Sale 1028 — The Natalee Grace Collection of Used U.S. Stamps, Part Three: 1902 and Later Issues
Sale Date — Thursday, 20 September, 2012
Category — 1917-19 Perf 11 Unwatermarked Issue (Scott 498-518b)
30c Orange Red, Perf 10 at Top (516a). Vibrant color as fresh as the day it was printed, bold strike of oval registry cancel, centered to top left, small thinsFINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS ONE OF TWO USED EXAMPLES AND THE ONLY REGULARLY-CANCELLED EXAMPLE OF THE 1917 30-CENT PERF 10 AT TOP OR BOTTOM. ONE OF THE GREATEST RARITIES OF THE ISSUE.
At a certain point during production one of the perforating wheels became defective. In the course of repairs part of one perforation wheel was inadvertently changed from Perf 11 to Perf 10. Based on the physical evidence of surviving copies, this was the nineteenth row of pins on the wheel.
Many examples of the Perf 10 on One Side rarities show transitional perfs from 10 to 11 or from 11 to 10. This is because the out-of-gauge perforation pins would frequently cross the span of more than one stamp, depending on where the wheel contacted the sheet.
The Perf 10 on One Side varieties span both the 1917 Washington-Franklin and 1922-23 Issues. It is interesting to note that, apart from the 2c, there is no duplication of denomination between the issues. This would seem to indicate that the improperly repaired wheel was in use for only a short period of time, as there was little overlap in production of the issues. Based on dates of issue of the basic stamps, this probably occurred early in 1923.
Our census of Scott 516a, available at our website at http://siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/516a/516a.pdf , contains three unused examples, the handstamp-cancelled copy offered here and one with a precancel, for a total of five copies. This is the only copy with a regular cancel that can be confirmed as having gone thru the mail. This is also the only used example we have offered since keeping computerized records.
Census No. 516a-CAN-01. With 1970 and 2009 P.F. certificates. Scott Catalogue has not adjusted the used price for this rarity in line with others of the issue, probably because none has come to market in over a decade.
