Sale 1094 — The Curtis Collection: Back of Book and Possessions
Sale Date — Wednesday, 25 March, 2015
Category — Parcel Post (Scott Q1-Q12)


















VERY FINE AND CHOICE. A SCARCE AND BEAUTIUFL MINT NEVER-HINGED TOP PLATE BLOCK OF THE 20-CENT PARCEL POST ISSUE.
The 20c Parcel Post stamp depicts a plane flying over a town, with the label "Aeroplane Carrying Mail". The stamp was first issued on December 16, 1912, which is almost six years before the first flight to actually carry mail, on May 15, 1918. This is the first postage stamp anywhere in the world to depict an airplane.
This Mint N.H. top plate position block is one of the finest extant. We have not offered another since our 2009 sale of the MLG collection




VERY FINE AND CHOICE MINT NEVER-HINGED PLATE BLOCK OF THE 25-CENT PARCEL POST ISSUE.
With 1995 P.F. certificate




EXTREMELY FINE. A RARE CENTERED PLATE NUMBER AND "FIFTY" BLOCK OF SIX OF THE 50-CENT PARCEL POST ISSUE.
The Parcel Post issues were printed from plates of 180 which consisted of four panes of 45. According to Johl, the uniform color of the twelve denominations led to confusion on the part of postal clerks, who complained that they were forced to examine the stamps in detail to ensure they had the correct values. In response, on January 27, 1913, large capital letters were added to the margins near each plate number. At top and bottom the imprint is in the selvage next to the plate number; on the sides it is separated by a stamp with blank selvage.
From the bottom right pane. Power Search located only three other top or bottom plate blocks of six offered in our sales since 1993, including a top (which may be unique) and two bottoms from the MLG collection


FINE-VERY FINE. A VERY RARE PLATE NUMBER AND "FIFTY" BLOCK OF SIX OF THE 50-CENT PARCEL POST ISSUE.
The Parcel Post issues were printed from plates of 180 which consisted of four panes of 45. According to Johl, the uniform color of the twelve denominations led to confusion on the part of postal clerks, who complained that they were forced to examine the stamps in detail to ensure they had the correct values. In response, on January 27, 1913, large capital letters were added to the margins near each plate number. At top and bottom the imprint is in the selvage next to the plate number; on the sides it is separated by a stamp with blank selvage.
With 2005 P.F. certificate










EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $1.00 PARCEL POST ISSUE.
With 1997 P.F. and 2004 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $4,000.00)


VERY FINE BLOCK OF SIX OF THE ONE DOLLAR PARCEL POST WITH PLATE NUMBER AND MINT NEVER-HINGED STAMPS.
This is the ultimate "almost" plate block of the $1.00 Parcel Post issue. If this had been printed in 1912, it would be a top plate block of six with Scott Retail of $18,000.00. However, due to confusion among postal employees in differentiating the values of the series, which were of uniform color, marginal imprints spelling out the denomination were added to the plates beginning on Jan. 27, 1913. Since the "ONE DOLLAR" imprint is too long to be contained above one stamp, the $1.00 plate block of six (as well as the 25c and 75c values) must show the plate number at one side and the imprint straddling all three top or bottom stamps to be considered a plate block.
Scott Retail as Mint N.H. singles without regard to the plate number or part imprint










