Sale 1375 — The Nick Kardasis Collection of the 1869 Pictorial Issue, Part One
Sale Date — Tuesday, 21 April, 2026
Category — Scott 112-122 with Original Gum-PSE Set Registry #1 All-Time Finest Set
24c Green & Violet (120). Original gum, deep rich color on crisp paper, long and full perforations all around, almost perfect centering with wide and balanced margins
EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES OF THE 24-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE. THIS REMARKABLE STAMP IS GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. — THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED AND THE ONLY ONE TO ACHIEVE IT.
The 24c vignette was engraved by James Smillie from John Trumbull’s oil painting Declaration of Independence. There are two versions of this painting; one hangs in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, and the other at Yale University. Contrary to the popular belief that this painting depicts the signing ceremony, Trumbull actually painted a romanticized image of the presentation of the Declaration draft. There are 47 individuals portrayed in the painting, and the tiny engraving captures virtually all of them in minute detail. A similar engraving appears on the back of the 1863 First Charter $100 note, and the vignette is also found on 10c 1869 essays.
With 1992 P.F. and 2007 P.S.E. certificates (OGph, XF-Superb 95). This is the highest grade awarded and the only one to achieve this grade. The next highest grade is a single example graded 90, which we offered in our Sale 921 in 2006, followed by one at 85 and one at 80 (we have never offered them).
