Sale 1185 — 2018 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Wednesday, 27 June, 2018
Category — Columbian Issue, 1894-98 Bureau Issue
4c Columbian, Error of Color (233a). Deep rich color, bold duplex cancel, small horizontal crease at right and tiny picked out inclusion at left
FINE APPEARANCE. ONLY 15 USED EXAMPLES OF THE 4-CENT COLUMBIAN ERROR OF COLOR ARE LISTED IN OUR CENSUS. ONE OF THE GREAT RARITIES OF USED UNITED STATES PHILATELY AND OF THE POPULAR COLUMBIAN ISSUE.
The 4c Columbian color error was caused by the use of a wrong batch of ink, and spectrographic analysis has shown that the blue inks of the 4c error and 1c Columbian have the same components. Stamps from at least three panes reached collectors, and the few cancelled examples indicate that stamps used by the public came from at least one additional pane. It is likely that a number of full sheets were printed using the wrong ink, and most of the stamps have simply been lost to philately.
Our census of used Scott 233a, available at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/233a , contains 15 stamps. One additional stamp was previously certified as the error, but received a recent certificate as the Dark Ultramarine sub-shade. Only two stamps listed in our census are confirmed as sound.
Census No. 233a-CAN-08. With 1993 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail value is for an example with small faults
4c Columbian, Error of Color (233a). Block of four, original gum with hinge marks, piece of hinge sensibly reinforcing some perf separations at right, deep rich color and proof-like impression, top right stamp has a small tear extending from a stain spot, other three stamps have small shallow thin spots where hinges were removedFINE APPEARANCE. A RARE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 4-CENT COLUMBIAN ERROR OF COLOR.
The 4c Columbian color error was caused by the use of a wrong batch of ink, and spectrographic analysis has shown that the blue inks of the 4c error and 1c Columbian have the same components.
Stamps from at least two panes reached collectors, and the few cancelled examples indicate that stamps used by the public came from additional panes. It is likely that a number of full sheets were printed using the wrong ink, and most of the stamps have simply been lost to philately.
Ex Hall.
$2.00 Columbian (242). Original gum, mathematically precise centering with wide and balanced margins, deep luxurious colorEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A PHENOMENAL ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $2.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE, GRADED GEM 100 BY P.S.E. THIS IS THE ONLY ORIGONAL-GUM DOLLAR VALUE COLUMBIAN TO ACHIEVE THIS PERFECT GRADE.
The $2.00 Columbian is notorious as one of the most difficult denominations to obtain in original gum condition with choice centering and wide margins. Remarkably, of the entire P.S.E. graded population of original-gum dollar-value Columbians (241-245), this is the only example to achieve this perfect grade. Only one other dollar value has been graded Gem 100 in any condition -- a no-gum $3.00.
With 2010 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, Gem 100; SMQ $19,000.00)
$3.00 Columbian (243). Mint N.H., deep rich color and proof-like impression on bright paper, unusually well-centered with wide marginsVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A BEAUTIFUL AND SCARCE WELL-CENTERED, MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $3.00 COLUMBIAN.
With 2018 P.S.E. certificate
$4.00 Gray Black, Original Artist's Composite Model for Complete Design (244-E6). On 50 x 39mm thick artist's card with beveled edges, from second state of the die showing partially engraved vignette and lettering only, with black watercolor of all additional elements including space between portraits and shading on frame elements surrounding portraits and at edges, frame slightly taller than adopted sizeVERY FINE. THE UNIQUE WATERCOLOR ESSAY FOR THE $4.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE. THIS IS THE ONLY WATERCOLOR ESSAY FOR ANY OF THE DOLLAR-VALUE COLUMBIANS. A REMARKABLE ESSAY.
Other dollar-value Columbians are known with pencil sketches or with elements mounted into place. The watercolor offered here was painstakingly produced to be faithful to the finished design, and must have been a very early essay for the design of the frame. It is faithful to the design as accepted -- the triangles at corners below the portraits, the light and dark shading areas at sides, the small unengraved areas at top and the darker engraved area below the bottom label and other elements of the finished design are all shown here in watercolor.
Ex Brazer, Rosenthal and Fekete.
$5.00 Columbian (245). Exceptional centering with wide and balanced margins, intense shade and razor-sharp impression, light face-free target cancelEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB USED EXAMPLE OF THE $5.00 COLUMBIAN, WHICH IS GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E.
The dollar-value Columbians are extremely difficult to obtain in superb used condition. None of the denominations were issued to pay any actual postage rate, and collectors protested the high cost. Only 21,844 of the $5.00 were sold, and a small percentage of those were used, either on philatelic covers or on heavy registered parcels. The stamps on parcels or registered mail were frequently heavily cancelled, and the large package wrappers were susceptible to damage. The stamp offered here is a notable exception. It is lightly cancelled and has balanced margins.
With 2010 and 2013 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $6,750.00). Only two examples have graded higher (both 98, one ex "Natalee Grace" and the other offered in Siegel Sale 1140, Lot 638).
$5.00 Columbian (245). Wide margins and particularly well-centered, bold color and sharp impression, neat New Bedford Mass. circular datestamp cancelEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL USED EXAMPLE OF THE $5.00 COLUMBIAN ISSUE.
With 2018 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $2,850.00)
$2.00 Bright Blue (277). Mint N.H. with bottom selvage, deep rich color on bright paperVERY FINE AND CHOICE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $2.00 WATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE.
With 2017 P.S.E. certificates (VF 80; SMQ $3,100.00)