Sale 1096 — The Robert R. Hall Collection of Outstanding United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Thursday, 28-30 April, 2015
Category — 1880-85 American Bank Note Co. Soft Paper Special Printing (Scott 192-205C, 211D)
1c Dark Ultramarine, Special Printing (192). Without gum as issued, rich color on bright paper, centered to lower left, small shallow thin spot at topFINE APPEARANCE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 25 ARE RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS. ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL CLASSIC UNITED STATES STAMPS.
Our census of Scott 192, available at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/192/192.pdf , contains a total of 26 copies.
Census No. 192-UNC-13. Ex Colonel Green. With 1996 P.F. certificate
2c Black Brown, Special Printing (193). Without gum as issued, natural s.e. at right with part arrow at bottom, deep rich colorVERY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT BLACK BROWN 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 193 contains 48 certified examples, of which almost half have faults.
Census No. 193-UNC-36. With 1996 P.F. certificate
3c Blue Green, Special Printing (194). Without gum as issued, intense shade and impression, three wide margins, centered to right as are several recorded examplesVERY FINE. THE 3-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SOFT-PAPER SPECIAL PRINTING IS ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL SPECIAL PRINTINGS -- OUR CENSUS RECORDS ONLY FOURTEEN EXAMPLES.
Our census of Scott 194, available at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/194/194.pdf , contains only fourteen examples. Its rarity matches or exceeds the most valuable Special Printings, such as Scott Nos. 180 (24 known), 203 (20 known), 204 (18 known), 205C (21 known) and 211D (25 known). In fact, it is the rarest of any Bank Note Special Printing among the Scott-listed "sets" (167-177 and 192-202). This is the first example of this rarity we have offered since 2009.
Census No. 194-UNC-11. Ex Meilstrup, Zoellner, Lyons and Floyd. With 1948 and 1998 P.F. certificates.
6c Dull Rose, Special Printing (195). Without gum as issued, radiant color and paper, choice centering and with long and full perforations all around, tiny natural inclusion speckEXTREMELY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING QUALITY EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 6-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 26 ARE CONTAINED IN OUR CENSUS.
Our census of Scott 195 contains 26 certified examples, an oddly low number. Some of the stamps submitted as the Special Printing, but certified as the regular issue, Scott 186, could in fact be Special Printing stamps (the two are difficult to tell apart). We record another three stamps which we feel are possibly Scott 195, despite previous P.F. certification. Although most examples of this rarity are sound (or potentially sound), many are off center. The example offered here has exceptionally choice centering.
Census No. 195-UNC-08. Ex Stephen Brown. "W.H.C." backstamp (Warren H. Colson). With 1992 P.F. certificate
7c Scarlet Vermilion, Special Printing (196). Without gum as issued, radiant color, choice centeringEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE 7-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 196 contains approximately 80 certified examples.
Census No. 196-UNC-11. With 1997 P.F. certificate
10c Deep Brown, Special Printing (197). Without gum as issued, crisp impression, three wide margins, tiny shallow thin spot at topVERY FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 10-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 32 ARE RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS.
Our census of Scott 197 contains 32 certified examples.
Census No. 197-UNC-30. Purple "Klein" backstamp (Eugene C. Klein) and pencil "SA" initials (Spencer Anderson). With 1983 P.F. certificate
12c Blackish Purple, Special Printing (198). Without gum as issued, rich color on bright paper, choice centeringEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE 1880 12-CENT AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 198 contains 62 certified examples. Of these, fully one-third have small flaws. Very few are as perfectly centered as the example offered here.
Census No. 198-UNC-13. With 1986 and 2004 P.F. certificates.
15c Orange, Special Printing (199). Without gum as issued, brilliant color, long and full perforationsVERY FINE AND CHOICE. AN EXTREMELY RARE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE 15-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 199 contains only 37 certified examples. Of these, only 11 are confirmed as sound, 10 have faults and 16 need to be reexamined according to current methods and standards. Many of the stamps, regardless of condition, are off center.
Census No. 199-UNC-22. With 1984 and 1992 P.F. and 1995 P.S.E. certificates
24c Dark Violet, Special Printing (200). Without gum as issued, rich color on bright paper, small thin spot at upper rightVERY FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 1880 24-CENT AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 200 contains 67 certified copies, 24 of which have faults (usually a thin spot). A few exist outside of that population, including the example offered here.
30c Greenish Black, Special Printing (201). Without gum as issued, intense shade and impression, long and full perforations all around, unusually choice centeringEXTREMELY FINE. THIS IS ONE OF THE FINEST EXAMPLES OF THE 1880 30-CENT AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING IN EXISTENCE.
Our census of Scott 201 contains 44 examples certified as genuine, 16 of which have faults (usually a thin spot). Only ten are confirmed as sound, and only seven of these have decent centering. Another 18 need to be reexamined for condition, but only a handful of these have nice centering.
Census No. 201-UNC-12. Ex Cole. With 1993 P.F. certificate
90c Dull Carmine, Special Printing (202). Without gum as issued, deep rich color on bright paperVERY FINE. A RARE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE 90-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 41 ARE KNOWN TO EXIST.
Our census of Scott 202 contains approximately 41 certified copies. The 90c 1880 Special Printing on soft paper is notorious for its condition. Thins or more serious faults affect about half of the known examples.
Census No. 201-UNC-21. Ex Cole. With 1988 P.F. certificate
5c Deep Blue, Special Printing (204). Without gum as issued, deep rich color and sharp proof-like impression, beautiful centeringEXTREMELY FINE. A REMARKABLE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE SOFT-PAPER SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 18 COPIES ARE RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS.
The 5c 1880 Special Printing on soft paper is one of the most elusive of the Bank Note Special Printings. Our census of Scott 204, available at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/204/204.pdf , contains only 18 copies of this stamp, including one example in the Miller collection at The New York Public Library. About one-third of the known stamps have minor faults. Of the dozen sound examples available to collectors, perhaps three or four have choice centering.
Census No. 204-UNC-07. Ex Lessmann and Hewitt. With 1945 A.P.S. and 1955 and 1984 P.F. certificates.
5c Gray Brown, Special Printing (205C). Without gum as issued, deep rich color and proof-like impression, beautifully centeredEXTREMELY FINE. THE 5-CENT GARFIELD 1882 SPECIAL PRINTING IS ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL THE BANK NOTE SPECIAL PRINTINGS. THIS SUPERB EXAMPLE IS ONE OF ONLY 21 RECORDED.
This elusive Special Printing was the subject of an informative article by William E. Mooz in the Chronicle (February 1992). His research provides strong evidence that the stamps recognized as Scott 205C are a small part of the 2,463 sold as Special Printings through the Third Asst. PMG, and that regular issues were used to fill the backlog of orders for the 5c Garfield.
Our census of Scott 205C is available at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/205C/205C.pdf , and illustrates the 21 recorded examples (only three have faults).
Census No. 205C-UNC-01. Ex Caspary (in a block of four), Simon and "Angel". With 1976 and 1991 P.F. certificates
4c Deep Blue Green, Special Printing (211D). Without gum as issued, almost perfectly centered with wide margins, deep shade and sharp proof-like impressionEXTREMELY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 4-CENT 1883 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 26 ARE RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS.
Our census of the 4c 1883 Special Printing, available at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/211D/211D.pdf , contains 26 stamps offered as No. 211D, of which 25 have been certified by The Philatelic Foundation. Post Office Department records indicate that only 26 were sold. Of the known copies, five have small faults.
Census No. 211D-UNC-13. With 1993 P.F. certificate