2c Black (73). Original
gum, lightly hinged, perfectly centered with wide even margins all around,
deep charcoal shadeEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A BLACK JACK STAMP OF EXCEPTIONAL FRESHNESS AND QUALITY.
With 2000 P.F. certificate (Image)
2c Black (73). Original
gum, lightly hinged, well-centered with massive even margins all
aroundEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A MARVELOUS ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT BLACK JACK, FEATURING INCREDIBLE CENTERING AND MARGINS. A TRUE CONDITION RARITY,
With 1992 P.F. certificate (Image)
2c Black (73). Original
gum, lightly hinged, sharp impression on bright paper, well-centered,
Extremely Fine, with 1979 and 2000 P.F. certificates
(Image) 
2c Black (73). Original
gum, well-centered for this difficult stamp, attractive charcoal shade on
grayish paper, Very Fine and choice, with 2000 P.F. certificate (Image) 
2c Black (73). Original
gum, intense shade and impression, Very Fine and choice, with 1986 P.S.E.
certificate (Image)
2c Black (73).
Well-centered with unusually wide margins, neat target cancel, crisp
impression, Extremely Fine Gem, the Black Jack is notoriously difficult to
find well-centered with wide margins, with 2000 P.F. certificate (Image)
2c Black (73). Remarkably
wide margins, superb centering, handsome charcoal gray shade and lightly
struck cork cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2000 P.F. certificate (Image)
2c Black (73). Perfectly
centered, light San Francisco grid and faint red cancels, intense shade and
impression on fresh paper, Extremely Fine Gem, with 1991 P.F. certificate
(Image)
3c Scarlet (74).
Manuscript "J.M. Jan. 31, 1868" in three lines, intense shade and
impression, centered slightly to topFINE. ONE OF THREE RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE 3-CENT SCARLET WITH INITIALS AND DATE -- PRESUMED TO BE IN THE HAND OF JAMES MACDONOUGH, ONE OF THE NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY FOUNDERS. THIS IS THE ONLY KNOWN PERFORATED EXAMPLE.
The story of the 3c Scarlet has been well-documented by Jerome S. Wagshal in a series of articles appearing in the Chronicle (Nos. 56, 60, 61 and 62). Wagshal quotes statements made in 1893 and 1910 by a Washington D.C. stamp dealer, Carl F. Rothfuchs, to the effect that Rothfuchs obtained a supply of the 3c Scarlet in 1893--probably from the Post Office Department in exchange for his assistance with the Columbian Exposition--and sold them with pen marks and original gum. The Rothfuchs lot is not from the same supply acquired by John W. Scott in the late 1870's, from which stamps exist uncancelled and cancelled with a New York City Station D oval.
Three examples of the 3c Scarlet exist with the initials and date: one perforated and two imperforate (one of the latter is offered in the following lot). The "J.M. Jan. 31, 1868" was probably applied by James Macdonough, one of the National Bank Note Company founders. Although Wagshal offers some convincing evidence dating the Scarlet to 1861, these 1868-dated examples suggest an alternate theory that the Scarlet was produced about the time of the 1868 regular-production grills. The existence of numerous essays and color varieties made in 1867 and 1868, as well as actual changes in the color and paper of stamps produced in 1868, show that National was experimenting with various means to prevent stamp re-use and to improve production efficiency and quality. The Scarlet may related to this effort.
With 1973 P.F. certificate (Image)