Sale 1040 — Outstanding United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Thursday, 26-28 March, 2013
Category — Postage Due (Scott J2-J96a)
2c Brown (J2). Original gum, lightly hinged, bright color, Jumbo margins, Extremely Fine, with 2001 P.F. certificate
50c Brown (J7). Original gum, single hinge mark, rich color, wide margins, Very Fine, with 2005 P.S.E. certificate
10c Deep Brown, Special Printing (J12). Original gum, h.r., classic Special Printing shade and fine impression, horizontal crease, two thin spotsFINE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT POSTAGE DUE SPECIAL PRINTING.
It has been estimated that no more than 174 examples of the 10c Postage Due Special Printing reached the public.
With 1984 P.F. certificate.
50c Deep Brown, Special Printing (J14). Unused (no gum), classic Special Printing shade, small corner crease at bottom left, small tear and small crease at top left, otherwise Fine, a presentable example of this Postage Due Special Printing rarity, it has been estimated that no more than 179 examples reached the public, with 1996 P.F. certificate, Scott Retail as with gum
2c Red Brown (J16). Mint N.H., intense color and proof-like impression, Very Fine and choice, with 1992 and 2006 P.F. certificates.
3c Red Brown (J17). Original gum, h.r., rich color, light diagonal crease, Very Fine appearance, with 1991 P.F. certificate
5c Red Brown (J18). Original gum, lightly hinged, intense shade and impression, Very Fine and choice, with 1997 P.F. certificate
5c Red Brown (J18). Original gum, lightly hinged, radiant color, Very Fine and choice, with 1997 P.F. and 1997 and 2009 P.S.E. certificates
3c Bright Claret (J24). Mint N.H., radiant color, Extremely Fine, with 2007 P.F. certificate (XF 90)
30c Bright Claret (J27). Mint N.H., brilliant color and detailed impression, beautiful centering with wide margins, negligible perf toning mentioned on most recent certificate, appears Extremely Fine, we have offered only eight other Mint N.H. examples in the last ten years, ex Whitman, with 1993 P.F. and 2012 P.S.E. certificates
50c Bright Claret (J28). Mint N.H., brilliant color, choice centering with well-proportioned margins, fresh and Extremely Fine, with 2003 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $2,000.00)
50c Bright Claret (J28). Original gum, lightly hinged, pretty shade, Jumbo margins, Extremely Fine, with 2007 P.S.E. certificate
1c Vermilion (J29). Single hinge mark, bright color, reperfed, Fine appearance
2c Vermilion (J30). Mint N.H., brilliant color and paper, natural gum creases, Very Fine
2c Vermilion (J30). Original gum, lightly hinged, rich color, detailed impression, light vertical crease, Extremely Fine appearance, with 1999 P.F. certificate
3c Deep Claret (J33). Mint N.H. with plate no. selvage at bottom, intense shade and impression, Very Fine, with 2010 P.F. certificate for strip of three
30c Pale Rose (J36b). Mint N.H., bright color, fresh and Very Fine example of this distinct shade, with 2006 P.S.E. certificate
30c Pale Rose (J36b). Barest trace of hinging, bright color, Very Fine, selvage accompanies, with 1995 P.F. certificate as Mint N.H. and 2005 P.F. certificate as previously hinged, Scott Retail as hinged
3c Deep Claret (J40). Mint N.H. with part imprint selvage at bottom, deep shade, proof-like impression, Extremely Fine, with 2000 P.F. certificate for strip of three
5c Deep Claret (J41). Mint N.H., brilliant color, detailed impression, Extremely Fine, with 2012 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $540.00)
30c Carmine Lake (J57). Mint N.H., radiant color, detailed impression, Jumbo margins, Extremely Fine, with 2001 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90 Jumbo; SMQ $1,000.00 as 90, $1,400.00 as 95)
50c Carmine Lake (J58). Wide top imprint and plate no. 5527 block of six, original gum, lightly hinged, deep intense colorFINE. THIS IS ONE OF TWO RECORDED PLATE BLOCKS OF THE 1914 50-CENT POSTAGE DUE, SCOTT J58, AND THE ONLY ONE IN PRIVATE HANDS. IT HAS NOT BEEN ON THE MARKET IN MORE THAN 40 YEARS.
There are very few United States 20th Century regularly-issued stamps of which only one or two plate blocks are known. Even the scarce early Bureau Issue high values are represented by more than one or two plate blocks, and those invariably catalogue in excess of the Scott value assigned to the 50c 1914 Postage Due (J58). One explanation for the low Scott value is that the plate block offered here -- the only one outside of an institution (the other is in the Miller collection at The New York Public Library) -- has not been traded in the marketplace since it was last offered in a Jacques C. Schiff Jr. auction more than 40 years ago.
The current Scott value of $100,000.00 has a relatively small premium over the $75,000.00 total value of six singles of this rare Postage Due. Therefore, the current Scott value could very well be conservative.
50c Carmine Lake (J58). Lightly hinged, rich color, centered to topFINE. THE 1914 50-CENT POSTAGE DUE WITH ORIGINAL GUM IS ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL POSTAGE DUE STAMPS.
Scott No. J58 has the highest catalogue value of any regularly issued Postage Due stamp. Only the 1c-5c Special Printings, Scott Nos. J8-J11, catalogue more. This stamp is an important key to any meaningful collection of the Postage Due issues.
50c Carmine Lake (J58). Lightly hinged, radiant color, perfs into design at topALMOST FINE. A RARE SOUND ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1914 50-CENT POSTAGE DUE. THIS IS ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL POSTAGE DUE STAMPS.
Scott No. J58 has the highest catalogue value of any regularly issued Postage Due stamp. With 2009 P.F. certificate.
50c Carmine Lake (J58). Balanced margins and precise centering, deep rich color on bright paper, light partial roller cancel (not a precancel), Extremely Fine, one of the finest used examples of this scarce Postage Due stamp
50c Carmine Lake (J58). Rich color, bold strike of registry oval cancel, Fine
1c Rose (J59). H.r., rich color, few flaws, Very Fine appearing example of this scarce issue
2c Rose Red (J62a). Mint N.H. top plate no. 19084 block of six with wide selvage, radiant color, choice centering, Extremely Fine, with 2012 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; unpriced in SMQ as a plate block)
8c Carmine Rose, Pair, Without "8 Cents" (J96a var). Mint N.H. block of eight, showing traces of denomination of top four stamps, progressively more on center two and full denomination of bottom four, with selvage at top and left, Very Fine, while technically not the Scott-listed variety this is still an interesting item