Sale 968B — The Alan B. Whitman Collection, Part Three: 1902-34 Issues, B-O-B
Sale Date — Tuesday-Friday, 22-25 September, 2009
Category — 1908-10 Washington-Franklin Issues (Scott 331-356)
1c Green (331). Mint N.H., with bottom hollow star and plate no. 5179 selvage, rich color, Jumbo margins, "SL" pencil notation in selvage only, Extremely Fine, with 1999 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF-90 Jumbo; SMQ $48.00 as 90, $185.00 as 95)
2c Carmine (332). Mint N.H. with bottom selvage and part imprint, radiant color, clear impression, choice margins of Jumbo proportions, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $155.00 as 95, $540.00 as 98)
2c Carmine, Booklet Pane of Six (332a). Position H, Mint N.H., radiant color on bright paper, Very Fine and choice, scarce in such pristine condition, with 2000 P.F. certificate
4c Orange Brown (334). Mint N.H., beautiful centering with choice Jumbo margins, deep rich color, Extremely Fine Gem, with 1992 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $770.00 as 95, $2,850.00 as 98), only four stamps have graded higher to date
5c Blue (335). Part imprint selvage at bottom, barely hinged, intense shade and impression, Extremely Fine Gem, a beautiful stamp, with 1991 and 1999 P.F. certificates (the former as a block, the latter as Mint N.H.), with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, XF-Superb 95; SMQ $135.00)
8c Olive Green (337). Mint N.H., radiant color, detailed impression, beautiful centering with wide even margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2002 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $890.00), only four stamps have graded higher to date
13c Blue Green (339). Mint N.H. with top plate no. 4948 selvage, choice centering, intense color, Extremely Fine, with 1999 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90; SMQ $215.00)
15c Pale Ultramarine (340). Mint N.H. with top plate no. 4952 selvage, choice wide and even margins, beautiful pastel color, Extremely Fine, with 1992 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90; SMQ $345.00)
50c Violet (341). Barest trace of hinging, described on earlier certificate as Mint N.H., intense shade and impression, well-proportioned margins, Extremely Fine, with 1999 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (OGph, XF 90; SMQ $465.00)
$1.00 Violet Brown (342). Mint N.H., deep rich color and sharp impression on post-office fresh paper, choice centering with wide and balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE. A STRIKING MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $1.00 PERF 12 DOUBLE-LINE WATERMARK ISSUE.
With 1999 P.F. certificate, and 1998 and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90; SMQ $2,600.00). Only two have graded higher to date, and only four others share this grade
1c-5c 1908-09 Issue, Imperforate (343-347). Mint N.H., 2c with plate no. and hollow star at left, 5c with plate no. at right, all have large margins and are Extremely Fine, 5c with 1996 P.F. certificate
1c-5c 1908-09 Issue, Imperforate (343-347). Pairs of 1c, 3c-5c, top imprint, star and plate no. strip of three of 2c, additional block of four with sheet margin at left of 4c, all Mint N.H., 3c and 5c pairs with part imprint, 4c pair with siderographer's initials, large margins, Extremely Fine, desirable group
1c Green, Coil (348). Mint N.H. guide line pair, deep color, beautifully centered with balanced Jumbo margins, Extremely Fine, with 1994 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90 Jumbo; SMQ $760.00 as 90, $1,350.00 as 95), only five guide line pairs have graded higher to date
1c Green, Coil (348). Mint N.H. pair, brilliant color and detailed impression, gorgeous centering with wide and balanced margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 1993 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98; SMQ $860.00), only three pairs have graded higher to date and no others share this grade
1c Green, Coil (348). Mint N.H., bright color, wide margins, Extremely Fine, with 1999 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (VF-XF 85; SMQ $85.00)
2c Carmine, Coil (349). Mint N.H. guide line pair, deep rich color, unusually wide margins, Extremely Fine, with 2000 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Coil (349). Mint N.H. pair, intense shade and impression, unusually wide margins, Very Fine and choice, with 1999 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Coil (349). Mint N.H., bright color and detailed impression, wide balanced margins, Extremely Fine, with 1997 and 1999 P.F. certificates, the former for a pair
4c Orange Brown, Coil (350). Guide line pair, intense shade and proof-like impression, choice centering with wide margins, bright and freshVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A BEAUTIFUL MINT NEVER-HINGED GUIDE LINE PAIR OF THE 4-CENT VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 350.
