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79 Selected Lots, Page 1 of 8
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24c Carmine Rose & Blue, Center Inverted (C3a). Position 94 with bottom sheet selvage, original gum, lightly hinged, well-centered, tiny surface disturbance in the paper above the "S" of "Cents", small indentation on the back at the top of the penciled "9" of the "94" position number written by Eugene Klein, the dealer who brokered the sale of Robey's discovery sheet to Col. Green and then divided it for sale to others on behalf of the colonelVERY FINE. A CHOICE BOTTOM SHEET-MARGIN ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1918
24-CENT INVERTED "JENNY" ERROR--THE MOST FAMOUS STAMP IN AMERICAN PHILATELY.
The original sheet of one hundred Inverted Jenny errors was purchased by William T. Robey on May 14, 1918, the first day the stamps went on sale in all three principal airmail route cities: Washington, D.C., New York and Philadelphia. Robey bought the sheet for its $24 face value at the New York Avenue Post Office window in the District of Columbia. On Sunday, May 19, Robey agreed to give Eugene Klein, a prominent Philadelphia stamp dealer, a one-day option to buy the sheet for $15,000. Klein exercised his option on Monday, May 20, in a late afternoon phone call, and he confirmed it with a registered letter to Robey sent in the evening mail. The sheet was delivered to Klein's office by Robey and his father-in-law on the following day, Tuesday, May 21, 1918.
No later than Monday, May 20, the day Klein exercised his option, he had arranged to sell the sheet for $20,000 to Colonel Edward H. R. Green. Half of the $5,000 profit went to Klein's partners, Percy McGraw Mann and Joseph A. Steinmetz. Klein was then authorized by Colonel Green to divide the sheet into singles and blocks, and to sell all but a few key position blocks.
Despite the great rarity and value of Inverted Jenny stamps, many of the original hundred have been mistreated by collectors over the years. Colonel Green himself allowed moisture to affect some of the stamps he retained. Eight straight-edge copies that Klein was unable to sell and returned to Colonel Green were found in Green's estate stuck together in an envelope (they were soaked and lost their gum). Other examples have become slightly toned from improper storage and climatic conditions. Hinge removal has caused thins and creases in numerous stamps, and one was physically Scotch-taped to an exhibit page. Another was nearly lost to philately forever when it was swept up in a vacuum cleaner.
We do not have a complete sale/ownership history for Position 94. Our first record is the 1960 Harmer, Rooke & Co. New York auction of the late T. Charlton Henry, who died in 1936 and likely acquired the stamp when the sheet was first broken. At the Henry sale, Position 94 was purchased by Erwin Griswold, who would become Solicitor-General of the United States in the Johnson and Nixon administrations, and served for 21 years as the dean of Harvard Law School. It was purchased in the 1979 H. R. Harmer "Eastern" sale (pseudonym for Griswold) by stamp dealer James Torelli, who was killed on January 16, 1980, in a head-on collision with a drunk driver who was driving in the wrong direction on the Hutchinson River Parkway. The stamp was sold to the late Melvin L. Getlan, and it is now offered on behalf of the trust.
Ex Colonel Edward H. R. Green, T. Charlton Henry and Erwin N. Griswold. With 2022 P.F. certificate
24c Carmine Rose & Blue, Center Inverted (C3a). Position 3, original gum with some disturbance which is very minor, pencil "3" position number on back applied by Eugene Klein, natural straight edge at topVERY FINE. A SCARCE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE FAMOUS 1918 24-CENT INVERTED "JENNY" ERROR--THE MOST FAMOUS STAMP IN AMERICAN PHILATELY.
The original sheet of one hundred Inverted Jenny errors was purchased by William T. Robey on May 14, 1918, the first day the stamps went on sale in all three principal airmail route cities: Washington, D.C., New York and Philadelphia. Robey bought the sheet for its $24 face value at the New York Avenue Post Office window in the District of Columbia. On Sunday, May 19, Robey agreed to give Eugene Klein, a prominent Philadelphia stamp dealer, a one-day option to buy the sheet for $15,000. Klein exercised his option on Monday, May 20, in a late afternoon phone call, and he confirmed it with a registered letter to Robey sent in the evening mail. The sheet was delivered to Klein’s office by Robey and his father-in-law on the following day, Tuesday, May 21, 1918.
