Sale 1135 — The Grant Inman Collection, Part 2: U.S. Officials
Sale Date — Thursday, 15 September, 2016
Category — Official Special Printings - Navy Department
12c Navy, "Sepcimen" Error (O41Sa). Without gum as issued, deep rich color, perfs scissors-separated but intact, tiny perf hole tear at topVERY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE 12-CENT NAVY DEPARTMENT WITH THE "SEPCIMEN" SPELLING ERROR. ONE OF THE GREATEST RARITIES OF THE ISSUE.
Only 107 copies of the 12c Special Printing was sold. It is not known how the stamps were taken from the sheets or if full sheets were exhausted before breaking a subsequent sheet. If full sheets were used, then no more than two can exist. The Combs book (p. 39) notes that the Worthington collection contained one with a dot in the "1" of "12" and a break in the fifth line of the upper right corner, traits that are exhibited on the example offered here. The book also notes a second example, centered to top right, was offered in a 1946 Harmer sale -- it has traits that match the Sheriff copy.
Ex Worthington and Pickard. With 2016 P.F. certificate
