Sale 1283 — Commemoratives, Featuring Morton Trans-Mississippi, Brody Jamestown and Haber 1909 Issues
Sale Date — Wednesday, 19 April, 2023
Category — 1898 Trans-Mississippi Issue: Gem Quality $1.00 and $2.00
$1.00 Black, Trans-Mississippi (292). Mint N.H. with top imprint selvage, intense shade on bright paper, as fresh as the day it was printed, incredibly detailed impression which highlights every minute detail of this wonderful engravingEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SPECTACULAR MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $1.00 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE, WIDELY REGARDED AS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL UNITED STATES COMMEMORATIVE STAMP. ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE WITH THE IMPRINT. THIS MAGNIFICENT STAMP IS GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. THIS IS ALSO THE COMPANION TO THE PLATE NUMBER SINGLE OFFERED IN THE FOLLOWING LOT.
The $1.00 Trans-Mississippi's long-time popularity with collectors led to hinging of the vast majority of singles. Although blocks have been broken over the years to supply Mint N.H. singles, it seems that grading is always a compromise between perfect centering and margin width. Only in a few instances do we find the combination of Mint N.H. condition, Extremely Fine Gem centering and wide balanced margins. This stamp is one of those extremely rare examples combining everything that could be desired. It is one of only six examples that have achieved the grade of XF-Superb 95 in the P.S.E. Population Report, and only four grade higher (at 98). We have offered two of the 98s and neither had printed selvage. This also originally formed a pair with plate number single offered in the following lot.
Ex "Scarsdale". With 1999, 2001 and 2021 P.F. certificates, the first as a pair. With 2010 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $19,000.00). Only six other examples of this popular issue have achieved this grade and only four grade higher (all at 98, we have not offered any since 2016).
