Sale 1027 — The Natalee Grace Collection of Used U.S. Stamps, Part Two: 1869 to Pan-American Issues
Sale Date — Wednesday, 19 September, 2012
Category — 1873 Continental Bank Note Co. Issue (Scott 156-166)
3c Green, Printed on Both Sides (158k). Impression on back inverted in relation to the one on the front and almost perfectly aligned, front of stamp with bright color nicely contrasted by purple target cancel, light diagonal creaseVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 1873 3-CENT CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE. ONLY TWO OR THREE ARE KNOWN. THIS IS ONE OF THE GREAT RARITIES OF PRINTED-ON-BOTH-SIDES VARIETIES.
Engraved stamps printed on both sides usually have a poor impression on one side and a second, complete impression on the other. They probably occurred when a sheet was printed without proper moistening, which prevented the paper from picking up the ink in the recessed lines of the engraved plate. If the sheet was turned 180 degrees before being put on the press a second time, the two impressions will be inverted in relation to each other.
Our list of printed-on-both-sides stamps is included as an appendix to this catalogue. All examples of this variety are reported to have weak impressions on back -- this is reported to be the finest. A pair was offered in our 1967 Rarities sale, but was not photographed. A single was subsequently offered in the 1978 Kaufmann Gems sale, which might have been part of the pair (as might the example offered here). We are therefore unable to determine whether two or three copies exist.
Aside from a single known example of the 2c 1887 Issue (Scott 213), the 3c is the only Bank Note denomination known with a printed on both sides variety. It is only found on the 1870 National Bank Note issue (Scott 147) and the 1873 Continental Bank Note issue (Scott 158, with secret mark). The 3c Grilled Bank Note issue is listed in Scott Catalogue as printed on both sides, but none has ever been seen, and Scott Catalogue does not have information on its listing in their reference files, so it should probably be delisted (Brookman references it).
With 2005 P.F. certificate. Undercatalogued in Scott -- the 3c 1869 Pictorial printed on both sides catalogues $55,000.00 and earlier Scott numbers of this variety also have high Scott Catalogue value.
