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48 Selected Lots, Page 1 of 5
1 of your results is from upcoming Sale No. 1234
General/Issue
Date
5c Carmine, Imperforate, Error (485). Single error in block of six, bottom center stamp the error, which is Mint N.H., along with top 2c stamps, bottom 2c stamps lightly hinged, brilliant color, large margins, 5c with light natural gum creaseVERY FINE. AN ATTRACTIVE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1917 5-CENT CARMINE IMPERFORATE ERROR.
During the course of production of the normal 2c plate No. 7942, three positions were noted to be defective. The plate was returned to the siderographer, who burnished out the three positions and mistakenly re-entered them using a transfer roll for the 5c stamp. The error passed unnoticed and the sheets were issued to the public in Perf 10, Imperforate and Perf 11 formats (Scott 467, 485 and 505). The imperforate is by far the rarest of the three.
With 2008 P.F. certificate. Scott value as Mint N.H. single error
A spectacular imperforate block of 36 with the double 5¢ Carmine transfer errors from the upper left quadrant of the sheetDESCRIPTION
5¢ Carmine, Imperforate, Error (485), Positions UL 74/84 Plate 7942, double error in a block of 36 with left sheet margin and full arrow, the errors are Mint N.H., one stamp in the surrounding block of 12 lightly hinged, very fresh
CERTIFICATION
The Philatelic Foundation (1991)
CONDITION NOTES
Extremely Fine
SCOTT CATALOGUE VALUE (2019)
$28,000.00 as two Mint N.H. singles
HISTORY AND COMMENTARY
The Wrong Value Produced the Wrong Color
During the course of production of the normal 2¢ plate--Plate 7942--three subjects were noted to be weakly transferred: Positions 74 and 84 in the upper left quadrant, and Position 18 in the lower right. The plate was sent back to the siderographer, who burnished out the three entries and re-entered them. Instead of the 2¢ transfer roll, he mistakenly used the 5¢ transfer roll for the 2¢ plate. The sheets were printed in the normal 2¢ Red color, but three stamps in each sheet of 400 were 5¢ stamps, which were normally printed in blue--that is how the 5¢ Red errors came to be.
The misentered plate and the sheets produced from it passed unnoticed, and the 5¢ error stamps were issued to the public. The largest number of sheets to reach collectors were perforated 11 (Scott 505). A smaller number were perforated 10 (Scott 467). The rarest of the errors are the imperforate stamps (Scott 485). On May 2, 1917, the Third Assistant Postmaster General sent out a printed notice informing postmasters of the error and recalling the "mis-printed" sheets, but by then the red cats were out of the bag.
The largest group of sheets discovered at one time were all imperforate, but they never made it to collectors. 755 imperforate sheets of 400 stamps (2,265 errors) were on their way to a company for private perforating when they were found in the Chicago post office and returned to Washington, D.C., for destruction. Three of the Chicago sheets were kept for the National Philatelic Collection.
Philip H. Ward, Jr. later reported that he bought two sheets from John Klemann, a New York dealer, who said he acquired them from Joseph Leavy, curator of the national collection, but Klemann may have been lying about his source, since he was involved in the purchase and sale of the New York find of imperforate sheets--48 sheets of 400, also intended for private perforating. The hoard was found in a New York post office and bought in two stages (25 and 23) by Edgar Nelton, a stamp dealer. He and a partner named George Tuttle sought financing from Klemann and accepted becoming one-quarter partners (whether it was one-quarter each or together is unclear). Sometime later, Klemann reported to his partners that he sold most of the sheets to Col. Edward H. R. Green. Years later, Nelton's account reflected his bitterness over what he considered to be a poor financial outcome from the discovery and Klemann's role in the sale. It does not take much imagination to see that Klemann told his partners one thing and did another, taking more than his share by underreporting profits.
An excellent series of articles on the 5¢ error by Kevin Lowther was published in 2012 in the U.S. Specialist and is available online to members. We recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about this fascinating episode of philatelic history--and we recommend this block as an impressive example of the double error in a large multiple.
5c Carmine, Imperforate, Error (485). Single error in a block of nine, the error at center, lightly hinged, large margins, radiant colorVERY FINE AND CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT IMPERFORATE ERROR IN A BLOCK OF NINE.
During the course of production of the normal 2c plate No. 7942, three positions were noted to be defective. The plate was returned to the siderographer, who burnished out the three positions and mistakenly re-entered them using a transfer roll for the 5c stamp. The error passed unnoticed and the sheets were issued to the public Perf 10, Imperforate and Perf 11 (Scott 467, 485 and 505). The imperforate is by far the rarest of the three.
With 2015 P.F. certificate
5c Carmine, Imperforate, Error (485). Single error in block of nine, huge margins all around including part of all adjoining stamps, accompanying certificate notes small hinge at top above the center line and at bottom center in the incomplete stamp, meaning the actual block of nine could be Mint N.H., radiant colorEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE MINT EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT IMPERFORATE ERROR IN A BLOCK OF NINE, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY IN MINT NEVER-HINGED CONDITION.
