Sale 1227 — Outstanding United States Stamps and Gold Coins
Sale Date — Monday-Friday, 19-23 October, 2020
Category — Officials
1c Executive (O10). Original gum, lightly hinged, brilliant color, Very Fine and choice, with 1993 P.F. certificate
90c Interior (O24). Outstanding centering with wide and balanced margins, rich color, circle of wedges cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, ex Kirke, with 2011 P.F. and 2007 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $275.00), this is the highest grade awarded with no others equal
90c Justice (O34). Original gum, bright shade, Fine, with 2004 P.F. certificate
90c State (O67). Original gum with hinge removal mark, rich color, Very Fine, with 2000 P.F. certificate stating only "previously hinged"
$2.00 State (O68). Original gum, h.r., rich colors, three wide margins, Fine, with 1997 P.F. certificate
$2.00-$20.00 State (O68-O71). Complete set of the dollar values, $2.00 adherence on gum, $5.00 no gum, $10.00 part original gum, $20.00 original gum, flaws to be found including $5.00 color slightly altered and $20.00 reperfed, otherwise Fine set seldom offered together
$2.00, $20.00 State (O68, O71). Three of the $2.00 and one $20.00, two of the $2.00 are unused, one is regummed and the other has disturbed gum or regummed (counted as the latter), one $2.00 used, the $20.00 unused (no gum), a few small flaws including a tear on one of the $2.00, Fine appearing group, Scott value approximately $7,000.00
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$5.00 State (O69). Unused (no gum), deep rich colors, small sealed tear at bottom, reperfed at left, Very Fine appearance
$5.00 State (O69). Unused (no gum), crisp impressions, short perf at left, reperfed at right, Very Fine appearance, with clear 1997 P.F. certificate
$10.00 State (O70). Disturbed original gum, deep rich colors, reperfed at right, Extremely Fine appearance, small red backstamp
$10.00 State (O70). Unused (no gum), deep rich colors, three wide margins, Very Fine and attractive
$20.00 State (O71). With top part imprint selvage, original gum, rich colors, few perf separations sensibly reinforcedFINE. A SCARCE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $20.00 STATE DEPARTMENT, WITH PART IMPRINT SELVAGE.
With clear 1979 P.F. certificate
$20.00 State (O71). With part imprint bottom selvage, magenta horizontal lines "cancel" (a form of Specimen overprint) and retaining its full original gum, horizontal crease and selvage partially detached, gum soaks in perfs at bottom right, still Fine appearance and a rare part imprint single, normally the selvage was removed when the sheets were separated, Scott value as unused (which is nearly the same as used)
$20.00 State (O71). Unused (no gum), rich colors, reperfed, faint horizontal crease at top, Very Fine appearance
1c War (O83). Original gum, h.r., brilliant color, well-balanced margins, Extremely Fine, with 2019 P.S.E. certificate (OGh, XF 90; SMQ $550.00)
1c Agriculture, Soft Paper (O94). Without gum as issued, radiant color, fresh and Fine, scarce in sound condition, with 2002 P.F. certificate
1c Agriculture, Soft Paper (O94). Without gum as issued, vivid color, small thin spot, Fine appearance, with 1985 P.F. certificate
1c Agriculture, Soft Paper (O94). Without gum as issued, block of four with top imprint selvage, radiant color as fresh as the day it was printed, choice centering throughoutEXTREMELY FINE. THIS IS THE ONLY REPORTED IMPRINT BLOCK OF THE 1879 ONE-CENT AGRICULTURE AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY PRINTING ON SOFT PAPER. A BLOCK OF FOUR IS ALSO THE LARGEST RECORDED MULTIPLE. ONE OF THE GREATEST RARITIES OF THE ISSUE.
In an effort by the Grant administration to stem the tide of postal abuse, stamps were issued in 1873 for the nine departments of the Executive branch. Stamps were issued to the various departments by the Post Office as needed, and an accounting was kept for budgeting purposes and for reimbursement of the Post Office Department.
The Agriculture Officials were printed from sheets of 100 consisting of one pane. In December 1878 Continental merged with American Bank Note Company, which assumed production for United States stamps early in 1879, including the Officials. As with the regular Bank Note issues, the Officials printed by American can be distinguished by the use of soft, porous paper. Philip Ward recorded only four blocks of four. This is the only one with selvage we were able to locate. A pair with plate number is also known.
