Sale 1082 — The William Fekete Collection
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 21-22 October, 2014
Category — Columbian, 1st Bureau, Trans-Mississippi and Pan-American Issues
4c Pan-American, Center Inverted (296a). Part redistributed original gum, balanced margins three sides to just into frameline at bottom, thin spotsFINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 4-CENT PAN-AMERICAN INVERT.
The 4c stamp portrays an electric automobile, known at the time as the "Electric Vehicle Service," as depicted on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad brochure from which the engraving was made. In the background one can see the dome of the Capitol. One of the two men seated at the front was Samuel P. Hege, B&O's passenger agent, so this stamp actually depicts a living person in violation of the law.
The 4c Pan-American Invert was a special printing and not regularly issued. Examples were distributed through two official channels, and the gum on the majority of stamps without "Specimen" overprint was disturbed. In fact, because the stamps were removed from mounting paper, they are generally thinned or have seriously disturbed gum. Scott Catalogue notes that "Values are for examples with full original gum that is slightly disturbed"