No later than Monday, May 20, the day Klein exercised his option, he had arranged to sell the sheet for $20,000 to Colonel Edward H. R. Green. Half of the $5,000 profit went to Klein’s partners, Percy McGraw Mann and Joseph A. Steinmetz. Klein was then authorized by Colonel Green to divide the sheet into singles and blocks, and to sell all but a few key position blocks.
Despite the great rarity and value of Inverted Jenny stamps, many of the original hundred have been mistreated by collectors over the years. Colonel Green himself allowed moisture to affect some of the stamps he retained. Eight straight-edge copies that Klein was unable to sell and returned to Colonel Green were found in Green’s estate stuck together in an envelope (they were soaked and lost their gum). Other examples have become slightly toned from improper storage and climatic conditions. Hinge removal has caused thins and creases in numerous stamps, and one was physically Scotch-taped to an exhibit page. Another was nearly lost to philately forever when it was swept up in a vacuum cleaner.
Position 3 must have been sold when Eugene Klein broke apart the sheet. The first auction appearance we could find was in a May 30, 1974, J. & H. Stolow auction. In April 1976, dealer Lambert Gerber offered the stamp by private treaty. It made three auction appearances between 1981 and 1988, and was last sold at auction in a 2004 Spink-Shreves sale.
Ex Colonel Edward H. R. Green. With 2021 P.F. certificate stating "genuine, previously hinged, with some gum disturbance".
24c Carmine Rose & Blue, Center Inverted (C3a). Position 78, original gum, choice margins and centering, expertly repaired tears and creases, the colors remain fresh and brightEXTREMELY FINE CENTERING. THE 1918 24-CENT INVERTED "JENNY" ERROR IS WITHOUT QUESTION THE MOST FAMOUS STAMP IN AMERICAN PHILATELY.
The original sheet of one hundred Inverted Jenny errors was purchased by William T. Robey on May 14, 1918, the first day the stamps went on sale in all three principal airmail route cities: Washington, D.C., New York and Philadelphia. Robey bought the sheet for its $24 face value at the New York Avenue Post Office window in the District of Columbia. On Sunday, May 19, Robey agreed to give Eugene Klein, a prominent Philadelphia stamp dealer, a one-day option to buy the sheet for $15,000. Klein exercised his option on Monday, May 20, in a late afternoon phone call, and he confirmed it with a registered letter to Robey sent in the evening mail. The sheet was delivered to Klein's office by Robey and his father-in-law on the following day, Tuesday, May 21, 1918.
No later than Monday, May 20, the day Klein exercised his option, he had arranged to sell the sheet for $20,000 to Colonel Edward H. R. Green. Half of the $5,000 profit went to Klein's partners, Percy McGraw Mann and Joseph A. Steinmetz. Klein was then authorized by Colonel Green to divide the sheet into singles and blocks, and to sell all but a few key position blocks.
Despite the great rarity and value of Inverted Jenny stamps, many of the original hundred have been mistreated by collectors over the years. Colonel Green himself allowed moisture to affect some of the stamps he retained. Eight straight-edge copies that Klein was unable to sell and returned to Colonel Green were found in Green's estate stuck together in an envelope (they were soaked and lost their gum). Other examples have become slightly toned from improper storage and climatic conditions. Hinge removal has caused thins and creases in numerous stamps, and one was physically Scotch-taped to an exhibit page. This example was nearly lost to philately forever when it was swept up in a vacuum cleaner.
