The Drucker Collection continued...

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THIS RARE ROTARY-PRESS PRINTING. AN EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT STAMP TO FIND IN SUCH CONDITION.

At the beginning or end of a coil-stamp print run from the 170-subject rotary plates, some leading or trailing paper was left over that was too short for rolling into 500-stamp rolls. In 1919, the Bureau devised a plan to salvage this waste by converting the stamps from coil stamps into sheet stamps. This was accomplished by cutting the sheets into panes and putting the panes through the flat-plate perforator in use at the time, giving the stamps perforations on all sides.

Since Scott 539 was put through two different perforating machines of differing gauges at different times, most of the stamps are off-center. The stamp offered here is a true condition rarity by virtue of its centering, margins and Mint N.H. state.

With 1976 and 2002 P.F. certificates (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST OF THE FEW EXTANT MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLES OF THIS MAJOR RARITY. PROBABLY FEWER THAN 20 ARE KNOWN UNUSED.

A small quantity of 1c Rotary Press stamps was perforated 11 at the end of 1922, using remainder sheets from the earlier printings that were normally perforated in 10 gauge or 11/10 compound gauge. Its existence as a Perf 11 variety was discovered in 1936, and the stamp received its Scott catalogue listing in 1938.

Most of the recorded copies of Scott 544 are off-center or have been damaged -- the result of poor production standards and mis-handling. The finest copies known come from a block of four, of which this stamp was originally the bottom right stamp. The Zoellner copy, subsequently offered in our 2000 Rarities sale where it realized $62,500, also comes from this block.

With 1987 and 2002 P.F. certificates. (Image)