Sale 1224 — 2020 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 30 June-1 July, 2020
Category — 1870-88 Bank Note Issues
10c Brown, H. Grill (139). Horizontal block of six, original gum, lightly hinged, fresh color and detailed impressionVERY FINE AND CHOICE. AN EXTREMELY RARE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF THE 1870 10-CENT NATIONAL BANK NOTE GRILLED ISSUE.
Ex Dr. Graves ("Argentum"). With 1995 P.F. certificate. Scott value $52,500.00 as block of four and pair
12c Dull Violet, H. Grill (140). Bright color and paper, bold strikes of target and circular datestamp cancels, choice centering for this difficult issueEXTREMELY FINE USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1870 12-CENT NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY GRILLED ISSUE.
With 1999 and 2006 P.F. certificates (VF-XF 85). With 2005 P.S.E. certificate (VF 80; SMQ $3,750.00)
24c Purple, H. Grill (142). Noticeable grill points at left, the distinctive light shade but the color is fresh and nicely complemented by red New York Foreign Mail cancel, choice centering for this difficult issueVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE 1870 24-CENT NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY GRILLED ISSUE. ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE WITH THE RED NEW YORK FOREIGN MAIL CANCEL.
Scott 142 is not known in unused condition. Therefore, anyone wishing to complete this set must obtain this stamp in used condition. The example offered here, with brilliant color, a red cancel and noticeable grill points, is one of the most desirable we have ever encountered.
Ex "Scarsdale". With 1997 P.F. certificate
90c Carmine, H. Grill (144). Original gum, intense shade and impression, clearly defined grill, faint horizontal crease at top -- invisible on the face of the stamp, reperfed at leftVERY FINE APPEARANCE AND AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 90-CENT 1870 NATIONAL BANK NOTE CO. GRILLED ISSUE.
Considering original-gum examples only, after the extremely rare 12c and 30c and non-existent 24c, the 90c is the rarest of the 1870 National Grilled Issue.
With 2001 P.F. certificate
90c Carmine, H. Grill (144). Bright color, clear grill points, unusually wide and balanced margins, bold strike of segmented cork cancelEXTREMELY FINE. A WONDERFUL USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1870 90-CENT NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY GRILLED ISSUE. DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN IN SUCH CHOICE CONDITION.
For some reason, most examples of this issue with wide margins tend to have small flaws. We have encountered perhaps a dozen copies which are sound and also have wide margins.
With 1981 and 2009 P.F. certificates
90c Carmine, H. Grill (144). Block of four, deep rich color, bottom left stamp shows clear grill points, bold circle of wedges cancels, small crease at bottom rightVERY FINE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE USED BLOCK OF THE 1870 90-CENT NATIONAL GRILLED ISSUE.
There are probably no more than four used blocks of the 90c 1870 Grill (including one block of seven), and, to the best of our knowledge, this is the best-centered block and also the only used multiple that is essentially sound.
Ex Twigg-Smith. With 1987 P.F. certificate noting that grill shows only on lower left stamp. Scott value $13,500.00.
30c Black (154). Block of six with left selvage, original gum, top left and top right stamps h.r., dark charcoal shade and crisp impression on fresh paper, top right stamp faint corner crease and pulled perfFINE AND EXTREMELY RARE SHEET-MARGIN BLOCK OF THE 30-CENT UNGRILLED 1870 NATIONAL BANK NOTE ISSUE. THIS IS IN ALL LIKELIHOOD THE LARGEST KNOWN MULTIPLE.
A review of auction records produced four blocks of six with identical centering, offered variously as Scott 154 or 165. While this was once offered as Scott 165, we are confident that our identification of this as the 1870 National Issue is correct. Linn's U.S. Stamp Facts lists a block of four as the largest known block of Scott 154.
Ex Sinkler and Lilly. Scott value as a block of four and a pair is $52,500.00
3c Green, Double Impression (158j). Rich color, light strike of cork cancel and part of circular datestamp leaves double impression clearly visible, short perf at bottom rightFINE APPEARANCE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 1873 3-CENT CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE ISSUE WITH DOUBLE IMPRESSION. ONLY SEVEN ARE RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS.
Most double impressions occur when the first impression is made and found to be inadequate. The paper is then put in the press a second time, when it receives the heavier impression. It is a common misconception that the weaker impression is the second one.
Our census of Scott 158j, available at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/158j , records only seven examples of this rarity. Of the seven, one has a previous certificate as genuine and another as a kiss print (both as sound), but we consider it to be genuine because the P.F. has clarified their standards since that most recent certificate was issued.
Census no. 158j-CAN-03. With 2006 P.S.E. certificate
10c Brown (161). Mint N.H. with right selvage, deep rich color, wide and well-proportioned margins, fresh in every respectVERY FINE AND RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1873 10-CENT CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE ISSUE.
We have offered only approximately half a dozen single Scott 161 stamps in Mint N.H. condition since keeping computerized records (plus a block of four).
With 2019 P.F. certificate (VF 80). Scott value as hinged
7c Reddish Vermilion, Special Printing (171). Without gum as issued, intense shade and vivid color, perfectly centered, scissors-separated as usual but showing part of perfs all around and full perfs at top, left and bottomFRESH AND EXTREMELY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 1875 7-CENT CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 171 contains 71 certified examples plus one uncertified copy. Most stamps were scissors-separated, affecting the perforations on at least one side. This is one of the finest we record.
Census no. 171-UNC-71. Ex Wingate. With 1999 P.F. certificate
24c Dull Purple, Special Printing (175). Without gum as issued, complete perfs all around without the usual scissors-separation, rich color on bright paper, single perf at right slightly nibbedVERY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 24-CENT 1875 CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING, WITH PERFORATIONS ON ALL FOUR SIDES.