The stamp offered here, Position 78, was at one time part of the Southgate, Fisher and "Ambassador" collections. In 1973 the Weills of New Orleans placed the stamp with Hermann Schnabel of Germany, making this the second copy owned by him. It was subsequently offered at auction in Germany later in 1973, and again in 1985 at Christie's for the same consignor. The Christie's sale marked the first of 64 different Inverted Jenny stamps (and counting) handled by Scott Trepel over his career, and it was also the first time the stamp appeared in a one-lot dedicated auction catalogue. It was acquired by Robert E. Zoellner and became a key element of his complete collection of United States stamps with major Scott Catalogue numbers. During his ownership, the Jenny came out of a defective mount in his Scott Platinum album, fell onto the floor and was sucked up in a vacuum cleaner. Luckily, Mr. Zoellner realized what had happened and the stamp was recovered from the vacuum bag. Position 78 was expertly repaired, restoring its appearance, and Mr. Zoellner replaced the stamp with the sound and Extremely Fine Position 58 (which is now graded XF-Superb 95 and realized $1,351,250 in Siegel Sale 1128 at World Stamp Show-NY 2016 -- a world-record price at the time).
Ex Colonel Edward H. R. Green, Southgate, Fisher, "Ambassador", Schnabel and Zoellner. With 2009 P.F. certificate stating "it is genuine, previously hinged, with creases and repaired tears".
For the complete history and detailed records of every Inverted Jenny and owners’ biographies, go to https://invertedjenny.com
24c Carmine Rose & Blue, Center Inverted (C3a). Position 5 from the top row, original gum, lightly hinged, bright colors, reperfed at top (all top row positions originally had a straight edge)VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A WELL-CENTERED EXAMPLE OF THE 1918 24-CENT INVERTED "JENNY" ERROR -- THE MOST FAMOUS STAMP IN AMERICAN PHILATELY.
The original sheet of one hundred Inverted Jenny errors was purchased by William T. Robey on May 14, 1918, the first day the stamps went on sale in all three principal airmail route cities: Washington, D.C., New York and Philadelphia. Robey bought the sheet for its $24 face value at the New York Avenue Post Office window in the District of Columbia. On Sunday, May 19, Robey agreed to give Eugene Klein, a prominent Philadelphia stamp dealer, a one-day option to buy the sheet for $15,000. Klein exercised his option on Monday, May 20, in a late afternoon phone call, and he confirmed it with a registered letter to Robey sent in the evening mail. The sheet was delivered to Klein’s office by Robey and his father-in-law on the following day, Tuesday, May 21, 1918.
No later than Monday, May 20, the day Klein exercised his option, he had arranged to sell the sheet for $20,000 to Colonel Edward H. R. Green. Half of the $5,000 profit went to Klein’s partners, Percy McGraw Mann and Joseph A. Steinmetz. Klein was then authorized by Colonel Green to divide the sheet into singles and blocks, and to sell all but a few key position blocks.
Despite the great rarity and value of Inverted Jenny stamps, many of the original hundred have been mistreated by collectors over the years. Colonel Green himself allowed moisture to affect some of the stamps he retained. Eight straight-edge copies that Klein was unable to sell and returned to Colonel Green were found in Green’s estate stuck together in an envelope (they were soaked and lost their gum). Other examples have become slightly toned from improper storage and climatic conditions. Hinge removal has caused thins and creases in numerous stamps, and one was physically Scotch-taped to an exhibit page. Another was nearly lost to philately forever when it was swept up in a vacuum cleaner.
The Position 5 stamp offered here has an interesting history. It was one of the straight edge copies retained by Col. Green after Eugene Klein broke apart the sheet and sold most of the singles. Its first auction appearance was in the Hugh C. Barr sale of the Col. Green Collection in 1942 (Part I). It next appeared in a Harmer, Rooke auction in 1949. Sometime after 1949 it was reperfed at top to eliminate the straight edge. Its next auction appearance was in the Siegel Rarities of the World sale in 1980, where it was acquired by famed dealer Irwin Weinberg -- in the same sale where Weinberg sold the unique British Guiana One-Cent Magenta. Position 5 passed between dealers and was then featured in Jacques Schiff and Ivy & Mader sales in 1999 and 2000. At the 2000 I&M sale it was sold to a Florida internet firm called TakeToAuction. That firm re-sold the stamp on Ebay in 2000 to benefit Mothers Against Drunk Driving -- the first Inverted Jenny sold in an online-only auction. In 2003 it was auctioned by Schuyler Rumsey, where it was acquired by Gary Petersen.
