Sale 1249 — The Hope Collection of U.S. Newspapers & Periodicals Issues
Sale Date — Tuesday, 1 March, 2022
Category — 1879 American Bank Note Co. Issue (Scott PR57-PR79)
1c-$60.00 1879-85 Issues, Plate Proofs (PR78P3, PR79P4, PR81P3, PR83P3). Four blocks of four, three are India paper proofs and one card proof, No. PR81P3 with top imprint and plate no. 482, full to large margins, Very Fine group
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12c-96c 1879 Issue, "Specimen" Ovpt. Ty. D (PR63S-D to PR70S-D). Original gum, rich colors, most with decent centering and margins, just one is touched on one side, fresh and Fine-Very Fine set
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2c Black, 1879 Issue (PR57). Mint N.H., exceptionally choice centering with wide margins, intense shade, Extremely Fine Gem, a superb stamp, ex DePriest, with 2001 P.F. certificate, Scott value as hinged
4c Black, 1879 Issue (PR59). Original gum, precise centering, intense shade, Extremely Fine
8c Black, 1879 Issue (PR61). Original gum, well-centered, fresh and Extremely Fine
10c Black, 1879 Issue (PR62). Original gum, lightly hinged, intense shade, beautifully centered, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2000 P.F. certificate
12c Red, 1879 Issue (PR63). Original gum, single hinge mark at top, bright color, fresh and Very Fine, with 2001 P.S.E. certificate
36c Red, 1879 Issue (PR65). Mint N.H., beautifully balanced margins and choice centering, marvelous fresh colorEXTREMELY FINE. AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 36-CENT 1879 NEWSPAPER ISSUE WITH OUTSTANDING CENTERING.
The 36c 1879 American Bank Note Co. issue is very rare in Mint N.H. condition. Power Search contains only one other Mint N.H. example of Scott PR65 offered in our sales since 1994, and while it too is a beautiful stamp (ex "Silver Lake"), it is not as well-centered as the stamp offered here. In fact, this XF 90 example is the only graded Mint N.H. stamp in both the P.F. online records and the P.S.E. Population Report.
With 1993 and 2006 P.F. certificates (XF 90). A hinged P.F. XF 90 graded example of this issue realized $4,000 hammer in our Sale 1206 in 2019. Scott value as hinged.
48c Red, 1879 Issue (PR66). Original gum, single hinge mark at top, huge margins on three sides and well clear at top, rich color, Very Fine, with 2002 P.F. certificate
72c Red, 1879 Issue (PR68). Original gum, lightly hinged, rich color and proof-like impression, outstanding centering with wide and well-proportioned marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THIS SCARCE NEWSPAPER ISSUE.
Ex "Vineyard" and Inman. With 1991, 2004 and 2016 P.F. certificates (XF 90). This is the highest grade awarded by the P.F. to this issue, with only one equal. By way of comparison, the highest grade in the P.S.E. Population Report for Scott PR68 is Fine 70 -- and that is for a NG/RG/D-POG example (meaning not lightly hinged like this stamp).
84c Red, 1879 Issue (PR69). Original gum, small h.r., intense shade and proof-like impression, choice centering and marginsEXTREMELY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 84-CENT 1879 AMERICAN BANK NOTE CO. NEWSPAPER ISSUE.
With 2008 P.S.E. certificate (OGh, XF 90; SMQ $2,500.00). This is the highest grade awarded to a hinged example of this issue (one Mint N.H. also grades XF 90).
96c Red, 1879 Issue (PR70). Original gum, attractive centering and margins, deep rich color, Very Fine, with 2001 P.F. certificate
$1.92 Brown, 1879 Issue (PR71). Original gum, lightly hinged, deep shade, excellent centering with well-balanced margins, Extremely Fine, with 2000 P.F. certificate
$3.00 Red Vermilion, 1879 Issue (PR72). Original gum, lightly hinged, choice centering and margins, vibrant color on fresh paper, Extremely Fine, a lovely stamp, with 2002 P.F. certificate
$6.00 Blue, 1879 Issue (PR73). Original gum, lightly hinged, vibrant color, nicely balanced margins, Extremely Fine, with 2000 P.S.E. certificate
$9.00 Orange, 1879 Issue (PR74). Original gum, lightly hinged, vibrant color, gorgeous centering with balanced margins, long and full perforationsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $9.00 1879 NEWSPAPER ISSUE.
With 2012 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, XF-Superb 95; SMQ $2,300.00). This is the highest grade awarded and it is shared by only one other.
$12.00 Yellow Green, 1879 Issue (PR75). Mint N.H., wide margins and choice centering, deep rich colorEXTREMELY FINE. A REMARKABLY RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $12.00 1879 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY NEWSPAPER ISSUE. THIS MAY WELL BE THE FINEST IN EXISTENCE.
Power Search lists only two other singles in Mint N.H. condition, plus a strip of four with two faulty stamps and only Fine centering. The online records of The Philatelic Foundation contain only four singles. The P.S.E. Population Report contains no graded Mint N.H. examples of Scott PR75. The stamp offered here is clearly superior to the few other Mint N.H. examples, by virtue of margin size and balance.
Ex Inman. With 1985, 2007 and 2016 P.F. certificates (XF 90)
$24.00 Dark Violet, 1879 Issue (PR76). Original gum, deep rich color on bright paper, beautifully balanced margins, Extremely Fine, with 1997 P.F. and 2007 P.S.E. certificates (OGh, XF 90; SMQ $1,400.00), this is the highest grade awarded and it is shared by only two others
$36.00 Indian Red, 1879 Issue (PR77). Original gum, lightly hinged, deep rich color, wide margins and choice centering, Extremely Fine, with 2000 P.F. certificate
$48.00 Yellow Brown, 1879 Issue (PR78). Original gum, deep rich color, choice centering with balanced margins top-to-bottom and side-to-side, Very Fine and choice, with 1990 P.S.E. certificate
$48.00 Yellow Brown, 1879 Issue (PR78). Original gum, lightly hinged, rich color, well-balanced margins, Extremely Fine, with 2000 P.F. certificate
$60.00 Purple, 1879 Issue (PR79). Original gum, lightly hinged, almost perfectly centered, deep shade and proof-like impressionEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THE $60.00 1879 ISSUE IS RARELY FOUND IN THIS CHOICE LIGHTLY HINGED CONDITION.
With 2001 P.F. certificate