Sale 1255 — The David W. Gorham Collection of Outstanding Used U.S. Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Friday, 17-20 May, 2022
Category — Washington-Franklins and Later 20th Century Issues (Scott 339-599A)
1c Green, Rotary Perf 11 (594). Deep rich color and extraordinarily well-centered with wide margins all around, bold machine cancelEXTREMELY FINE. ONLY A FEW SOUND AND CENTERED EXAMPLES OF THE 1923 ONE-CENT ROTARY PERF 11 ISSUE ARE KNOWN. THIS IS ONE OF THE FINEST EXAMPLES IN EXISTENCE. A PHENOMENAL CONDITION RARITY.
The 1c Green, Scott 594, is waste from a horizontal rotary printing used to make coils. At the beginning or end of a coil-stamp print run from the 170-subject rotary plates, some leading or trailing paper was produced that was too short for rolling into 500-stamp rolls. In 1919 the Bureau devised a plan to salvage this waste by perforating and cutting the sheets into panes. They were put through the 11-gauge flat plate perforator in use at the time, giving the sheets full perforations on all sides. The existence of Scott 594 was not reported until four months after the final sheets were delivered, and the 1c Rotary Perf 11 was soon recognized as one of the rarest United States stamps.
Our census of Scott 594, available at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/594 , contains 98 used singles, 6 stamps in 3 used pairs, and 6 stamps on 5 covers (one with a pair) for a total of 110 used stamps. Another 19 unused stamps are recorded. Many have perforations cutting in on one or more sides, or have faults. This example, in centered and sound condition, is a great rarity and among a handful of the finest copies.
Census no. 594-CAN-05. Ex Klein and Zoellner. With 1975 and 1998 P.F. certificates.