During the course of production of the normal 2c plate No. 7942, three positions were noted to be defective. The plate was returned to the siderographer, who burnished out the three positions and mistakenly re-entered them using a transfer roll for the 5c stamp. The error passed unnoticed and the sheets were issued to the public Perf 10, Imperforate and Perf 11 (Scott 467, 485 and 505). The imperforate is by far the rarest of the three.
With 1988 and 1999 P.F. certificates. Scott Retail as Mint N.H. $24,000.00, Scott Retail as hinged
5c Carmine, Imperforate, Error (485). Mint N.H. single error in a block of nine, top three stamps and bottom center stamp lightly hinged, large margin all around, brilliant color, few tiny natural inclusionsEXTREMELY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING MINT NEVER HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT IMPERFORATE ERROR IN A BLOCK OF NINE.
During the course of production of the normal 2c plate No. 7942, three positions were noted to be defective. The plate was returned to the siderographer, who burnished out the three positions and mistakenly re-entered them using a transfer roll for the 5c stamp. The error passed unnoticed and the sheets were issued to the public in Perf 10, Imperforate and Perf 11 formats (Scott 467, 485 and 505). The imperforate is by far the rarest of the three.
Ex Hoffman. With 2004 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail as a hinged block of nine
5c Carmine, Imperforate, Error (485). Double error in block of twelve, top row lightly hinged, others (including both errors) Mint N.H., huge margins showing parts of all adjoining stamps, bright and freshEXTREMELY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT DOUBLE ERROR IN AN IMPERFORATE BLOCK OF TWELVE.
During the course of production of the normal 2c plate No. 7942, three positions were noted to be defective. The plate was returned to the siderographer, who burnished out the three positions and mistakenly re-entered them using a transfer roll for the 5c stamp. The error passed unnoticed and the sheets were issued to the public Perf 10, Imperforate and Perf 11 (Scott 467, 485 and 505). The imperforate is by far the rarest of the three.
Scott Retail as hinged multiple.
5c Carmine, Imperforate, Error (485). Single error in block of nine, barest trace of hinging, huge margins incl. part of all adjoining stamps, brilliant colorEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT CARMINE IMPERFORATE ERROR IN A BLOCK OF NINE.
During the course of production of the normal 2c plate No. 7942, three positions were noted to be defective. The plate was returned to the siderographer, who burnished out the three positions and mistakenly re-entered them using a transfer roll for the 5c stamp. The error passed unnoticed and the sheets were issued to the public Perf 10, Imperforate and Perf 11 (Scott 467, 485 and 505). The imperforate is by far the rarest of the three.
With 1983 P.F. certificate
5c Carmine, Imperforate, Error (485). Double error in block of twelve, top row lightly hinged, others (including both errors) Mint N.H., large margins, bottom error natural inclusion and tiny gum skipVERY FINE AND CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT DOUBLE ERROR IN AN IMPERFORATE BLOCK OF TWELVE.
During the course of production of the normal 2c plate No. 7942, three positions were noted to be defective. The plate was returned to the siderographer, who burnished out the three positions and mistakenly re-entered them using a transfer roll for the 5c stamp. The error passed unnoticed and the sheets were issued to the public Perf 10, Imperforate and Perf 11 (Scott 467, 485 and 505). The imperforate is by far the rarest of the three.
Scott Retail as hinged multiple.
5c Carmine, Imperforate, Error (485). Single error in block of nine, top center stamp the error, error and most others h.r. or lightly hinged, large marginsVERY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT SINGLE ERROR IN AN IMPERFORATE BLOCK OF NINE.
During the course of production of the normal 2c plate No. 7942, three positions were noted to be defective. The plate was returned to the siderographer, who burnished out the three positions and mistakenly re-entered them using a transfer roll for the 5c stamp. The error passed unnoticed and the sheets were issued to the public Perf 10, Imperforate and Perf 11 (Scott 467, 485 and 505). The imperforate is by far the rarest of the three.
Scott Retail as error single without 2c stamps.
5c Carmine, Imperforate, Error (485). Single Mint N.H. error in block of nine, huge margins all around including part of all sixteen adjoining stamps, lightly hinged at top and bottom, two side stamps also Mint N.H., brilliant colorEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT IMPERFORATE CARMINE ERROR IN A BLOCK OF NINE, WITH THE ERROR AND TWO SIDE STAMPS IN MINT NEVER-HINGED CONDITION.
During the course of production of the normal 2c plate No. 7942, three positions were noted to be defective. The plate was returned to the siderographer, who burnished out the three positions and mistakenly re-entered them using a transfer roll for the 5c stamp. The error passed unnoticed and the sheets were issued to the public Perf 10, Imperforate and Perf 11 (Scott 467, 485 and 505). The imperforate is by far the rarest of the three.
48 Selected Lots , Page 1 of 5
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