Sale 1140 — Outstanding United States Stamps, featuring The Irwin Weinberg Inventory
Sale Date — Wednesday-Friday, 9-11 November, 2016
Category — Officials, Soft Paper
1c Agriculture, Soft Paper (O94). Without gum as issued, brilliant color, well-centered, bright and fresh, completely soundVERY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT AGRICULTURE ON SOFT PAPER.
As discerning collectors know, the Officials are extremely difficult to obtain in sound, centered condition -- particularly among the American printings on soft porous paper. The example offered here is fresh with choice centering, despite the inexplicably low P.S.E. grade.
With 2016 P.S.E. certificate (F-VF 75; SMQ $3,900.00)
3c Agriculture, Soft Paper (O95). Matching top and bottom imprint and plate no. 57 blocks of 20 with selvage at sides, representing the complete top two and bottom two rows of the 100-subject plate, original gum, top block with h.r. in corner selvage and two hinged stamps, balance Mint N.H., bottom block with h.r. in selvage which extends to or barely touches four stamps, balance Mint N.H., brilliant color, very well-centered for such large multiplesVERY FINE-EXTREMELY FINE. THIS MATCHED PAIR OF TOP AND BOTTOM PLATE BLOCKS OF 20 ARE THE ONLY TWO PLATE BLOCKS WE RECORD OF THE 3-CENT AGRICULTURE ON SOFT PAPER. THESE ARE GREAT RARITIES OF OFFICIAL STAMPS AND PLATE BLOCK COLLECTING.
The 3c Agriculture Issue was printed from a single plate, numbered 57. A review using Power Search and named-sale auction catalogs failed to find another plate block of O95. This matched pair of plate blocks of 20 is a great rarity of the Officials Issues and of plate block collecting.
Scott Retail for Mint N.H. and hinged singles without premium for the plate blocks
24c Interior, Soft Paper (O103). Large part original gum, bright color, faults including thin spot and light creasing, otherwise Fine
3c Justice, Soft Paper (O106). Original gum, Jumbo margins, especially wide at left and bottom, rich color, Very Fine
90c Treasury, Soft Paper (O113). Horizontal strip of three, ms. cancels, light pressed-out creases, Fine appearance, possibly the largest known used multiple, ex Mainberger, with 1982 P.F. certificate, Scott Retail as singles
12c War, Soft Paper (O119). Block of four, cork cancels, bottom right stamp corner defective, others Fine-Very Fine, very scarce used block, ex Ward and Mainberger
30c War, Soft Paper (O120). Original gum, barely hinged, bright shade, well-proportioned margins, Extremely Fine, with 2015 P.F. certificate (XF 90)
50c Postal Savings (O122). Mint N.H., outstanding wide margins and well-centered, Extremely Fine, with 2016 P.F. certificate for an arrow block of four, this the top right stamp