With 1999 P.F. certificate. For the complete history and detailed records of every Inverted Jenny and owners’ biographies, go to https://invertedjenny.com
24c Carmine Rose & Blue, Center Inverted (C3a). Position 36, original gum, single light hinge mark, the gum and paper are fresh and bright, brilliant colorsFRESH AND FINE-VERY FINE. A RARE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE 1918 24-CENT INVERTED "JENNY" ERROR. WITHOUT QUESTION THIS IS THE MOST FAMOUS STAMP IN AMERICAN PHILATELY.
The original sheet of one hundred Inverted Jenny errors was purchased by William T. Robey on May 14, 1918, the first day the stamps went on sale in all three principal airmail route cities: Washington, D.C., New York and Philadelphia. Robey bought the sheet for its $24 face value at the New York Avenue Post Office window in the District of Columbia. On Sunday, May 19, Robey agreed to give Eugene Klein, a prominent Philadelphia stamp dealer, a one-day option to buy the sheet for $15,000. Klein exercised his option on Monday, May 20, in a late afternoon phone call, and he confirmed it with a registered letter to Robey sent in the evening mail. The sheet was delivered to Klein’s office by Robey and his father-in-law on the following day, Tuesday, May 21, 1918.
No later than Monday, May 20, the day Klein exercised his option, he had arranged to sell the sheet for $20,000 to Colonel Edward H. R. Green. Half of the $5,000 profit went to Klein’s partners, Percy McGraw Mann and Joseph A. Steinmetz. Klein was then authorized by Colonel Green to divide the sheet into singles and blocks, and to sell all but a few key position blocks.
Despite the great rarity and value of Inverted Jenny stamps, many of the original hundred have been mistreated by collectors over the years. Colonel Green himself allowed moisture to affect some of the stamps he retained. Eight straight-edge copies that Klein was unable to sell and returned to Colonel Green were found in Green’s estate stuck together in an envelope (they were soaked and lost their gum). Other examples have become slightly toned from improper storage and climatic conditions. Hinge removal has caused thins and creases in numerous stamps, and one was physically Scotch-taped to an exhibit page. Another was nearly lost to philately forever when it was swept up in a vacuum cleaner.
The stamp offered here, Position 36, is exceptionally fresh and very lightly hinged. It was part of the Sidney A. Hessel collection sold by H. R. Harmer (Part 3, November 5, 1976, lot 1075). Hessel, a long-time collector, might have been the first person to acquire this position when the sheet was broken up by Eugene Klein in 1918 (there is no sale record prior to Hessel's ownership). This would explain its exceptionally fresh condition and the presence of a single faint hinge mark. After the Hessel sale, the stamp was owned by Kenneth Wenger, a New Jersey stamp dealer and investor. It eventually became part of the "Windsor" collection, which was acquired intact by Perry Hansen. It was acquired by Mr. Petersen in the 2008 Siegel sale of the Hansen collection (Sale 963).
Ex Colonel Green, Hessel, Wenger, "Windsor" and Hansen. With 1978, 1996, 2008 and 2016 P.F. certificates.
For the complete history and detailed records of every Inverted Jenny and owners’ biographies, go to https://invertedjenny.com
24c Carmine Rose & Blue, Center Inverted (C3a). Position 11, original gum, deep rich colors, some slight natural wrinkling, small thin spot at bottom rightFINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE FAMOUS 1918 24-CENT INVERTED "JENNY" ERROR. WITHOUT QUESTION THIS IS THE MOST FAMOUS STAMP IN AMERICAN PHILATELY. THIS STAMP OFFERED TO THE MARKET FOR THE FIRST TIME IN DECADES.
The original sheet of one hundred Inverted Jenny errors was purchased by William T. Robey on May 14, 1918, the first day the stamps went on sale in all three principal airmail route cities: Washington, D.C., New York and Philadelphia. Robey bought the sheet for its $24 face value at the New York Avenue Post Office window in the District of Columbia. On Sunday, May 19, Robey agreed to give Eugene Klein, a prominent Philadelphia stamp dealer, a one-day option to buy the sheet for $15,000. Klein exercised his option on Monday, May 20, in a late afternoon phone call, and he confirmed it with a registered letter to Robey sent in the evening mail. The sheet was delivered to Klein’s office by Robey and his father-in-law on the following day, Tuesday, May 21, 1918.
