Sale 1278 — United States Stamps

Sale Date — Tuesday-Thursday, 21-23 March, 2023

Category — 1902-08 Issue, Louisiana Purchase, Jamestown Issues (Scott 300-330)

Lot
Symbol
Photo/Description
Cat./Est. Value
Realized
3537
nh
Sale 1278, Lot 3537, 1902-08 Issue,  Louisiana Purchase, Jamestown Issues (Scott 300-330)50c Orange (310). Mint N.H., vibrant color, gorgeous centering with unusually wide margins

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 50-CENT 1902 ISSUE, GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY BOTH P.S.E. AND THE P.F.

The 1902-03 Regular Issue was a great improvement over the Bureau's first efforts in 1894 and 1895. Perforations tend to be cleaner, and centering better, but the large plate layout and perforation method still resulted in a large number of poorly centered stamps. Furthermore, stamps issued in choice condition seldom stayed that way, because the boom in stamp collecting that began with the Roosevelt administration caused hordes of hinge-bearing philatelists to mount stamps over and over again. For this reason, today's collectors have grown accustomed to paying many multiples of Scott value for Extremely Fine stamps in Mint Never-Hinged state. Anyone who has pursued this set can testify that the 50c is rarely encountered in such condition. Apart from the $2.00 and $5.00 values, it is more elusive than any other value of the set in superb Mint N.H. condition. This example probably ranks among the ten highest-quality examples in existence.

With 2010 P.S.E. and 2011 P.F. certificates (both XF-Superb 95; SMQ $8,500.00). Only three grade higher (two at 95J and one at 98) and five others share this desirable grade.

1,225
5,750