Sale 1332 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Thursday, 8-10 October, 2024
Category — 1901 Pan-American Issue
1c Green & Black, Pan-American, Center Inverted (294a). Slightly disturbed original gum, deep rich colors, small thin spot at left
FINE APPEARING ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT PAN-AMERICAN INVERT.
According to Johl, the 1c Pan-American Inverts were found in at least four different post offices around the country soon after release of the issue in May 1901, including Bessemer Ala., Richmond Va., Utica N.Y. and Connecticut.
4c Deep Red Brown & Black, Pan-American, Center Inverted (296a). Disturbed original gum, h.r., with bottom selvage showing part of frame plate imprint and sequence of plate printers' initials in black, perf separations sensibly reinforced, faint horizontal crease at bottom of selvage
FINE. A RARE SHEET SELVAGE EXAMPLE OF THE 4-CENT PAN-AMERICAN INVERT. THIS STAMP—OFF THE MARKET FOR DECADES—WAS KNOWN TO US FROM AN OLD BLACK-AND-WHITE PHOTO. IT COMES FROM THE POSITION ADJOINING THE UNIQUE PLATE BLOCK AND COMPLETES THE IMPRINT.
The 4c Pan-American Invert was not regularly issued. According to Sloane, an erroneous report reached the Post Office department that the 4c had been discovered with inverted center. Edwin C. Madden, the 3rd Assistant Postmaster General, remarked that if any were found they should not be destroyed but kept for the archives. None was found, but two sheets of inverts (400 stamps total) were deliberately printed. This caused an uproar as it was not clear at first whether these had been deliberately ordered by Madden (in violation of his duties). He was later exonerated of any wrongdoing.
Examples were distributed through two official channels. One sheet was overprinted with "Specimen". A total of 106 copies, both with and without "Specimen", were distributed to friends and dignitaries. 197 were destroyed. One pane of 100 was retained by the Post Office Department and was stuck down on a ledger page in the Post Office archives. The sheet was broken up in about 1916 or 1917, and 97 copies were traded in exchange for material needed for the government collection. Since most of the stamps were removed from the mounting paper, they are generally thinned or have seriously disturbed gum.
In the Gross sale of United States Stamp Treasures (Sale 1188), we offered the unique plate block. In that catalogue, we illustrated a digital reconstruction including three adjoining singles. This position, completing the imprint, and the stamp to the right of the plate block, showing part arrow, were scanned from old black-and-white photos. When this stamp was brought to us as part of a collection formed in the 1950s and 60s, we were delighted to discover it is alive and well. The updated reconstruction is shown in our website listing.
Stamp signed in pencil. Selvage with "A. R. Abarbanel" backstamp.
1c-10c Pan-American (294-299). Ming N.H., fresh colors and well-centered, Very Fine and choice set, with three certificates including Nos. 298 and 299 P.S.E. graded VF 80 and VF-XF 85 respectively
10c Yellow Brown & Black, Pan-American (299). Mint N.H. block of eight, pretty shades, Fine-Very Fine, Scott value as singles