Sale 1096 — The Robert R. Hall Collection of Outstanding United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Thursday, 28-30 April, 2015
Category — Postage Due with 1879 American Bank Note Co. Special Printing (Scott J1-J14)
1c Deep Brown, Special Printing (J8). Original gum, lightly hinged, beautiful intense shade and sharp proof-like impressionEXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE FINEST OF THE FEW KNOWN EXAMPLES OF THE ONE-CENT POSTAGE DUE SPECIAL PRINTING.
The 1c, 2c and 3c are undoubtedly the rarest values of the American Bank Note Co. Postage Due Special Printings, although the sold quantities in the official records are relatively high. William E. Mooz, in an article on the 1c appearing in Chronicle No. 170, May 1996, offers evidence to support his theory that the actual number of true Special Printings sold was significantly lower than the reported figures. For the 1c, Mooz estimates 500 sold, but it is possible that as many as 400 purchased by G. B. Calman were destroyed. It is widely accepted that nearly 9,000 1c stamps sold as Special Printings were actually regular issues.
A Power Search review found only one other stamp that rivals the quality of this choice original-gum stamp (there are none in the P.S.E. Population Report).
With 1999 P.S.E. and 2000 P.F. certificates
