Sale 1014 — Outstanding United States Stamps
Sale Date — Wednesday-Friday, 12-14 October, 2011
Category — U.S. Possessions
CANAL ZONE, 1904, 8c on 50c Bister Brown (15). Used with 1c on 20c Violet (16), tied by "Tabernilla Apr. 24, 1906" duplex cancels on Canal Zone Commission corner card cover with "Official Business" crossed out, addressed to Surgeon J. C. Perry at Ancon, receiving backstamp of the following dayVERY FINE. ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE 8-CENT ON 50-CENT SURCHARGE USED ON COVER. A PHENOMENAL RARITY.
According to the book Canal Zone Stamps only 500 of Scott No. 15 were issued, making it one of the rarest Canal Zone stamps. Of these, only seven used copies are recorded. At the time of the book's publication (1986) only one cover bearing this issue was recorded. That cover (ex Plass) bears two 2c stamps (No. 11) and was also used to Ancon on the same day as the example offered here, though to a different recipient. The description of the other cover in the 1993 Plass sale noted the existence of this second cover, narrowing down its discovery date.
Ex Salz
CANAL ZONE, 1904, 8c on 50c Bister Brown, "Panama" Reading Down and Up (15, 15a). Positions 1-2/11-12, block of four with selvage at left, top left stamp the variety, usual tropicalized original gum, rich colors, few perf separationsVERY FINE. A RARE AND DESIRABLE BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 8-CENT ON 50-CENT CANAL ZONE NO. 15 WITH THE TOP LEFT STAMP SHOWING "PANAMA" READING BOTH DOWN AND UP.
According to Canal Zone Stamps, this variety comes from Positions 1 and 51. Either eight or ten were printed. Eight are known. We have only offered one other since keeping computerized records (ex Plass and Drucker) which was a single. The example offered here, in a block, is a wonderful exhibition piece.
Ex Salz. With 1974 P.F. certificate
CANAL ZONE, 1909, 2c Vermilion & Black, Ovpt. Reading Up, Double Ovpt. (32d). Two distinct overprints placed partly over one another, bright colors, unobtrusive duplex cancel leaves the variety clearly visible, thin spots, single pulled perf at bottomVERY FINE APPEARANCE. THE UNIQUE EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT TYPE I WITH A DOUBLE OVERPRINT. ONE OF THE GREATEST RARITIES OF CANAL ZONE COLLECTING.
Ex Richard H. Salz who discovered this stamp in his collection. It is the listing copy and the only example to have surfaced. With 1986 A.P.S. certificate
CANAL ZONE, 1915, 1c Green & Black, "Zone" Double (46c). Position 10 with top right corner selvage with "F-3843", deep rich colors, wide margins, trivial bends in selvage onlyVERY FINE AND CHOICE. ONLY TWO EXAMPLES OF THIS VARIETY WERE PRINTED, AND THIS IS THE UNIQUE EXAMPLE WITH CORNER SELVAGE. A PHENOMENAL RARITY.
According to Canal Zone Stamps, two panes of 100 received a double overprint. On one of the panes the overprints are spaced far apart, and so two stamps show only the "Zone" of the second overprint. The two positions with the second "Zone" only are Position 10 (offered here) and Position 20 (without selvage and ex Plass and our Laila sale).
Ex Salz. With 1983 A.P.S. certificate.
CANAL ZONE, 1914, 1c-10c Rose Carmine, Postage Due (J1-J3). Rich colors, also incl. additional 1c with misaligned "E" in Zone ovpt, 10c top perfs touch, Fine lot
CANAL ZONE, 1925, 10c Orange, Carmine Rose, Ovpt. Errors (J17a, J17b, J20c). First two typical tropical original gum, the Missing "E" in horizontal pair with normal, Very Good-Fine, scarce and interesting lot
CANAL ZONE, 1925, 1c Carmine Rose, Postage Due, "Zone Zone" Ovpt. (J18a). Block of nine, middle stamp the error, occurs only on pos. LR18, some slight gum disturbance spots, the error barely affected, Fine-Very Fine, attractive showpiece
GUAM, 1899, $1.00 Black, Ty. II (13). Original gum, balanced margins and essentially perfectly centered, intense shadeEXTREMELY FINE. THE ONE-DOLLAR GUAM TYPE II IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND IN THIS DESIRABLE GRADE.
Signed A. Diena and Brun and with 2006 P.S.E. certificate (OGh, XF 90)
PHILIPPINES, 1901, $1.00 Black, Ty. I (223). Block of four, original gum, intense shade and impression, well-balanced margins throughout, Extremely Fine, a magnificent block, with 2009 P.F. certificate
PHILIPPINES, 1903, $2.00 Dark Blue (238). Block of four, bottom stamps Mint N.H., top pair lightly hinged, rich color, choice centeringVERY FINE AND CHOICE BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE $2.00 1903 PHILIPPINES OVERPRINT ISSUE.
With 1996 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail as hinged block of four
PHILIPPINES, 1903, $5.00 Dark Green (239). Mint N.H., attractively centered, deep shade on crisp paper, Very Fine, with 2011 P.S.A.G. certificate