No later than Monday, May 20, the day Klein exercised his option, he had arranged to sell the sheet for $20,000 to Colonel Edward H. R. Green. Half of the $5,000 profit went to Klein’s partners, Percy McGraw Mann and Joseph A. Steinmetz. Klein was then authorized by Colonel Green to divide the sheet into singles and blocks, and to sell all but a few key position blocks.
Despite the great rarity and value of Inverted Jenny stamps, many of the original hundred have been mistreated by collectors over the years. Colonel Green himself allowed moisture to affect some of the stamps he retained. Eight straight-edge copies that Klein was unable to sell and returned to Colonel Green were found in Green’s estate stuck together in an envelope (they were soaked and lost their gum). Other examples have become slightly toned from improper storage and climatic conditions. Hinge removal has caused thins and creases in numerous stamps, and one was physically Scotch-taped to an exhibit page. Another was nearly lost to philately forever when it was swept up in a vacuum cleaner.
The stamp offered here -- Position 11 -- was first offered at auction in the March 21, 1929, sale of the Joseph A. Steinmetz collection, with the left sheet selvage intact. Steinmetz was a prominent aerophilatelist and Philadelphia businessman who participated in the original transaction involving the sale of the sheet. It next appeared in a 1947 Cosmos Stamp Co. auction, with selvage removed. It then appeared in a May 11, 1965, H. R. Harmer auction of the Ellwood Burdsall collection. It was next offered in a January 29, 1977, Jacques C. Schiff auction, where it was acquired by the current owner, Ronald D. Bassey, a prominent attorney and CPA from Michigan.
Ex Col. Green, Steinmetz and Burdsall. With 1973 and 2020 P.F. certificates
For the complete history and detailed records of every Inverted Jenny and owners' biographies, go to https://invertedjenny.com
24c Carmine Rose & Blue, Center Inverted (C3a). Position 95, slightly disturbed original gum, partly regummed at left covering small thins, rich colors, better centering than many in the sheet of 100, showing part of vertical centerline at right, small toned spots at right and natural diagonal creaseVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE FAMOUS 1918 24-CENT INVERTED JENNY. THIS STAMP WAS ORIGINALLY PART OF THE PLATE NUMBER AND ARROW BLOCK OF EIGHT AND THEN WAS PART OF THE UNIQUE BOTTOM ARROW PAIR.
The original sheet of one hundred Inverted Jenny errors was purchased by William T. Robey on May 14, 1918, the first day the stamps went on sale in all three principal airmail route cities: Washington, D.C., New York and Philadelphia. Robey bought the sheet for its $24 face value at the New York Avenue Post Office window in the District of Columbia. On Sunday, May 19, Robey agreed to give Eugene Klein, a prominent Philadelphia stamp dealer, a one-day option to buy the sheet for $15,000. Klein exercised his option on Monday, May 20, in a late afternoon phone call, and he confirmed it with a registered letter to Robey sent in the evening mail. The sheet was delivered to Klein’s office by Robey and his father-in-law on the following day, Tuesday, May 21, 1918.
No later than Monday, May 20, the day Klein exercised his option, he had arranged to sell the sheet for $20,000 to Colonel Edward H. R. Green. Half of the $5,000 profit went to Klein’s partners, Percy McGraw Mann and Joseph A. Steinmetz. Klein was then authorized by Colonel Green to divide the sheet into singles and blocks, and to sell all but a few key position blocks.
Despite the great rarity and value of Inverted Jenny stamps, many of the original hundred have been mistreated by collectors over the years. Colonel Green himself allowed moisture to affect some of the stamps he retained. Eight straight-edge copies that Klein was unable to sell and returned to Colonel Green were found in Green’s estate stuck together in an envelope (they were soaked and lost their gum). Other examples have become slightly toned from improper storage and climatic conditions. Hinge removal has caused thins and creases in numerous stamps, and one was physically Scotch-taped to an exhibit page. Another was nearly lost to philately forever when it was swept up in a vacuum cleaner.
