Sale 1185 — 2018 Rarities of the World

Sale Date — Wednesday, 27 June, 2018

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*A buyer’s premium of 18% of the winning bid was added as part of the total purchase price on all lots in this sale. Buyers were responsible for applicable sales tax, customs duty and any other prescribed charges. By placing a bid, bidders agreed to the terms and conditions in effect at the time of the sale.

Category — Pan-American Issue, 20th Century Issues including Non-Inverted Jenny

Lot
Symbol
Photo/Description
Cat./Est. Value
Realized
90
nh
Sale 1185, Lot 90, Pan-American Issue, 20th Century Issues including Non-Inverted Jenny$2.00 Red & Blue, Non-Inverted Jenny Error Sheet (4806d). Intact pane of six self-adhesive stamps with souvenir sheet design in margin, choice centering, back of pane indicates plate position (this is the top center of the six positions), accompanied by congratulatory sheet which accompanied the pane in the envelope, also accompanied by certificate signed by Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe noting this is discovery pane No. 13 of 100 possible panes

EXTREMELY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE NON-INVERTED JENNY SHEET. ONLY 100 WERE DISTRIBUTED TO RANDOM POST OFFICES AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND ONLY APPROXIMATELY 32 HAVE BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE POSTAL SERVICE. A PHENOMENAL MODERN RARITY.

According to the U.S. Postal Service's website (http://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/2013/pb22371/html/info_003.htm ) and other sources, the $2.00 Inverted Jenny souvenir sheet went on sale nationwide September 22, 2013, and a ceremony was held on that day at the National Postal Museum. The souvenir sheet was printed using the intaglio printing process and plates made from the original dies used to produce the 1918 24c Air Post stamp (Scott C3). The denomination was changed to make it easily distinguishable from the original. The souvenir sheet background depicts the original airmail route, the National Postal Museum, and aviation pioneer Reuben H. Fleet.

A special automatic distribution was done to all post offices. Pre-orders and re-orders through stamp distribution offices or centers were not allowed once original automatic distribution quantities were sold. A total of 13,200,600 stamps were printed, which translates into 2,200,100 souvenir sheets of six. They were printed six souvenir sheets at a time, and their position on the plate is noted on back of each. The sheets were sold individually wrapped in cellophane, which collectors questioned at the time of issue.

The reason for the odd quantity and cellophane wrapping was revealed shortly after the release of the souvenir sheets, when an upright example was discovered by a collector in Ontario, Canada. The USPS then revealed that 100 had been created and randomly seeded throughout their distribution system. The cellophane wrappers were used to prevent searching through stocks for the upright designs -- souvenir sheets with opened cellophane were not returnable.

As of June 2017, Linn's Stamp News reported that only 32 had been registered with the Postal Service, but it is possible the number is now 33 or 34.

75,000
40,000