Ex Weill and illustrated on the front cover of the December 14, 1989 Christie's catalogue. With 1989 P.F. certificate. Scott value as a block of four without premium for the imprint
3c Agriculture, Soft Paper (O95). Mint N.H., vivid color, attractive centering and margins, fresh and Very Fine, a scarce stamp in Mint N.H. condition, with 2016 P.F. certificate
3c Agriculture, Soft Paper (O95). Original gum, h.r., vivid color, faint natural gum bend, Very Fine
1c Interior, Soft Paper (O96). Original gum, lightly hinged, intense shade and impression, wide margins, Very Fine and choice, with 2001 P.F. certificate
1c Interior, Soft Paper (O96). Original gum, lightly hinged, well-centered, Very Fine, with 1996 P.F. certificate
24c Interior, Soft Paper (O103). Slightly disturbed original gum, bright color, short perfs at right, additional small faults, appears Fine, with 2018 P.F. certificate
24c Interior, Soft Paper (O103). Unused (no gum), bright color, few small spots not mentioned on certificate, otherwise Very Fine, with 1981 P.F. certificate
30c Treasury, Soft Paper (O112). Unused (no gum), rich color, wide margins, light diagonal crease, Very Fine appearance, with 1988 P.F. certificate
30c Treasury, Soft Paper (O112). Beautifully centered with wide margins, deep rich color, bold cancels, Extremely Fine, a very rare stamp in this exceptional used condition, since last offering this stamp in 2008 this is still the only sound and centered example we have encountered, it is probably the finest used example known, ex "Tahoe", with 2003 and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90; SMQ $850.00), no other used examples are graded by P.S.E. -- probably because there is no point in grading a faulty stamp -- we do not know the basis of the SMQ value, but the last two times we have offered this stamp it realized $1,600 and $2,700 hammer
90c Treasury, Soft Paper (O113). Original gum, rich color with some unusual mottling at bottom left, reperfed at bottom, Very Fine appearance, with 2001 P.F. certificate
7c Navy, Specimen Ovpt. (O39S). Without gum as issued, deep rich color and well-centered, Extremely Fine, with 2020 P.S.A.G. certificate (85 ungai)
3c State, "Sepcimen" Error (O59Sa). Without gum as issued, bright color, centered to top right with perfs just touching at top, completely soundFINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE 3-CENT STATE DEPARTMENT "SEPCIMEN" ERROR. WE RECORD ONLY EIGHT EXAMPLES AND IT IS POSSIBLE THAT NO ADDITIONAL COPIES EXIST.
Only 793 copies of the 3c State Special Printing were sold, but it is not known how the stamps were taken from the sheets or if full sheets were exhausted before breaking a subsequent sheet. If full sheets were used, then only eight can possibly exist. Only five were recorded by Markovits (2004 Bennett sale). We are aware of eight, including one in the Miller collection (on extended loan by The New York Public Library to the Smithsonian National Postal Museum); five privately-owned examples (the Lewenthal, Combs, Sheriff, Markovits and Golden copies); plus this stamp and the example offered in lot 3732. Both of these latter two examples are newly certified. Among the eight we record, at least half have a small fault.
With 2020 P.F. certificate
3c State, "Sepcimen" Error (O59Sa). Without gum as issued, bright color, attractive margins and centering, single pulled perf at upper rightVERY FINE APPEARING AND VERY RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 3-CENT STATE DEPARTMENT "SEPCIMEN" ERROR. WE RECORD ONLY EIGHT EXAMPLES AND IT IS POSSIBLE THAT NO ADDITIONAL COPIES EXIST.
Only 793 copies of the 3c State Special Printing were sold, but it is not known how the stamps were taken from the sheets or if full sheets were exhausted before breaking a subsequent sheet. If full sheets were used, then only eight can possibly exist. Only five were recorded by Markovits (2004 Bennett sale). We are aware of eight, including one in the Miller collection (on extended loan by The New York Public Library to the Smithsonian National Postal Museum); five privately-owned examples (the Lewenthal, Combs, Sheriff, Markovits and Golden copies); plus this stamp and the example offered in lot 3731. Both of these latter two examples are newly certified.
With 2020 P.F. certificate
$2.00 State, Specimen Ovpt. (O68S). Without gum as issued, bright color, tiny thin speck at bottom leftFINE APPEARANCE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE EXAMPLE OF THE $2.00 STATE DEPARTMENT SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 32 WERE SOLD.
In March 1875 the Post Office Department initiated a program to make reproductions, reprints, re-issues and special printings of all past and present issues available for purchase at face value through the office of the Third Assistant Postmaster General in Washington, D.C. The official announcement stated in part "The official stamps cannot be used except for the official business of the particular Department for which provided... All of the specimens will be ungummed; and the official stamps will have printed across the face the word 'Specimen,' in small type."
Of the 32 sold, Markovits estimated that approximately 20 are known (Bennett sale). Ex Lietzow, Sheriff, Lewenthal and Price. Illustrated in Combs. With 2018 P.F. certificate