The stamp offered here -- Position 95 -- was first offered at auction in a November 1944 sale of the Colonel Green collection as part of the unique plate number and arrow block of eight. The plate block of eight was purchased at the Green sale by dealer Y. Souren, acting as agent for noted collector Amos Eno, heir to a New York real estate fortune. Eno broke the block of eight into the unique plate block of four, a bottom arrow pair, and two singles. The bottom arrow pair was offered in the 1955 H. R. Harmer auction of the Lieutenant Colonel Donald L. Harvey collection, where it was purchased by Jack E. Molesworth, a Boston dealer.
Since this stamp's 1955 auction appearance, the gum has been inaccurately described, which has been corrected in this sale and on the accompanying P.F. certificate. Molesworth divided the pair soon after the 1955 auction and removed the bottom sheet selvage from this stamp. Its first auction appearance as a single was in a May 3, 1966, Corinphila auction in Zurich, where it was described as "good centering and impeccable" with two stars, denoting original-gum condition. It was submitted to the P.F. in 1971 and certificate 36662 was issued, stating it was "regummed covering thinning at left," with a few stains and a diagonal crease. The stamp was offered in a November 18, 1971, Jacques C. Schiff auction, where it was described with "disturbed original gum or possibly regummed." It made another appearance in a Schiff sale on March 11, 1973, with the same description and was acquired by Martin Sellinger, either at that sale or subsequently. Sellinger's name appears on the 1996 P.F. certificate. The stamp was later acquired by the current owner.
When Molesworth bought this stamp as part of the arrow pair in the 1955 auction, it already had thin spots at left from improper handling, most likely by Col. Green. We believe Molesworth decided to improve the appearance of the stamp by taking a small amount of gum from another stamp and applying it to a small area over the thin spots. When the P.F. described it in 1971 as “regummed covering thinning at left,” the wording implied that the stamp was completely regummed, which is incorrect. This wording was repeated on the 1996 certificate (issued to Sellinger) and remained in the record until 2019, when the current owner consigned the stamp to Siegel Auction Galleries. This was the first time we had an opportunity to physically examine the stamp, and it was obvious that the gum was original, with a slight disturbance and a small amount of non-original gum covering the thin spots. The Philatelic Foundation concurred and in 2019 issued their revised opinion stating “slightly disturbed original gum, partly regummed at left covering small thins”. Therefore, this stamp has been rightly returned to the original-gum category where it has always belonged.
Ex Colonel Edward H. R. Green, Amos Eno, Lieut. Col. Donald L. Harvey and Martin Sellinger. With 2019 P.F. certificate
24c Carmine Rose & Blue, Center Inverted (C3a). Position 13, slightly disturbed original gum, brilliant colors, small thin spotsFINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE FAMOUS 1918 24-CENT INVERTED "JENNY" ERROR. WITHOUT QUESTION THIS IS THE MOST FAMOUS STAMP IN AMERICAN PHILATELY. THIS COPY WAS LONG THOUGHT LOST AND IS OFFERED AT AUCTION FOR ONLY THE SECOND TIME SINCE EUGENE KLEIN BROKE APART THE SHEET SHORTLY AFTER ITS DISCOVERY.
The original sheet of one hundred Inverted Jenny errors was purchased by William T. Robey on May 14, 1918, the first day the stamps went on sale in all three principal airmail route cities: Washington, D.C., New York and Philadelphia. Robey bought the sheet for its $24 face value at the New York Avenue Post Office window in the District of Columbia. On Sunday, May 19, Robey agreed to give Eugene Klein, a prominent Philadelphia stamp dealer, a one-day option to buy the sheet for $15,000. Klein exercised his option on Monday, May 20, in a late afternoon phone call, and he confirmed it with a registered letter to Robey sent in the evening mail. The sheet was delivered to Klein’s office by Robey and his father-in-law on the following day, Tuesday, May 21, 1918.
No later than Monday, May 20, the day Klein exercised his option, he had arranged to sell the sheet for $20,000 to Colonel Edward H. R. Green. Half of the $5,000 profit went to Klein’s partners, Percy McGraw Mann and Joseph A. Steinmetz. Klein was then authorized by Colonel Green to divide the sheet into singles and blocks, and to sell all but a few key position blocks.
