Sale 1120 — Outstanding United States Stamps
Sale Date — Thursday-Friday, 17-18 March, 2016
Category — 5c-90c 1857-60 Issue (Scott 27-39)
5c Red Brown (28). Rich color, beautifully centered with perfs clear of the design all around, town datestamp cancel, small corner crease, Very Fine appearance, illustrated in Roy White's Color Encyclopedia as Deep Red Brown, with 2015 P.F. certificate
5c Bright Red Brown (28b). Choice centering with well-proportioned margins, bright and distinctive shade, bold New Orleans circular datestamps, Extremely Fine, with 2006 P.F. certificate
5c Brown (29). Mint N.H. with top sheet selvage, bright shade, detailed impressionVERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 5-CENT TYPE I IN THE BROWN COLOR. THIS IS THE FIRST IN MINT NEVER-HINGED CONDITION WE HAVE OFFERED SINCE KEEPING COMPUTERIZED RECORDS.
A review using Power Search, which contains all of our sales from 1995 to date plus select older auctions including our Rarities sales back to 1964, failed to find another in Mint N.H. condition, as either a single or part of a block. This is also the only example contained in the online records of the Philatelic Foundation.
With 2010 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail as hinged
5c Orange Brown, Ty. II (30). Beautifully centered, warm color on fresh paper, neat strike of red grid cancelEXTREMELY FINE USED EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT TYPE II ORANGE BROWN.
The 5c Orange Brown is much scarcer used than unused, due to its short life while it was valid for postage and the recovery of stocks of unused stamps from southern post offices after the Civil War. Examples in this choice sound used condition are rare.
With 2015 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $3,300.00). Only four examples have been graded higher (at 95) and only two others share this grade
5c Dark Brown, Ty. II (30A var). Deep shade nicely complemented by red grid cancel, wide and balanced margins, fresh and Extremely Fine example of the 5c in the Dark Brown sub-shade, ex Curtis, with two 2005 P.F. certificates, the latter (XF 90)
5c Brown, Ty. II (30A). Bold color, especially well-centered with wide margins, well-struck red grid cancel, Very Fine and choice, with 2001 P.F. certificate
10c Green, Ty. V (35). Mint N.H., deep rich color on crisp paper, extra wide margin at right and balanced other sides (probably from the far right row of the sheet), Very Fine and choice, a pretty stamp, ex Cook, with 1991 P.F. and 2012 P.S.E. certificates, Scott Retail as hinged
12c Black, Plate 1 (36). Block of four in Mint N.H. condition, intense shade and impression, top left stamp diagonal crease, Very Good, Mint N.H. examples of the 12c from Plate One are extremely rare, with 2010 P.F. certificate, Scott Retail as hinged block $10,000.00
12c Black, Plate 1 (36). Near perfect centering, intense shade with deep red transit cancel and light black circular datestampEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB USED EXAMPLE OF THE 12-CENT 1857 ISSUE FROM PLATE ONE. A DIFFICULT STAMP TO FIND IN SUCH CHOICE CONDITION.
With 2002 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $2,750.00). Only four examples have graded higher.
12c Black, Plate 3 (36B). Unused (no gum), near perfect centering, intense shade, Extremely Fine Gem, with 1979, 1993 P.F. and 2009 P.S.E. certificates (NG, XF-Superb 95; SMQ $900.00)
24c Gray Lilac (37). Mint N.H., radiant color, crisp impression, well-balanced marginsVERY FINE AND CHOICE. THE 1860 24-CENT GRAY LILAC IS EXTREMELY RARE IN MINT NEVER-HINGED CONDITION, ESPECIALLY SO WELL-CENTERED.
Aside from five Mint N.H. stamps contained in the block of twelve offered in our "Sevenoaks" sale (Sale 831) and one single contained in another block of twelve offered in our 2010 Rarities sale, we have offered only four others in Mint N.H. condition since keeping computerized records. The online records of the Philatelic Foundation contains only six, including one with a fault, one strongly in at bottom and two with older certificates stating "it is genuine" (which need to be confirmed, both centered to bottom).
With 2010 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail as hinged
24c Gray Lilac (37). Original gum, barest trace of hinging, intense shade on bright paper, choice centeringEXTREMELY FINE. A FRESH AND DESIRABLE BARELY-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 24-CENT 1857 ISSUE.
With 2016 P.F. certificate (VF-XF 85)
24c Gray Lilac (37). Original gum, h.r., choice centering with wide margins at sides, beautiful bright colorEXTREMELY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 24-CENT 1857 ISSUE.
With 2015 P.F. certificate (VF-XF 85)
24c Gray Lilac (37). Block of four, original gum, wonderfully fresh with sharp colorFINE-VERY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 24-CENT 1860 ISSUE.
With 2009 P.S.E. certificate
24c Gray Lilac (37). Intense color and impression, bold strikes of New York grid cancel and red 19c credit datestamp, choice centering with margins well clear of design, Extremely Fine, beautiful in every respect, with 1987 and 1997 P.F. certificates
24c Gray Lilac (37). Strong shade and impression nicely complemented by bold red grid and New York exchange office cancels, balanced margins for this tightly-spaced issue leaving outer projections of design clear of perfs on all sides, Extremely Fine, with 2003 P.F. certificate
24c Gray (37a). Wide side margins and attractive centering, bright color nicely complemented by red grid cancel, Very Fine, a pretty stamp, with 2016 P.F. certificate (VF 80)
30c Orange (38). Mint N.H. block of four with top selvage, rich color, top left stamp natural gum bend, bottom left stamp diagonal crease, bottom right stamp small corner crease, small tear and small surface scuffFINE APPEARANCE. A RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 30-CENT 1860 ISSUE.
This issue is extremely rare in Mint N.H. condition. This is the only block with all stamps Mint N.H. we have encountered. We have offered only one single since keeping computerized records plus a few Mint N.H. in a larger multiple with hinged stamps. The online records of the Philatelic Foundation contain only three additional singles, including one with an older certificate from 1986 that needs to be reconfirmed.
With 2010 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail as hinged $14,000.00
30c Orange (38). Perfect centering within immensely wide margins, perfs well-clear of any part of the design, radiant and fresh color, detailed impression on bright white paper, neat large Boston "Paid" grid cancelEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A BREATHTAKING USED EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENT 1860 ISSUE. EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST KNOWN EXAMPLES AND AWARDED THE GRADE OF XF-SUPERB 95 JUMBO BY P.S.E.
The narrow space between subjects on the plate makes it almost impossible for the perforations to clear the design on all four sides. The example offered here, with extra wide margins and near perfect centering is a true condition rarity.
Ex Dr. Hinrichs. With 1992 P.F. and 2016 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $5,600.00). Only one example has been graded higher and only one other shares this high grade.
30c Orange (38). Rich color, neat Mobile double-circle datestamp and part of red transit datestamp, wide margins, Extremely Fine used example of the 30c 1860 Issue, with 1984 P.F. certificate
90c Blue (39). Unused (no gum), deep rich color on fresh paper, small extraneous spot of printer's ink at left, Extremely Fine, with 2015 P.F. certificate