Sale 978 — The Beverly Hills Collection of Outstanding United States Stamps
Sale Date — Friday, 4 December, 2009
Category — 1870-88 Bank Note Issues
10c Brown, With Secret Mark (188). Mint N.H., deep rich color and proof-like impression, unusually choice centering with wide and balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1879 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE WITH SECRET MARK. THIS STUNNING STAMP HAS BEEN GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E., WHICH IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO DATE.
Unlike other values of the 1879 Issue, there are virtually no 10c stamps in Mint Never-Hinged condition. A thorough review of auction catalogues, including sales of the Caspary, Close, Sinkler, Col. Green, Lilly, Braus, Wunderlich and Klein collections, among others, produced no Mint N.H. singles and no blocks containing Mint N.H. stamps. Using Power Search, we located a block of six with three Mint N.H. stamps and three other unduplicated copies. We doubt that more than a half-dozen or so Mint N.H. copies exist in total.
P.S.E. encapsulated (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $33,500.00). This is the highest grade awarded to date. Curiously, only two Mint N.H. have been graded, and both were graded equally.