Despite the great rarity and value of Inverted Jenny stamps, many of the original hundred have been mistreated by collectors over the years. Colonel Green himself allowed moisture to affect some of the stamps he retained. Eight straight-edge copies that Klein was unable to sell and returned to Colonel Green were found in Green’s estate stuck together in an envelope (they were soaked and lost their gum). Other examples have become slightly toned from improper storage and climatic conditions. Hinge removal has caused thins and creases in numerous stamps, and one was physically Scotch-taped to an exhibit page. Another was nearly lost to philately forever when it was swept up in a vacuum cleaner.
Position 13, offered here, was long thought lost to philately before it surfaced and was sold by the Siegel firm in our 2007 Rarities of the World sale (Sale 937, lot 285). It was consigned by the estate of Robert B. Honeyman Jr., a prominent collector of stamps, books and manuscripts who had acquired the Jenny privately many years earlier.
Ex Colonel Edward H.R. Green and Robert B. Honeyman Jr. With 2007 P.F. certificate.
For the complete history and detailed records of every Inverted Jenny and owners’ biographies, go to https://invertedjenny.com
24c Carmine Rose & Blue, Center Inverted (C3a). Position 15, the fifth stamp from the left in the second row of the sheet, original gum, deep rich colors, tiny thin spot just below the plane, faint traces of purple ink above the bottom left "24"FINE-VERY FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE FAMOUS 1918 24-CENT INVERTED "JENNY" ERROR. WITHOUT QUESTION THIS IS THE MOST FAMOUS STAMP IN AMERICAN PHILATELY.
The original sheet of one hundred Inverted Jenny errors was purchased by William T. Robey on May 14, 1918, the first day the stamps went on sale in all three principal airmail route cities: Washington, D.C., New York and Philadelphia. Robey bought the sheet for its $24 face value at the New York Avenue Post Office window in the District of Columbia. On Sunday, May 19, Robey agreed to give Eugene Klein, a prominent Philadelphia stamp dealer, a one-day option to buy the sheet for $15,000. Klein exercised his option on Monday, May 20, in a late afternoon phone call, and he confirmed it with a registered letter to Robey sent in the evening mail. The sheet was delivered to Klein’s office by Robey and his father-in-law on the following day, Tuesday, May 21, 1918.
No later than Monday, May 20, the day Klein exercised his option, he had arranged to sell the sheet for $20,000 to Colonel Edward H. R. Green. Half of the $5,000 profit went to Klein’s partners, Percy McGraw Mann and Joseph A. Steinmetz. Klein was then authorized by Colonel Green to divide the sheet into singles and blocks, and to sell all but a few key position blocks.
Despite the great rarity and value of Inverted Jenny stamps, many of the original hundred have been mistreated by collectors over the years. Colonel Green himself allowed moisture to affect some of the stamps he retained. Eight straight-edge copies that Klein was unable to sell and returned to Colonel Green were found in Green’s estate stuck together in an envelope (they were soaked and lost their gum). Other examples have become slightly toned from improper storage and climatic conditions. Hinge removal has caused thins and creases in numerous stamps, and one was physically Scotch-taped to an exhibit page. Another was nearly lost to philately forever when it was swept up in a vacuum cleaner.
The stamp offered here -- Position 15 -- was owned by John H. Clapp, scion of a wealthy Pennsylvania oil family. He passed away in 1940 and shortly afterward his entire stamp collection was sold to dealer Spencer Anderson for $100,000. Soon after, Anderson, whose pencil initials appear on the back, sold the Inverted Jenny to Louise Hoffman for a reported price of $2,500. Hoffman formed an important Air Post collection and held her Inverted Jenny for the next two decades. The stamp was included in the sale of her collection in 1966, where it realized $9,000, selling to Robert A. Siegel, who was likely acting as an agent for collector Dr. Drew B. Meilstrup. It next sold in the 1973 Siegel auction of the Meilstrup collection to an anonymous buyer. It has made only three other auction appearances since 1973, selling in 1997 to dealer Irwin Weinberg. The purple ink marks were not present when it was offered in 1997.
