Sale 1245 — United States Stamps, featuring the Sacramento Collection
Sale Date — Tuesday-Thursday, 16-18 November, 2021
Category — 1c-30c 1893 Columbian Issue (Scott 230-239)








EXTREMELY FINE GEM MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT COLUMBIAN WITH LARGE CORNER MARGIN SELVAGE.
With 2021 P.F. certificate (Superb 98 Jumbo).




















FRESH AND FINE. A RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 4-CENT COLUMBIAN ERROR OF COLOR.
The 4c Columbian color error was caused by the use of a wrong batch of ink, and spectrographic analysis has shown that the blue inks of the 4c error and 1c Columbian have the same components.
Stamps from at least two panes reached collectors, and the few cancelled examples indicate that stamps used by the public came from additional panes. It is likely that a number of full sheets were printed using the wrong ink, and most of the stamps have simply been lost to philately.
With 2018 P.F. certificate

4c Columbian, Error of Color (233a). Deep rich color, bold oval grid cancel, small horizontal crease at right and tiny picked out inclusion at left
FINE APPEARANCE. ONLY 15 USED EXAMPLES OF THE 4-CENT COLUMBIAN ERROR OF COLOR ARE LISTED IN OUR CENSUS. ONE OF THE GREAT RARITIES OF USED UNITED STATES PHILATELY AND OF THE POPULAR COLUMBIAN ISSUE.
The 4c Columbian color error was caused by the use of a wrong batch of ink, and spectrographic analysis has shown that the blue inks of the 4c error and 1c Columbian have the same components. Stamps from at least three panes reached collectors, and the few cancelled examples indicate that stamps used by the public came from at least one additional pane. It is likely that a number of full sheets were printed using the wrong ink, and most of the stamps have simply been lost to philately.
Our census of used Scott 233a, available at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/233a , contains 15 stamps. One additional stamp was previously certified as the error, but received a recent certificate as the Dark Ultramarine sub-shade. Only two stamps listed in our census are confirmed as sound.
Census no. 233a-CAN-08. With 1993 P.F. certificate. Scott value is for an example with small faults












EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A PHENOMENAL MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 6-CENT COLUMBIAN, GRADED SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E.
Ex "Clipper City". With 2012 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98; SMQ $4,250.00). Only two grade higher (at 98J and 100) and only five others share this grade.










EXTREMELY FINE. AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE CENTERED FULL TOP PLATE BLOCK OF THE 6-CENT COLUMBIAN ISSUE WITH PRISTINE MINT NEVER-HINGED GUM. THIS IS THE FINEST WE HAVE OFFERED IN AT LEAST 20 YEARS.
A review using Power Search revealed a startling fact. Among all the plate blocks we have offered of this issue since 1993, only two other Mint N.H. examples were from the top position (one of those has narrow selvage). The hinged population shows a similar heavy skew toward bottom plate blocks. The 6c is one of the Columbian denominations that comes with either top or bottom selvage, so one would expect to find more top plate blocks than we have seen. However, as we have explained when offering full panes of 50 or dollar value plate blocks (see Sale 1200, lot 154), the way the Columbians were perforated offered no guarantees that there would be equal numbers of top and bottom selvage panes. In fact, there are no 50c or $4.00 with top selvage at all and we suspect that for the same reason, the 6c was produced with far fewer top selvage panes than bottom selvage panes. This fresh Mint N.H. top plate block is a true rarity.
With 2021 P.S.A.G. certificate (85 ogNH).








EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT COLUMBIAN ISSUE, GRADED SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E.
Ex Curtis. With 2010 and 2013 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98; SMQ $5,150.00). Only two grade higher (at 98J) and only seven others share this grade



















EXTREMELY FINE GEM MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENT COLUMBIAN.
With 2014 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $2,400.00)


EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED 30-CENT COLUMBIAN.
With 2010 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $2,400.00)





