Sale 1310 — Outstanding United States Stamps, featuring The Dragonfly Collection
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 27-28 February, 2024
Category — 1873 Continental thru 1887 American Bank Note Co. Issues (Scott 156-218)
6c Dull Pink, With Grill (159b). Original gum, strong grill which breaks the paper in places (as do most), choice centering but reperfed at right, Extremely Fine appearance
7c Orange Vermilion (160). Horizontal pair, original gum, h.r., brilliant color, Very Fine
7c Orange Vermilion (160). Vivid color, outstanding centering with balanced margins, red New York Foreign Mail Geometric cancel (Weiss GE-C7), Extremely Fine Gem, a beautiful stamp, ex "Golden Oak" and Morton, with 1999 P.F. and 2014 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95)
10c Brown (161). Intense shade, Jumbo margins, cork cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2021 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo), only four grade higher (highest is 98J)
12c Blackish Violet (162). Original gum, h.r., deep rich color, wide margins, reperfed at right, Very Fine appearance
12c Blackish Violet (162). Deep rich color and detailed impression, neat New York Foreign Mail Geometric and red New York transit cancels, gorgeous centering, Extremely Fine Gem, ex Morton, with 2002 P.F. and 2005 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95), only two grade higher (at 95J and 98)
12c Blackish Violet (162). Gorgeous deep color, extra wide margins and choice centering, neat segmented cork cancel, Extremely Fine, great visual appeal, with 2009 P.F. certificate (XF 90 XQ)
15c Webster, "Goodall" Small Die Trial Color Proof on India (163TC2). Complete set of five colors, approximately 29 x 33mm with the Dull Red slightly larger, deep rich colors, Very Fine, in 1879, President Albert G. Goodall of the American Bank Note Company, successor to the Continental Bank Note Company, ordered sets of small die proofs for display purposes, these originate from that order
15c Yellow Orange (163). Original gum, extraordinarily choice centering with well-balanced margins, bright yellowish shade, fine impression
EXTREMELY FINE. THE 15-CENT 1873 CONTINENTAL IS ONE OF THE MOST ELUSIVE BANK NOTE ISSUES IN THIS HIGH-GRADE ORIGINAL-GUM CONDITION.
Although defined by a secret mark, the 15c Continental, Scott 163, is very difficult to distinguish from its National counterpart, Scott 152. Certain shades and impressions of the 15c Continental closely match certain National printings, and the secret mark is often undetectable. However, the stamp offered here has what we believe are characteristics unique to Continental's work. The shade is very bright and yellowish. The secret mark in the upper left triangle is also prominently featured in this impression. There is simply no question that this is a 15c Continental. Collectors who have searched for a well-centered Scott 163 with original gum know how rare it is in such condition. Off-center stamps are the norm, and original gum is a rare commodity in this issue.
Ex Wingate. With 2001 P.F. certificate.
30c Gray Black (165). Original gum, h.r., intense shade, small thin spot at top, Fine appearance
30c Gray Black (165). Choice centering with wide and balanced margins, deep shade, large "pinwheel" cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2007 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95), only four grade higher
90c Rose Carmine (166). Bright color and choice centering, registry oval cancel, Extremely Fine, with 2021 P.F. certificate (XF 90)
7c Reddish Vermilion, Special Printing (171). Without gum as issued, perfs scissors-separated as almost always but leaving wide margins
VERY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 1875 7-CENT CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 171, at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/171, contains 77 examples, including one in the Miller collection owned by The New York Public Library, leaving 76 available to collectors. Most stamps were scissors-separated, affecting the perforations on at least one side.
Census no. 171-UNC-77.