Ex Colonel Edward H. R. Green, John H. Clapp, Spencer Anderson (dealer), Louise Hoffman and Dr. Drew B. Meilstrup. Pencil "15" position number (written by Eugene Klein on all 100 positions) and "SA" (Spencer Anderson) initials on back. With 2010 P.F. certificate
For the complete history and detailed records of every Inverted Jenny and owners’ biographies, go to https://invertedjenny.com
24c Carmine Rose & Blue, Center Inverted (C3a). Position 6, the sixth stamp from the left in the top row of the sheet, showing full guideline at left, original gum, rich colors, reperfed straight edge at top -- this was done after the 1942 Colonel Green auction and before its appearance in a 1951 Sylvester Colby auction -- tiny thinning at bottom, light gum crease not mentioned on accompanying certificatesFINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE FAMOUS 1918 24-CENT INVERTED "JENNY" ERROR. AN ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE OF THE MOST FAMOUS STAMP IN AMERICAN PHILATELY..
The original sheet of one hundred Inverted Jenny errors was purchased by William T. Robey on May 14, 1918, the first day the stamps went on sale in all three principal airmail route cities: Washington, D.C., New York and Philadelphia. Robey bought the sheet for its $24 face value at the New York Avenue Post Office window in the District of Columbia. On Sunday, May 19, Robey agreed to give Eugene Klein, a prominent Philadelphia stamp dealer, a one-day option to buy the sheet for $15,000. Klein exercised his option on Monday, May 20, in a late afternoon phone call, and he confirmed it with a registered letter to Robey sent in the evening mail. The sheet was delivered to Klein’s office by Robey and his father-in-law on the following day, Tuesday, May 21, 1918.
No later than Monday, May 20, the day Klein exercised his option, he had arranged to sell the sheet for $20,000 to Colonel Edward H. R. Green. Half of the $5,000 profit went to Klein’s partners, Percy McGraw Mann and Joseph A. Steinmetz. Klein was then authorized by Colonel Green to divide the sheet into singles and blocks, and to sell all but a few key position blocks.
Despite the great rarity and value of Inverted Jenny stamps, many of the original hundred have been mistreated by collectors over the years. Colonel Green himself allowed moisture to affect some of the stamps he retained. Eight straight-edge copies that Klein was unable to sell and returned to Colonel Green were found in Green’s estate stuck together in an envelope (they were soaked and lost their gum). Other examples have become slightly toned from improper storage and climatic conditions. Hinge removal has caused thins and creases in numerous stamps, and one was physically Scotch-taped to an exhibit page. Another was nearly lost to philately forever when it was swept up in a vacuum cleaner.
The stamp offered here -- Position 6 -- was one of the straight-edge examples from Colonel Green's sheet which he still owned at the time of his death (several straight-edge copies were found in an envelope stuck together and soaked apart, losing their gum -- this was not). It was first offered in Sale 2 in the series of auctions of the Colonel Green collection (Laurence & Stryker, October 5-8, 1942, lot 1324, described with original gum). The catalogue photo shows the straight edge at top, and it was described as having a light 16mm corner crease and thin trace in bottom right corner perforation. It realized $1,350 (a Harvard education cost $420 that year). It next appeared in a 1951 Sylvester Colby auction, with perforations at the top and no mention of the reperfing. Its history for the next 20 years is not documented. In 1972, according to Stamp of the Century, by Kellen Diamanti and Deborah Fisher, Position 6 was sold to coin dealer Steven C. Markoff, of A-Mark Financial Corporation, by another coin dealer named Ray Lundgren, who operated Century Stamp & Coin and founded the Long Beach Coin & Stamp Exposition in 1964. In 1976, after agreeing to testify in two stamp theft cases, Lundgren was shot four times at point blank range by members of Whitey Bulger's Winter Hill Gang, who were behind the thefts and used Lundgren to fence the property.
Ex Colonel Edward H. R. Green and Steven C. Markoff (A-Mark Financial Corporation). With 1979, 1995 and 2010 P.F. certificates.
For the complete history and detailed records of every Inverted Jenny and owners’ biographies, go to https://invertedjenny.com