Sale 968 — The Alan B. Whitman Collection of Outstanding United States Stamps

Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 27-28 January, 2009

Category — 1857-60 Issue (Scott 18-39)

Lot
Symbol
Photo/Description
Cat./Est. Value
Realized
33
og
Sale 968, Lot 33, 1857-60 Issue (Scott 18-39)5c Brick Red (27). Original gum, radiant color in the distinctive Brick Red shade, projections completely clear of perforations on three sides and barely touched at left

VERY FINE. AN AN EXTREMELY RARE SOUND ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 5-CENT BRICK RED SHADE -- IN OUR OPINION, THE BRICK RED IS ONE OF THE RAREST STAMPS OF THE CLASSIC PERIOD IN SOUND CONDITION WITH ORIGINAL GUM.

After surveying dozens of classic United States sale catalogues, we found approximately twenty stamps with original gum, allowing for duplicate offerings and excluding the one known original-gum block. Of the stamps we counted, about half had perfs touching two sides or were deeply cut into on one side. Almost two-thirds had stains or small faults.

Ex Gorham. With 1952, 2001 and 2007 P.F. certificates (F-VF 75).

80,000
29,000