Sale 1251 — The John B. Field Collection of Superb United States Stamps
Sale Date — Wednesday-Thursday, 2-3 March, 2022
Category — 1869 Pictorial Issue and Re-Issue (Scott 112-133a)
2c Brown (113). With bottom right corner selvage showing end roller grill along edge, stamp Mint N.H., h.r. in selvage only, bright color and detailed impressionVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A STUNNING MINT NEVER-HINGED 2-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL WITH FULL CORNER SHEET-SELVAGE SHOWING A BIT OF END-ROLLER GRILL.
With 1990 and 2007 P.F. certificates. Scott value as hinged
3c Ultramarine (114). Mint N.H., wide margins and wonderfully well-centered on bright white paper, fresh and Extremely Fine, with 2007 P.F. certificate (XF 90), Scott value as hinged
6c Ultramarine (115). Original gum, lightly hinged, attractive margins and centering on fresh paperVERY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 6-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE.
With copy of 2015 P.F. certificate for a pair (the other stamp in the pair was offered in our Sale 1209, lot 1139)
12c Green (117). Original gum, bright shade, fresh and Very Fine, a pretty stamp, with 2012 P.S.E. certificate
24c Green & Violet, Center Inverted (120b). Bright colors, unusually choice centering for this difficult issue, light strike of rosette cancel leaves entire design clearly visibleEXTREMELY FINE. THIS STAMP HAS BEEN WIDELY ACKNOWLEDGED AS THE FINEST USED EXAMPLE OF THE 24-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL INVERT IN EXISTENCE. THE COLORS ARE FRESH, THE MARGINS ARE BALANCED, THE ROSETTE CANCEL IS LIGHT, AND IT IS COMPLETELY SOUND. A TRULY PHENOMENAL STAMP IN EVERY RESPECT.
Our census of 24c 1869 Inverts, available at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/120b , contains four unused, 83 used singles, one used pair, one on cover and the unique block of four, for a total of 94 copies of the perforated 24c Invert. Of these, only five qualify as "centered" and of those four are either reperfed or have margins added. This stamp stands alone as being sound and centered.
Census No. 120b-CAN-01. Ex Moody, "Ambassador", Grunin and Eubanks. With 1999 and 2010 P.F. certificates.
1c Buff, Re-Issue (123). Original gum, intense color and impression, well-proportioned margins, fresh and Extremely Fine, a beautiful example, ex Whitman, with 1993 and 2009 P.F. certificates
2c Brown, Re-Issue (124). Original gum, lightly hinged, rich color and detailed impression, well-balanced margins, fresh and Extremely Fine, with 2017 P.F. certificate (XF 90)
3c Blue, Re-Issue (125). Lightly hinged, deep rich color, exceptionally choice centering for this difficult issue with wide and balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS ONE OF THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES OF THE 3-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL RE-ISSUE WE HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED. THIS IS THE MOST DIFFICULT DENOMINATION TO OBTAIN IN SUCH SUPERB CONDITION.
Original sales figures show that among the 1869 Pictorial Re-Issues, the 3c and 90c stamps accounted for the smallest number of units sold (1,406 and 1,356, respectively). Overall, the 1869s were popular with stamp collectors, far outselling the 1851-60 and 1861-66 Re-Issue sets. However, the 90c stamp's high denomination and the availability of ordinary 3c stamps limited demand. Today, both are rare, and handling over the years has not been kind to most of the surviving examples. The stamp offered here is one of the finest we have ever encountered.
With 2016 P.F. certificate (XF 90). By way of comparison, only two stamps graded by P.S.E have been awarded a 90 grade, along with three at 95. We feel this is a very strong 90 and could have received a 95.
6c Blue, Re-Issue (126). Original gum, wonderful depth of color, well-balanced margins, fresh and Very Fine, with 1990 P.F. and 2007 P.S.E. certificates (OGph, VF 80; SMQ $1,800.00)
10c Yellow, Re-Issue (127). Original gum, vivid color and detailed impression on bright paper, choice centering with well-balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL RE-ISSUE.
With 1988, 2004 and 2019 P.F. certificates (XF 90). With 2019 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, VF 80; SMQ $1,750.00) -- only 80? We find P.S.E. consistently undergrades the asymmetrical 10c and 30c 1869 designs. The recent P.F. certificate graded 90 and its realization of $2,500 hammer in our October 2019 Sale 1209 confirms our opinion.
12c Green, Re-Issue (128). Original gum, lightly hinged, deep rich color and remarkably detailed impression, wide marginsVERY FINE AND CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 12-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL RE-ISSUE.
With 2016 P.F. certificate (VF-XF 85)
15c Brown & Blue, Re-Issue (129). Original gum, lightly hinged, deep rich colors and proof-like impressions, wide marginsEXTREMELY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 15-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL RE-ISSUE.
With 2009 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, XF 90; SMQ $3,150.00). Only five grade higher (two at 90J and three at 95)
24c Green & Violet, Re-Issue (130). Original gum, deep rich colors on bright paper, well-balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 24-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL RE-ISSUE. SCARCE IN SUCH CHOICE CONDITION.
With 2011 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $4,750.00). Only six grade higher (five at 95, one at 98). We have never offered the 98 and the last time we offered a 95 was in 2010.
30c Blue & Carmine, Re-Issue (131). Original gum, lightly hinged, deep rich colors on post-office fresh paper, wide marginsEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL RE-ISSUE IN A REMARKABLE STATE OF FRESHNESS.
Ex Whitman. With 1993 P.S.E. and 2017 P.F. certificates
1c Buff, 1880 Re-Issue (133). Original gum, single hinge mark, pretty shade, Very Fine and choice, ex Geisler, with 2007 and 2020 P.F. certificates
1c Brown Orange, 1881 Re-Issue (133a). Without gum as issued, wide and well-balanced margins, Extremely Fine, with 1989 and 2019 P.F. certificates