5c Blue (179). Crisp impression, neat cork cancel, unusually wide and balanced margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2012 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95), only four grade higher and four others share this grade
5c Blue, With Gill (179c). Unused (no gum), deeply impressed grill as are most with several points piercing the paper as is typical for this issue, Very Fine and scarce, it is believed that the Continental grills were made experimentally in 1876, after a stamp-cleaning court trial renewed fears of stamp re-use, the primary source of the rare J Grills was the Worthington collection, which was dispersed in 1917, it is believed that most or all examples in collectors' hands came from the archive of Charles F. Steel, who patented the grilling machines used between 1867 and 1873, with 2024 P.F. certificate, SCV with original gum $9,500
2c Vermilion (183). Mint N.H., well-centered with wide margins, bright color, Very Fine and choice, with 2012 P.S.A.G. (for a strip of five) and 2018 P.F. certificates
2c Vermilion (183). Enormous Jumbo margins and precise centering, bright color, perfect strike of "11" in four-concentric-circles cancel with part of circular datestamp cancel at left edge, Extremely Fine Gem, a stunning stamp, ex Ryterband, with 2008 and 2017 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo), only six grade higher, we have offered three of those and none are remotely as attractively cancelled
10c Brown, Without Secret Mark (187). Original gum, lightly hinged, deep rich color
VERY FINE AND CHOICE. A WELL-CENTERED ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1879 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE WITHOUT SECRET MARK.
Ex Petersen. With 1960, 1983 and 2021 P.F. certificates
10c Brown, With Secret Mark (188). Intense shade and detailed impression, beautiful centering with Jumbo margins, bold strike of quartered cork cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, ex Merlin, with 2008 P.F. and 2010 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98 Jumbo), only two grade higher and this is one of only two at this high grade
15c Red Orange (189). Exceptional centering with perfectly balanced margins, bright color, bold oval registry cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2016 P.F. and P.S.A.G. certificates (latter Gem 100)
30c Full Black (190). Original gum, choice centering with well-balanced margins, intense shade and impression, Extremely Fine, a difficult stamp to find with such nice centering, ex Hansen, with 2001 and 2008 P.F. certificates (XF 90)
90c Carmine (191). Original gum, lightly hinged, radiant color, wide margins all around
EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL WIDE-MARGINED ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1879 AMERICAN BANK NOTE ISSUE.
Ex Hansen. With 1993 and 2004 P.F. certificates.
7c Scarlet Vermilion, Special Printing (196). Without gum as issued, rich color, tiny natural fiber inclusion, small thin spot at center
VERY FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 1880 7-CENT AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.
Our census of Scott 196, available at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/196, contains 86 examples. Census no. 196-UNC-86.
5c Yellow Brown (205). Intense shade and detailed impression on bright paper, Jumbo margins, bold grid cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2015 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo), only four grade higher and three share this grade
1c Ultramarine, Plate Proof on Stamp Paper (212P5). Large bottom sheet margin, other sides ample to just clear at right, light overall toning and small thin spot in bottom margin, otherwise Fine, a very rare plate proof of this issue on stamp paper, Power Search does not list another, with 2018 P.F. certificate, listed in Scott but unpriced
2c Green (213). Mint N.H., rich color, choice centering and margins, Extremely Fine, with 2018 P.F. certificate (VF-XF 85)
2c Green (213). Mathematically perfect centering with Jumbo margins, neat target cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, a truly superb stamp, with 2013 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100 Jumbo; SMQ $2,000 as 100, unpriced in 100 Jumbo grade), this is the highest grade possible and the only example to achieve it, this gem was featured on the front cover of P.S.E.'s Fall 2015 Stamp Market Quarterly
3c Vermilion (214). Vibrant color on bright fresh paper, complete and light strike of grid in oval cancel (Cole No. GE-216), Extremely Fine Gem, a gorgeous stamp, with 2001 A.P.S., 2003 and 2016 P.F. certificates (XF-Superb 95)
4c Carmine (215). Mint N.H., vivid color, nicely balanced margins, post-office fresh and Very Fine, with 1991, 2000 and 2019 P.F. certificates
5c Indigo (216). Jumbo margins and near perfect centering, deep rich color, unobtrusive cork cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2015 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98 Jumbo), only one grades higher (at 100J, we have never offered it) and three others share this lofty grade
30c Orange Brown (217). Mint N.H. top imprint pair, rich color, fresh and Very Fine, Scott value as two singles without premium for the imprint
30c Orange Brown (217). Pair with top plate no. 405 selvage, original gum, right stamp Mint N.H., nicely centered, Very Fine, Scott value as two singles
90c Purple (218). Wide and well-balanced margins, rich color, light oval registry cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, ex Kirke, with 2001 P.F. and 2005 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95), only one grades higher (at 95J, we have never offered it)