Sale 1298 — The Nathanael Greene Collection of Outstanding United States Stamps
Sale Date — Wednesday, 8 November, 2023
Category — Air Post
6c Orange, 1918 Air Post (C1). Mint N.H., vivid color, unusually choice centering
EXTREMELY FINE GEM MINT NEVER HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 6-CENT 1918 AIR POST, SCOTT C1, GRADED SUPERB 98.
With 2016 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98). Only three grade higher.
6c Orange, 1918 Air Post (C1). Mint N.H. center line block of four, vibrant color, choice centering throughout, Extremely Fine Gem, Scott value as singles
16c Green, 1918 Air Post (C2). Mint N.H., intense shade and detailed impression, wide and balanced margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2019 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98), only two grade higher
24c Carmine Rose & Blue, 1918 Air Post (C3). Mint N.H. with bottom selvage, exceptionally wide margins and precisely centered, vivid colors and beautiful clear impression, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2007 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98), only nine grade higher (five at 98J, four at 100)
24c Carmine Rose & Blue, 1918 Air Post, Fast Plane (C3 var). Mint N.H., dramatic forward shift of the plane vignette breaking through the left frame, wide balanced margins, Extremely Fine, wonderful combination of this collectible variety on a choice stamp, ex Field, with 2022 P.S.E. certificate (VF-XF 85), SMQ as normal with no premium for the fast plane, SMQ as normal $175
24c Carmine Rose & Blue, 1918 Air Post, Grounded Plane (C3 var). Mint N.H., deep rich colors, vignette shifted significantly to bottom, unusually choice centering with wide and balanced margins
EXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN ABSOLUTELY STUNNING MINT NEVER HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1918 24-CENT FIRST AIR POST ISSUE GROUNDED PLANE VARIETY. THIS PHENOMENAL STAMP HAS BEEN AWARDED THE GRADE OF XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. — THIS IS THE ONLY GRADED MINT NEVER HINGED EXAMPLE OF THIS VARIETY.
The true Grounded Plane stamps, in which the wheels of the plane break thru the top of "Cents", come from portions of three sheets. The discovery sheet was owned and broken up by J. Klemann of Nassau Stamp Company. A second sheet was discovered in 1946 and sold in the Thomas A. Matthews sale (H.R. Harmer, Nov. 4, 1964), where it was purchased by Georges A. Medawar, publisher of Sanabria Airmail Catalogue. In Linn's Stamp News of April 21, 1986, specialist Joseph R. Kirker Jr. published his research revealing a third source of this variety. The example offered here is especially low.
With 2023 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95). This is the only Mint N.H. example of this variety graded by P.S.E. For hinged, there is one graded 98 (recently offered in our "Vaquero" auction), one graded 85 and one graded 80.
24c Carmine Rose & Blue, 1918 Air Post, Slow Plane (C3 var). Mint N.H. but with small gum skip at upper left, rich colors, plane shifted dramatically to right, small natural inclusion in bottom margin, Fine and scarce, the slow planes are probably the scarcest of all shifts, with 2018 A.P.S. certificate
24c Carmine Rose & Blue, 1918 Air Post (C3). Six, each with shifted vignette, including low flying, high flying, some also shifted slightly forwards or back, original gum, few h.r., few disturbed gum, few small faults, still a Fine-Very Fine and desirable group of vignette shifts
8c Dark Green, 1923 Air Post (C4). Mint N.H., detailed impression on bright paper, choice centering, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2017 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98)
16c Dark Blue, 1923 Air Post (C5). Mint N.H., deep rich color on bright paper, perfectly centered with wide margins, Extremely Fine Gem, ex Curtis, with 2010 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98), only three grade higher (one at 98J, two at 100)
24c Carmine, 1923 Air Post (C6). Mint N.H., glowing color on post-office fresh paper, wide margins and essentially perfect centering, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2011 and 2019 P.S.E. certificates (both Superb 98)
65c Green, Graf Zeppelin (C13). Mint N.H., with right plate no. 20078 selvage, rich color and detailed impression, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2012 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98), of the 1,021 graded Mint N.H. examples of C13 only twelve grade higher
$1.30 Graf Zeppelin (C14). Mint N.H., with right plate no. 20088 selvage, intense color and sharp proof-like impression, mathematically perfect centering with wide margins
EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SPECTACULAR MINT NEVER HINGED PLATE NUMBER EXAMPLE OF THE $1.30 GRAF ZEPPELIN ISSUE, GRADED GEM 100 BY P.S.E.
Ex Morton. With 2016 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100). This is the highest grade awarded in any category.
$2.60 Blue, Graf Zeppelin (C15). Mint N.H., deep rich color and proof-like impression, gorgeous centering
EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING MINT NEVER HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $2.60 GRAF ZEPPELIN ISSUE, GRADED SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E.
With 2020 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98). Only two grade higher.