Sale 1090 — United States, Possessions and Confederate States Stamps and Postal History
Sale Date — Wednesday-Friday, 17-19 December, 2014
Category — Telegraph Company Stamps, cont.
Postal Telegraph Co., 1908-09, Brown (15T32, 15T32a). Horizontal pair, right stamp "1908" in error, original gum, h.r., excellent centeringVERY FINE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE "1908" ERROR IN A PAIR WITH THE CORRECT "1909" ISSUE. THIS SE-TENANT PAIR IS THE MOST DESIRABLE FORM OF THE 1908 DATE ERROR.
The normal 1908 dates were issued in Blue, Yellow and Black (15T29-15T31) but not in Brown. In 1946 George Sloane noted (as quoted in George Kramer's book): "An error exists on certain upper right franks reading "1908" it occurs on the yellow brown printing and was quickly corrected." Also, "from the fact that the yellow browns differ from the medium browns in clearer, thinner lettering and absence of many minor flaws, a new stone was laid down for this printing. The error would then presumably have been due to using an old pull from the 1908 die or cut instead of one from the 1909 original."
The Kramer book illustrates a single. The pair offered here, which clearly shows the different year dates, is a remarkable item.
Ex Lilly (where acquired by the collector). Scott Retail as singles.
