drastically undercatalogued in Scott given its rarity, we have only offered four pairs and one block of four since keeping computerized records, this is one of the finest pairs extant, with 2011P.F. certificate
1c Gray Green, Horizontal Pair, Imperforate Vertically (536a). H.r. at center, bright color, natural gum bends, Fine, with XXXX P.F. certificate
3c Deep Violet (537a). Barely hinged, vibrant color, unusually well centered, an Extremely Fine and select example of this rare color variety, signed Sloane in pencil and with 2011 P.F. certificate, Scott Catalogue footnote states that value for Scott 537a is for the grade of Fine
2c Carmine Rose, Ty. II, Rotary Perf 11 x 10 (539). Mint N.H., strong color, small painted over scrape near Washington's forehead, Fine appearance, with 2011 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine Rose, Ty. II, Rotary Perf 11 x 10 (539). Single hinge mark, intense shade and impression, fresh and Very Fine, a pretty stamp, with 1974 and 2008 P.F. certificates.
2c Carmine Rose, Ty. II, Rotary Perf 11 x 10 (539). Single h.r., brilliant color, fresh and Very Good, with XXXX P.F. certificate
2c Carmine Rose, Ty. III, Rotary Perf 11 x 10 (540). Mint N.H. top star and plate no. 13779 block of ten, imperforate at top margin, rich color and sharp impression, choice centering, Very Fine, Scott Retail as plate block of four and singles
1c Green, Perf 10 x 11 (542). Mint N.H. pane of 100 with right plate no. 10152 block of six, one stamp with small gum adherence, pos. 40 (in the plate block) with perf flaws, mostly Fine with some near the top of the pane Very Fine, Scott Retail as plate block and singles
1c Green, Rotary Perf 11 (544). Barest trace of what may be hinging, rich color and detailed impressionFINE. A RARE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE 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.
A small quantity of 1c Rotary Press sheet stamps was perforated 11 at the end of 1922, using remainder sheets from the earlier experimental printings that were normally perforated in 10 gauge or 10/11 compound gauge. Its existence as a Perf 11 variety was discovered in 1936, and the stamp received its Scott Catalogue listing in 1938.
With copy of 1974 P.F. certificate.
1c Green, Rotary Perf 11 (544). Far better centering than typically found on this scarce stamp, rich color, light cancel, certificate mentions "small corner fault at top right and a small horizontal crease at left", both are quite minor and do not detract from the stamp's Very Fine appearance, with 2011 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine Rose, Ty. III, Rotary (546). Mint N.H. top plate no. 13651 block of six, brilliant color, perfs scissors-separated and intact at right, fresh and Fine Mint N.H. plate block
2c Carmine Rose, Ty. III, Rotary (546). Mint N.H. block of four, deep rich color, light natural gum bends, Fine, Scott Retail as singles
$2.00 Carmine & Black (547). Block of four, bottom stamps Mint N.H., top stamps lightly hinged, deep rich colors and detailed impressions, Very Fine, bottom right stamp small backstamp, Scott Retail as singles
$2.00 Carmine & Black (547). Top plate nos. 8179/8177 and arrow block of eight, lightly hinged, rich colors, few natural gum bends, two staple holes in selvage as usual, Fine-Very Fine, scarce and attractive plate block
$2.00 Lake & Black (547a). Mint N.H. with Black plate no. 8179 at top, intense color with a hint of oxidation, Extremely Fine example of this shade variety, with 1992 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90; SMQ $710.00)