Sale 1093 — The Curtis Collection: U.S. 20th Century and Air Post
Sale Date — Monday-Tuesday, 23-24 February, 2015
Category — Air Post Issues, including 24c Jenny Invert (C1-C76a, C3a)
Lot
Symbol
Photo/Description
Cat./Est. Value
Realized
597
50c Trans-Pacific, Air Post (C22). Mint N.H. wide top plate no. F21625 block of six, vivid color, choice centering, minor natural gum bendsEXTREMELY FINE. AN INCREDIBLY RARE CENTERED MINT NEVER-HINGED WIDE TOP PLATE BLOCK OF THE 50-CENT CLIPPER ISSUE.
Advanced collectors of U.S. plate blocks understand that this issue is far rarer as a wide top Mint N.H. plate block than even the $2.60 Graf Zeppelin. A Power Search review found only one other example and it does not match the centering of the block offered here. The Scott Catalogue notes "wide full selvage top margin plate blocks of No. C22 are extremely scarce and sell for $1,750.00 or more" (versus $90.00 price for regular plate block).
With 2008 P.S.E. certificate
E. 2,000-3,000
3,250