With 1995 P.F. certificate
4c Orange Brown, Coil (350). Mint N.H. pair, deep rich color and proof-like impression, well-proportioned margins, Very Fine-Extremely Fine, with 1999 P.F. certificate
4c Orange Brown, Coil (350). Mint N.H., deep rich color and proof-like impression on bright paper, unusually wide margins, fresh and Extremely Fine, a beautiful stamp, with 1993 P.S.E. certificate
5c Blue, Coil (351). Mint N.H. guide line pair, brilliant color and proof-like impression, choice centeringEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL MINT NEVER-HINGED GUIDE LINE PAIR OF THE 5-CENT PERF 12 VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 351.
Interestingly, this is the only 5c Washington-Franklin perforated vertical coil stamp ever produced. Demand proved to be so low that no others were made.
With 1996 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90; SMQ $3,850.00)
5c Blue, Coil (351). Mint N.H. pair, intense shade and impression, choice centering for this difficult coilEXTREMELY FINE. AN IMPRESSIVE MINT NEVER-HINGED PAIR OF THE 5-CENT VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 351.
With 1996 P.F. certificate
5c Blue, Coil (351). Mint N.H., brilliant color on bright paper, balanced Jumbo margins, Extremely Fine, with 1994 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90 Jumbo; SMQ $660.00 as 90, $1,450.00 as 95)
1c Green, Coil (352). Mint N.H. guide line pair, vibrant color, proof-like impression, choice centering for this difficult issue with well-proportioned margins, fresh and Very Fine, with 1999 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (VF 80; SMQ $1,500.00), while VF 80 is a relatively common grade among much of the Washington-Franklin series, it is extremely scarce for a Scott 352 guide line pair in Mint N.H. condition, with this being the only example at this grade and only three graded higher in the P.S.E. Population Report
1c Green, Coil (352). Mint N.H. pair with 2mm spacing, intense shade and impression, choice centering with well-proportioned margins, fresh and Extremely Fine, this coil is considerably more difficult to find with such choice centering with 2mm spacing than it is with 3mm spacing, with 2003 P.F. certificate
1c Green, Coil (352). Mint N.H., deep rich color and proof-like impression, part of guide line at left, well-balanced margins, Extremely Fine, with 1999 P.F. certificate for pair
2c Carmine, Coil (353). Mint N.H. guide line pair, radiant color, crisp impression, Very Fine and choice, a pretty Mint N.H. guide line pair, surprisingly scarce in Mint N.H. condition, Power Search found only five others we have offered in over 14 years of auctions, with 1994 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Coil (353). Mint N.H. pair with 3mm spacing, rich color on crisp paper, wide margins, Extremely Fine, with 1993 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Coil (353). Mint N.H., with 3mm spacing, brilliant color and detailed impression, unusually choice centering with Jumbo margins, Extremely Fine Gem, a huge stamp, with 2004 P.F. and 2005 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $990.00), this is the highest grade awarded to date
4c Orange Brown, Coil (354). Mint N.H. guide line pair, deep rich color, better centering than usually seen on this difficult guide line pairVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A SCARCE MINT NEVER-HINGED GUIDE LINE PAIR OF THE 4-CENT 1909 HORIZONTAL COIL.
A review using Power Search shows we have only offered six unduplicated Mint N.H. guide line pairs of this scarce coil.
With 1985 P.F. certificate
4c Orange Brown, Coil (354). Mint N.H. pair with 3mm spacing, vibrant color, exceptionally wide, even margins for this challenging coil issue EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED PAIR OF THE 4-CENT HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 354, GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E.
