Sale 1138 — The Hanover Collection of Superb-Quality U.S. Stamps, Part 2
Sale Date — Thursday, 6 October, 2016
Category — Postage Due (Scott J1-J78a)








EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE FINEST, IF NOT THE FINEST, EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENT POSTAGE DUE SPECIAL PRINTING.
It has been estimated that no more than 179 examples of the 30c Postage Due Special Printing reached the public. The vast majority of these with original gum are faulty. This superb example, with its superior centering and remarkable freshness is a true condition rarity.
With 2011 P.S.E. certificate (OGh, XF 90; SMQ $15,400.00). This is the only graded example of this issue. A Power Search review found perhaps one or two others that compare favorably to this stamp.


EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS WITHOUT QUESTION THE FINEST MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1884 2-CENT REDBROWN POSTAGE DUE ISSUE WE HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED. THIS MAGNIFICENT STAMP IS GRADED GEM 100 BY P.S.E., WHICH IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED.
With 2014 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100; SMQ $3,750.00). This is the highest grade awarded and no others share it. Apart from one example graded 98, the next highest grade is 90. This is also the first in Mint N.H. condition we have offered in three years.




EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1884 10-CENT RED BROWN POSTAGE DUE, WHICH IS GRADED XF-SUPERB 95. ONLY ONE HAS GRADED HIGHER AND NONE SHARE THIS GRADE.
With 2009 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $4,200.00) Only one has graded higher and none share this grade. The highest grade we have offered in one of our auctions is 90.


EXTREMELY FINE. A GORGEOUS MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 50-CENT 1884 RED BROWN POSTAGE DUE.
With 1990 and 2001 P.F. certificates. With 2004 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $5,250.00). This is the only Mint N.H. example to be awarded this grade, which is the highest grade awarded to any unused stamp




EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A MAGNIFICENT MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1891 5-CENT BRIGHT CLARET POSTAGE DUE ISSUE. THE ESSENCE OF PERFECTION -- THIS STAMP IS GRADED GEM 100 BY P.S.E. THIS IS THE ONLY EXAMPLE TO ACHIEVE THIS ULTIMATE GRADE -- WE DOUBT A FINER COPY EXISTS.
Ex "Scarsdale". With 1995 and 2002 P.F. and 2004 P.S.E. certificates (Gem 100; SMQ $5,500.00). This is the highest grade awarded and the only example to achieve it.




EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1891 50-CENT BRIGHT CLARET POSTAGE DUE ISSUE.
With 2005 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $4,000.00). This is the highest grade awarded and only four others share it.


EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1894 2-CENT VERMILION ISSUE WITH STUNNING COLOR, BRIGHT PAPER AND PERFECT CENTERING.
Ex "Scarsdale". With 1983, 1999 and 2007 P.F. certificates (XF-Superb 95). By way of comparison, the P.S.E. Population Report contains none at this grade and only one higher (at 95J)


EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS WITHOUT QUESTION THE FINEST EXAMPLE OF THE 1895 3-CENT POSTAGE DUE, SCOTT J33, THAT WE HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED. IT STANDS HEAD AND SHOULDERS ABOVE ALL OTHERS. THIS REMARKABLE STAMP IS GRADED SUPERB 98 JUMBO BY THE PHILATELIC FOUNDATION.
The production problems experienced by the Bureau in its first job for the Post Office yielded many poorly centered stamps. This stamp is a true condition rarity in the finest attainable condition.
With 2005 and 2007 P.F. certificates (Superb 98 Jumbo). By way of comparison, the highest grade awarded in the P.S.E. Population Report is 95J (two copies).


EXTREMELY FINE GEM EXAMPLE OF THE 1895 30-CENT PALE ROSE POSTAGE DUE ISSUE, SCOTT J36b. THIS REMARKABLE STAMP IS GRADED SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E. -- THIS IS BY FAR THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO ANY SHADE OF THIS STAMP, AND IT IS THE ONLY EXAMPLE TO ACHIEVE THIS GRADE.
With 2014 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98; SMQ $3,800.00). This is the highest grade awarded to any shade (the highest J36 is 85, none graded for J36a). No others share this grade. We are mystified as to why SMQ only assigns roughly a 4x premium for 98 versus 80 -- normally the premium is much higher, especially with low Population Report numbers


EXTREMELY FINE GEM. IN OUR OPINION, AND SUBSTANTIATED BY OUR EXTENSIVE AUCTION RECORDS, THIS IS THE FINEST MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 50-CENT 1894 UNWATERMARKED BUREAU POSTAGE DUE ISSUE. NOT ONLY ONE OF THE MOST OUTSTANDING POSTAGE DUE STAMPS IN EXISTENCE, BUT ONE OF THE GREATEST OF ALL BUREAU ISSUES.
The 50c 1894 Unwatermarked Bureau Postage Due Issue is notorious for its typically poor centering. Only a tiny fraction of the total population exists with centering that could be compared with this example, and it is unlikely that any other has the margin width of this stamp or Mint N.H. gum. For the record, we have offered five Mint N.H. singles, none with margins and centering equal to the stamp offered here. The online records of The Philatelic Foundation contain only one additional example, with perfs almost touching at bottom.
With 2005 P.F. certificate (Superb 98)










EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 50-CENT CLARET 1897 POSTAGE DUE ISSUE. THIS BUREAU ISSUE IS ONE OF THE RAREST POSTAGE DUES IN ANY CHOICE GRADE.
Ex Whitman. With 1995 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $2,550.00). This is the highest grade awarded and no other examples share this grade


EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1912 50-CENT BUREAU POSTAGE DUE ISSUE. THIS STAMP IS GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E., WHICH IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED. IT IS THE ONLY EXAMPLE TO ACHIEVE THIS GRADE.
With 2008 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $7,500.00). This is the highest grade awarded and the only example to achieve this grade. The next-highest grade is 90.




EXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN INCALCULABLY RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1916 ONE-CENT PERF 10 UNWATERMARKED POSTAGE DUE ISSUE. THIS IS ONE OF THE FINEST EXAMPLES IN EXISTENCE.
The Perf 10 stamps were printed on unwatermarked paper for only a brief period of time. Well-centered original-gum examples are exceedingly rare. We have only sold five Mint N.H. examples in the past nineteen years, when we started to keep computerized records. Of those, only one or two compares favorably with the example offered here.
Ex "Scarsdale". With 1999 and 2007 P.F. certificates.


EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1916 2-CENT ROSE PERF 10 UNWATERMARKED POSTAGE DUE ISSUE. THIS IS THE ONLY EXAMPLE TO ACHIEVE THE GRADE OF SUPERB 98, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED. THIS STAMP IS LIKELY THE FINEST IN EXISTENCE.
The unwatermarked Perf 10 Postage Due stamps (Scott J59 and J60) were only in production for a short period of time before being replaced by the Perf 11 stamps.
Ex "Scarsdale". With 2002 P.F. and 2006 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98; SMQ $3,300.00).


EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS REMARKABLE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1930 30-CENT POSTAGE DUE ISSUE IS GRADED GEM 100 -- THE ONLY EXAMPLE TO ACHIEVE THIS PERFECT GRADE.
Ex Whitman. With 1993 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (Gem 100; SMQ $2,300.00). This is the highest grade awarded and the only example to achieve it.

