Sale 1034 — The Merlin Collection of Superb United States Stamps
Sale Date — Wednesday-Thursday, 28-29 November, 2012
Category — 1893 Columbian Issue (Scott 230-245)
4c Columbian, Error of Color (233a). Original gum, lightly hinged, breathtaking deep rich color on bright paper, unusually choice centering with Jumbo marginsEXTREMELY FINE. THIS IS EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES OF THE RARE 4-CENT COLUMBIAN ERROR OF COLOR. A MARVELOUS STAMP.
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 other 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 Hetherington. With 1951 P.F. and 2006 P.S.E. certificates (OGph, VF-XF 85 Jumbo; SMQ $20,900.00 as 85, $26,700.00 as 90). Only one has graded higher (at 90).