Our census of Scott 175 contains approximately 100 examples. Many are scissors-separated with large portions of perfs missing from one or more sides.
With 1974 P.F. certificate
10c Brown, Without Secret Mark, Double Paper (187a). Original gum, lightly hinged, bright color and crisp impression, double paper folded partway back to confirm the varietyVERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1879 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE WITHOUT SECRET MARK AND WITH DOUBLE PAPER.
With 2003 and 2012 P.F. certificates, the former as a block of four. This is the only single we have offered since keeping computerized records
7c Scarlet Vermilion, Special Printing (196). Without gum as issued, rich colorFRESH AND FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 7-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 196 contains fewer than 85 examples. With 2006 P.F. and 2016 P.S.E. certificates
10c Brown (209). Mint N.H. bottom imprint and plate no. 548 block of twelve, choice centering, deep rich color, post office freshEXTREMELY FINE. A RARE AND WONDERFULLY CHOICE MINT NEVER-HINGED PLATE BLOCK OF THE 10-CENT 1882 RE-ENGRAVED ISSUE -- EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST EXTANT.
Scott Catalogue lists this as both a plate block of ten and a plate block of twelve. We have sold just one plate block of ten in Mint N.H. condition since keeping computerized records (Sale 962, lot 2467) and this is the only Mint N.H. plate block of twelve we have offered. The pristine gum, without skips and bends, choice centering and overall freshness make this a wonderful Bank Note issues plate block rarity.
With 2006 P.S.E. certificate.
2c Pale Red Brown, Special Printing, Horizontal Pair, Imperforate Between (211Bc). Block of sixteen with complete "STEAMER -- AMERICAN BANK NOTE CO." imprint in top selvage and two imperforate-between pairs at center, original gum, the two imperforate-between pairs are Mint N.H., three other stamps with slightly disturbed gum, deep rich color, attractive centering, trivial internal perf separations and light creases which do not affect the center pairs -- these imperfections are inconsequential given the unique nature of this blockVERY FINE. THIS IS THE ONLY SURVIVING BLOCK OF THE 2-CENT SPECIAL PRINTING WITH THE FULL "STEAMER -- AMERICAN BANK NOTE CO." IMPRINT. AN EXCEPTIONAL RARITY OF THE BANK NOTE COMPANY PERIOD.
In 1885 the American Bank Note Co. experimented with a Hoe & Co. steam-powered, chain-driven printing press to increase the rate of production. New plates of 200 subjects were created for use on the steam press, including one with the distinctive "STEAMER -- AMERICAN BANK NOTE CO." imprint at the top center of the plate. Five sheets of 200 stamps were printed from this "Steamer" plate and sent to the Post Office Department. Since the full sheets were intended to be divided into panes of 100, the vertical gutter between the two panes was left imperforate. These sheets were later sold into the philatelic market and divided into smaller units.
We can account for all five top imprint pieces from the "Steamer" sheets. This unique block of sixteen, which was in the Siegel 1974 Rarities sale (lot 113), probably comes from the sheet once owned by Representative Ernest R. Ackerman. The strip of six offered in our 2009 sale of the Alan B. Whitman Collection is the second largest multiple. These two are the only recorded multiples with the complete imprint. The three remaining imperforate-between multiples from the tops of the sheets are a block of four (offered in lot 155) and two pairs, each with the "American Ban" portion of the imprint but lacking the word "Steamer."
Ex Ackerman and from our 1974 Rarities sale. Scott value for the ex-Whitman top margin horizontal strip of six is $35,000.00. This complete block of sixteen is unlisted in Scott.
2c Pale Red Brown, Special Printing, Horizontal Pair, Imperforate Between (211Bc). Block of four with "AMERICAN BAN" portion of imprint in top selvage and two imperforate-between pairs at center, original gum, hinge slivers rejoin the selvage to the block, deep rich color, well-centered, top pair with horizontal creaseVERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF ONLY TWO SURVIVING BLOCKS OF THE 2-CENT SPECIAL PRINTING WITH ANY PORTION OF THE "STEAMER -- AMERICAN BANK NOTE CO." IMPRINT.
In 1885 the American Bank Note Co. experimented with a Hoe & Co. steam-powered, chain-driven printing press to increase the rate of production. New plates of 200 subjects were created for use on the steam press, including one with the distinctive "STEAMER - AMERICAN BANK NOTE CO." imprint at the top center of the plate. Five sheets of 200 stamps were printed from this "Steamer" plate and sent to the Post Office Department. Since the full sheets were intended to be divided into panes of 100, the vertical gutter between the two panes was left imperforate. These sheets were later sold into the philatelic market and divided into smaller units.
We can account for all five top imprint pieces from the "Steamer" sheets. The unique block of sixteen offered in lot 154 probably comes from the sheet once owned by Representative Ernest R. Ackerman. The strip of six offered in our 2009 sale of the Whitman Collection is the second largest multiple. Those two are the only recorded multiples with the complete imprint. The three remaining imperforate-between multiples from the tops of the sheets are this block of four and two pairs, each with the "American Ban" portion of the imprint but lacking the word "Steamer".
Ex Sheriff. With 1971 P.F. certificate which mentions a crease on one stamp but not the rejoined perfs between the top row and the selvage. $4,000.00 Scott value for two imperforate-between pairs does not convey the rarity of this block with the part imprint
3c Vermilion (214). Mint N.H. bottom imprint and plate no. 421 block of twelve, vibrant color, Very Fine and choice, a beautiful plate block, ex "Silver Lake", with 2004 P.F. certificate, Scott lists the plate block of twelve but does not price it Mint N.H., Scott value as Mint N.H. plate block of ten plus two singles