Sale 1219 — The Edward Morton Collection of Outstanding Quality U.S. Stamps
Sale Date — Wednesday-Thursday, 8-9 April, 2020
Category — 1861-66 Issue, cont. (Scott 64-66)
Lot
Symbol
Photo/Description
Cat./Est. Value
Realized
158
3c Pigeon Blood Pink (64a). Bright color, beautifully centered with full perfs all around, canceled by "Portland Me. 19 Oct. 1861" double-circle datestampEXTREMELY FINE. A RARE SOUND AND CENTERED USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1861 3-CENT PIGEON BLOOD PINK -- THIS THE SO-CALLED "PORTLAND PINK" VARIETY.
The Pigeon Blood Pink, named for a rare color of ruby, is regarded as the most distinctive and rarest of the Pink shades. Unfortunately, the special bluish-pink tint of the true Pigeon Blood Pink is sensitive to light and other environmental factors. Therefore, examples kept in the dark over many years retain the true Pigeon Blood color, while others have lost it. This example, used from Portland, retains its vivid color.
Ex Mayer and from our 1996 Rarities sale (where it realized $7,500 hammer). With 1991 and 2018 P.F. certificates
4,500
3,500