With 2000 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $4,300.00). This is one of only three graded Mint N.H. pairs in the P.S.E. Population Report. One of the others, graded VF-XF 85, was sold in our Scarsdale Sale in 2007. The lack of other examples in the P.S.E. Population Report -- even after several years of active grading in our hobby -- speaks to the rarity of this issue in sound, centered Mint N.H. condition
4c Orange Brown, Coil (354). Mint N.H., deep rich color and proof-like impression, almost perfectly centered with Jumbo margins, Extremely Fine Gem, a huge stamp, with 1994 P.F. and P.S.E. certificates
5c Blue, Coil (355). Mint N.H. guide line pair, brilliant color and proof-like impression, almost perfect centering with wide balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL MINT NEVER-HINGED GUIDE LINE PAIR OF THE 5-CENT HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 355.
With 1993 P.F. certificate. A review of our records using Power Search reveals that we have on average offered one Mint N.H. guide line pair a year for the past ten years. Very few of those compare favorably to the example offered here.
5c Blue, Coil (355). Mint N.H. pair, deep rich color, well-proportioned margins, Extremely Fine, with 1993 P.F. certificate
5c Blue, Coil (355). Mint N.H., intense shade and impression, wide margins, Extremely Fine, with copy of 1989 P.S.E. and with 1996 P.F. certificate
10c Yellow, Coil (356). Mint N.H. guide line pair, unusually wide margins, vibrant colorVERY FINE AND CHOICE. AN INCREDIBLY RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED GUIDE LINE PAIR OF THE 10-CENT HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 356. THIS IS ONLY THE THIRD MINT NEVER-HINGED GUIDE LINE PAIR WE HAVE OFFERED IN 14 YEARS OF AUCTIONS.
According to Johl (Volume 1, page 181), only 10,000 of the 10c Washington coil stamp were issued. They were made especially for a New York firm to send out advertising samples, similar to the 3c Orangeburg coil. Only a few rolls were sold to the firm, and the remaining rolls were distributed to some of the large post offices across the country. Dealers acquired several rolls, but because most contemporary collectors did not collect coils, many were used and destroyed.
Our computerized records encompass fourteen years of auctions. In that time we have offered in Mint N.H. condition only four singles, three pairs (including the single and pair offered in this sale) and the following guide line multiples of Scott No. 356: 1) Mint N.H. guide line strip of four, ex Zoellner (Sale 804, lot 560); 2) Mint N.H. guide line pair, ex Silver Lake (Sale 866, lot 206), also offered in Sale 937; and 3) the guide line pair offered here, last offered in Sale 956 (lot 343).
With 2006 P.F. certificate (F-VF 75) and 2008 P.F. certificate
10c Yellow, Coil (356). Mint N.H. pair, incredibly wide margins, essentially perfect centering, intense colorEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED PAIR OF THE 10-CENT HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 356, WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. THIS IS BY FAR THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO ANY MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THIS COIL.
According to Johl (Volume 1, page 181), only 10,000 of the 10c Washington coil stamp were issued. They were made especially for a New York firm to send out advertising samples, similar to the 3c Orangeburg coil. Only a few rolls were sold to the firm, and the remaining rolls were distributed to some of the large post offices across the country. Dealers acquired several rolls, but because most contemporary collectors did not collect coils, many were used and destroyed.
Our computerized records encompass fourteen years of auctions. In that time we have offered in Mint N.H. condition only four singles, three guide line pairs (including the single and line pair offered in this sale) and three pairs.
With 1996 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $35,000.00). This is the only Mint N.H. example of Scott 356 in any format to achieve the grade of XF-Superb 95. A Mint N.H. pair has been graded 80, and two pairs and one single in OGph condition have been graded 95.
10c Yellow, Coil (356). Mint N.H., vibrant color, ample to wide marginsFINE AND EXCEEDINGLY RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED SINGLE OF THE 10-CENT HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 356.
With 1999 P.F. certificate