Sale 1187 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Wednesday, 25 July, 2018
Category — 1922-29 and Later Issues (Scott 551-forward)
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$2.00 Deep Blue (572). Mint N.H., Jumbo margins and precise centering, rich color and detailed impression, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2014 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $450.00)
$2.00 Deep Blue (572). Mint N.H. top plate no. 14306 block of six, rich color, fresh and Very Fine
$5.00 Carmine & Blue (573). Mint N.H. block of six with plate no. F14327 and arrow, brilliant colors, Fine-Very Fine, Scott Retail as singles
1c Green, Imperforate (575). Pair, huge margins all around including sheet margin at right and parts of five adjoining stamps, Benton Harbor Mich. 1929 machine cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2017 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100; SMQ $500.00), only two have graded higher, we are left wondering why this wasn't awarded the Jumbo designation
1c Green, 2c Carmine, Rotary (578-579). Top plate no. and star blocks, 1c plate no. 14563 block of six, top center stamp h.r, others Mint N.H., natural horizontal gum skip thru top row, centering as often seen on this difficult issue, Very Good, 2c Mint N.H. plate no. 15847 block of four, bright color, Fine
1c Green, 2c Carmine, Rotary (578-579). Top plate no. and star blocks of four, 2c top right stamp h.r., others either lightly hinged or Mint N.H., crisp impressions, Fine
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5c Blue, 7c Black, Perf 10 (586, 588). Large accumulation, 5c No. 586 includes Mint N.H. block of 76 with selvage on three sides, few better centered than normally seen, few trivial perf separations, Fine-Very Fine with a few Extremely Fine, also 153 Mint N.H. 5c stamps, including blocks of 30, 19, 14, 12 and other multiples such as two plate no. 16608 blocks of four, six singles, Fine-Very Fine, 7c No. 588 with 87 Mint N.H. stamps, including blocks of 24, 18, 8, 6, 5 and 4 (4) plus strip of four, pair and four singles, both largest multiples with corner selvage (one with pen notation in selvage), Fine-Very Fine, all these are from an old-time dealer's stockbook, Scott Retail approximately
1c Green, Rotary, Perf 11 (594). Part original gum, deep rich color, thin at top, light horizontal crease at center, few nibbed perfs at leftFINE APPEARANCE. A RARE PART ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT ROTARY PERF 11 ISSUE, SCOTT 594.
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 unused examples of Scott 594, based on the Levi and P.F. records and available at our website at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/594 , contains only 17 stamps. Of these only 11 have any gum, and three of those have perforated initials of Crowell Publishing Co. of Springfield, Ohio, which some collectors regard as equivalent to a cancel.
Census No. 594-OG-03. With 1956 P.F. certificate not mentioning any faults
1c Green, Rotary, Perf 11 (594). Intense shade and impression, bold Madison Sq. Sta. N.Y. slogan machine cancelFINE. A RARE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE 1923 ONE-CENT ROTARY PERF 11 ISSUE.
Like the 2c, Scott 595, this issue was perforated in both directions on the flat plate perforating machine. This machine was not designed to perforate rotary press stamps, which are slightly different in size due to the curvature of the printing plate. This caused notoriously poor perforations. 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, available at our website at: https:/siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/594 , contains 89 used singles, four used pairs and five covers (including one with a pair) for a total of 103 used stamps. Many have perforations either in on one or more sides, or have faults. This example was once part of a pair on piece (see Siegel Sale 811, lot 223).
Census No. 594-CAN-PR-PCE-01 as the left stamp of a pair on piece. With 1993 P.F. certificate as the pair. Scott Catalogue notes "both unused and used are valued with perforations just touching frameline on one side"
2c Carmine, Rotary, Perf 11 (595). Top star and plate no. 14237 block of four, lightly hinged, rich color, bottom stamps natural gum bend, Fine
2c Carmine, Rotary, Perf 11 (595). Top star and plate no. 14665 block of four, few small adherences and pencil notations on gum, Fine, with 2007 P.F. certificate stating "it is genuine"
2c Harding, Horizontal Pair, Imperforate Vertically (610a). With sheet margin and part arrow at left, natural s.e. at bottom, original gum, mild creases and tiny thin speck in margin only which is typical of this rare error, Very Fine appearance, only one pane of 100 was discovered, this example is far better appearing than most as they usually have a strong downward shift, ex Liberman, Ward backstamp, with 1961 and 1992 P.F. certificates, Scott Retail "valued in the grade of fine"
1-1/2c Yellow Brown, Rotary Press Imperforate, Without Gum Breaker Ridges (631 var). Mint N.H. block of four with crossed gutters and dashes, rich color, unusually large margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2003 P.F. and 2015 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98; unpriced in SMQ)
2c Carmine, Ty. II (634A). Mint N.H. with bottom selvage, brilliant color, perfect centering with wide margins, post-office freshEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF SCOTT 634A, GRADED SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E.
With 1979 P.F. and 2014 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98; SMQ $4,950.00). Only four have graded higher (at 100)
6c Kans. Ovpt. (664). Mint N.H., rich color on fresh paper, beautiful centering, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2016 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98; SMQ $1,050.00)
7c Nebr. Ovpt. (676). Mint N.H., crisp impression on post-office fresh paper, balanced margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2012 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $325.00)
30c Deep Blue, Presidential (830b). Mint N.H. bottom left plate no. 22164 block of four, exceptionally rich color in the rare Deep Blue shade, manuscript "M" at top of selvageVERY FINE. A RARE PLATE BLOCK OF THE 30-CENT PRESIDENTIAL IN THE DEEP BLUE SHADE.
According to The Prexies by Roland Rustad, in a report in the American Philatelist President Franklin Roosevelt was presented with two 30c sheets, one in this Deep Blue shade and the other in Ultramarine. He chose the Ultramarine for the issued stamp, and the Blue sheet was taken back to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing for destruction. A block of four was saved for President Roosevelt, a known stamp collector. Since then, other examples in the Deep Blue shade have surfaced. It has been speculated that the letter "M" in the selvage was part of a notation made in the hand of FDR, but we are not sure.
With 2016 P.F. certificate. Accompanied by an article on the 30c shades by John M. Hotchner
1c-10c Famous Americans (859-893). Complete Mint N.H. set, all but three graded Gem 100, Nos. 867, 880 and 882 graded Superb 98 (only between one and three of these three Scott numbers exist graded 100), bright colors, post office freshEXTREMELY FINE GEMS. A TRULY SUPERB SET OF 35 FAMOUS AMERICANS, 32 OF WHICH ARE GRADED GEM 100 BY P.S.E.
13 stamps are P.S.E. encapsulated and 22 stamps with P.S.E. paper certificates. Total SMQ $6,195.00
2-1/2c Bunker Hill, Small Holes Variety (1056 var). Mint N.H. joint line pair, neat Washington D.C. precancel showing gap on the joint line, bright color, choice centeringEXTREMELY FINE. A RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED JOINT LINE PAIR OF THE 2-1/2 CENT BUNKER HILL WITH SMALL HOLES.
Scott Catalogue notes this is only known with Bureau precancel
2-1/2c Bunker Hill, Small Holes Variety (1056 var). Two Mint N.H. pairs, neat Washington D.C. precancels, one with gap in precancel and the other without gap, Very Fine and choice examples of this scarce coil, Scott Retail without premium for the precancel line gap