Sale 1150 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Wednesday, 1 March, 2017
Category — 1922 and Later Issues
15c Owls, Se-Tenant Block of Four, Yellow and Magenta Omitted (1763c). Pane of 50, Mint N.H. except position 30 with adherence on gum, positions 9, 10 and 20 with a slight spot of gum disturbance VERY FINE. THE FIRST TIME ANY EXAMPLE OF THIS ERROR HAS BEEN OFFERED TO THE MARKET.
This is one of two panes of the 15-cent Owls missing the yellow and magenta that were recently discovered by a collector in a large hoard of discount postage. The second pane also has the black intaglio misregistered.
Because this error is so striking and obvious, it is amazing that no one noticed it until 38 years after it was issued. Nearly all color-omitted errors are found within a year or two of being issued. It is almost unheard of for a pane of a commemorative stamp clearly missing two colors to languish as discount postage for nearly four decades before discovery.
This is the first time this error has ever been offered. The collector is keeping the second pane with the misregistered black intaglio. If the pane is broken up properly, it would yield ten se-tenant blocks of four, plus five singles each of two stamps.
With 2016 A.P.S. certificate. Recently listed in Scott based on these two discovery panes.
