Sale 1258 — The Richie Prager Collection of United States Hunting Permits
Sale Date — Tuesday, 14 June, 2022
Category — Complete Panes and Souvenir Sheets
$1.00 Blue, 1934 Hunting Permit (RW1). Complete Mint N.H. pane of 28 with plate no. 129200 at bottom and selvage at right, deep rich color, usual natural gum skips, few minor perf separations at top mentioned for accuracy but this is a beautifully intact paneVERY FINE. AN INCALCULABLY RARE INTACT MINT NEVER-HINGED PANE OF THE FIRST FEDERAL HUNTING PERMIT ISSUE, SCOTT RW1. THE "HOLY GRAIL" OF HUNTING PERMIT MULTIPLES -- VERY FEW ARE KNOWN.
Nos. RW1 thru RW12 were issued in panes of 28. Selvage is found at either top or bottom and on one side; nine stamps have a natural straight edge on one side, and one has a natural straight edge on two sides. Plate numbers are found at either top or bottom, though we have never offered a multiple from the top position larger than a block of six.
The first Hunting Permit stamp went on sale to the public on August 24, 1934. Multiples were not allowed to be sold, until the last two weeks the stamps were on sale, from June 15 thru June 30, 1935. RW2 was placed on sale July 1, 1935. This short period when they were allowed to be sold as unused multiples accounts for their rarity as plate blocks or in panes. This is the first intact pane with selvage on two sides -- as issued -- that we have offered since keeping computerized records. We have offered two without selvage on one side, but one was separated into two pieces (ex Webster) and another was affixed to a card (ex Frelinghuysen). We are aware of only one other fully intact pane.
Scott value as plate block of six and 22 singles, which does not adequately convey the rarity of this intact pane.
