Sale 1024 — The Natalee Grace Collection of Used Stamps of the United States, Part One: 1847-1868 Issues
Sale Date — Thursday, 7 June, 2012
Category — 12c-90c 1857-60 Issue (Scott 36-39)
90c Blue (39). Perfectly centered, intense shade and impression on bright fresh paper, deep red grid cancel struck at lower left almost entirely clear of faceEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB EXAMPLE OF THE SHORT-LIVED 90-CENT 1860 -- THE FIRST UNITED STATES 90-CENT ISSUE -- OF WHICH ONLY FIVE SOUND COPIES CANCELLED IN RED HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED BY THE PHILATELIC FOUNDATION. THIS IS THE FINEST OF THE FIVE.
The 90c stamp was issued in 1860, along with the 24c and 30c values, all of which were needed to prepay high international letter rates established by various postal treaties. The basic 24c and 30c rates to England, France and Germany created a volume of mail franked with those values. However, the 90c saw much more limited use, partly due to the rates in effect, but more because of the American Civil War. When supplies of current postage stamps were declared invalid in the South and ultimately demonetized by the Federal government, the 90c had been in use for only one year. For this reason, genuinely cancelled copies are scarce, and covers bearing the 90c are extremely rare.
Approximately 180 used examples have been certified by The Philatelic Foundation, of which one-quarter are sound. Of these sound examples, only five are cancelled in red, and this stamp is the best-centered and most attractively cancelled.
Ex Dr. Morris and offered to the market for the first time since 1997. With 1988, 1994 and 2009 P.F. certificates. With 2009 P.S.E. certificate (VF-XF 85; SMQ $13,800.00). This appears to us to be a solid XF 90.
