Sale 1354 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Wednesday-Thursday, 28-29 May, 2025
Category — Air Post
6c Orange, 1918 Air Post (C1). Mint N.H., gorgeous centering and color with wide and perfectly balanced margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2016 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98), only three grade higher
6c Orange, 1918 Air Post (C1). Mint N.H. top left corner selvage block of ten, bright color, Very Fine, Scott value as singles
6c-16c 1918 Air Post (C1-C2). 6c top arrow and plate no. 9155 block of fifteen, original gum, h.r. in selvage between positions 3 and 4, otherwise Mint N.H., some slight oxidation along right edge, Fine-Very Fine, 16c top plate no. 8900 and arrow block of six, original gum, lightly hinged, Very Fine
16c Green, 1918 Air Post (C2). Mint N.H., precisely centered with wide margins, deep rich color, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2016 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98), only two grade higher (at 100)
16c Green, 1918 Air Post (C2). Top plate no. 8900 and arrow block of six, original gum, lightly hinged, Very Fine
24c Carmine Rose & Blue, 1918 Air Post (C3). Mint N.H., forward vignette shift approaching the Fast Plane variety, essentially perfect centering, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2025 P.S.A.G. certificate (Superb 98)
24c Carmine Rose & Blue, 1918 Air Post, Grounded Plane (C3 var). Mint N.H., deep rich colors, vignette shifted significantly to bottom
FRESH AND FINE. A RARE MINT NEVER HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1918 24-CENT FIRST AIR POST ISSUE GROUNDED PLANE VARIETY.
The true Grounded Plane stamps, in which the wheels of the plane break thru the top of "Cents", come from portions of three sheets. The discovery sheet was owned and broken up by J. Klemann of Nassau Stamp Company. A second sheet was discovered in 1946 and sold in the Thomas A. Matthews sale (H.R. Harmer, Nov. 4, 1964), where it was purchased by Georges A. Medawar, publisher of Sanabria Airmail Catalogue. In Linn's Stamp News of April 21, 1986, specialist Joseph R. Kirker Jr. published his research revealing a third source of this variety. The example offered here is especially low.
We have offered only six other unduplicated Mint N.H. examples of the Grounded Plane variety since keeping computerized records. Three of those have perfs into the design, and another was not shifted nearly as far downwards as the example offered here. Only two others were better than the example offered here. With 1990 and 2008 P.F. certificates (F 70).
24c Carmine Rose & Blue, 1918 Air Post (C3). Mint N.H. top arrow, double plate nos. 8493/8492 and double "Top" block of twelve, bright colors, natural gum bends and gum wrinkles, Very Fine
24c Carmine Rose & Blue, 1918 Air Post (C3). Top arrow, double plate nos. 8492/8493 and double "Top" block of twelve, original gum, barely hinged, bright colors, Very Fine
24c Carmine Rose & Blue, 1918 Air Post, Fast Plane (C3 var). Mint N.H. block of four with left selvage, planes shifted significantly to the left, Very Fine and choice, SCV as normal $520
16c Dark Blue, 1923 Air Post (C5). Top plate no. 14828 block of six, original gum, four stamps Mint N.H., rich color, Fine-Very Fine
24c Carmine, 1923 Air Post (C6). Bottom plate no. 14840 block of twelve, signed "Harry S. New P.M.G., Irving Glover Third Asst. P.M.G. 8/21/23" and "Louis A. Hill, (BEP) Director", plate block lightly hinged, dark color, Very Fine and choice, ex Mack, Scott value as hinged plate block and Mint N.H. singles
24c Carmine, 1923 Air Post (C6). Mint N.H. top plate no. 14840 block of six, brilliant color on bright paper, few tiny natural gum skips, fresh and Fine-Very Fine
24c Carmine, 1923 Air Post (C6). Mint N.H. top plate no. F 14840 block of six, rich color, Fine-Very Fine
65c-$2.60 Graf Zeppelin (C13-C15). Mint N.H., each with excellent centering, 65c and $2.60 usual natural gum bends, $1.30 light natural gum crease (none mentioned on certificates), Extremely Fine set, each with graded P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; total SMQ $2,475), SCV $1,675
65c-$2.60 Graf Zeppelin (C13-C15). Mint N.H., each with wide margins and well-centered, 65c natural gum crease, Extremely Fine set
65c-$2.60 Graf Zeppelin (C13-C15). Mint N.H., $1.30 with right plate no. 20087 selvage, Very Fine
65c-$2.60 Graf Zeppelin (C13-C15). Mint N.H., $1.30 with right plate no. 20087 selvage, rich colors, Very Fine set
65c-$2.60 Graf Zeppelin (C13-C15). Mint N.H., deep rich colors, $1.30 with tiny natural gum skips, Very Fine and choice
65c-$2.60 Graf Zeppelin (C13-C15). Mint N.H., 65c natural gum crease, Very Fine
65c-$2.60 Graf Zeppelin (C13-C15). Original gum, each with a single h.r., Very Fine
65c-$2.60 Graf Zeppelin (C13-C15). Set including extra 65c with plate no. 20080 selvage (gum over plate no.), Mint N.H. except the $1.30 is regummed, Very Fine, Scott value counting the $1.30 as hinged
65c-$2.60 Graf Zeppelin (C13-C15). Balance with four 65c, two $1.30 and one $2.60, original gum, mostly with h.r. and one 65c disturbed, couple tiny flaws, overall Fine
65c-$2.60 Graf Zeppelin (C13-C15). Each with slogan machine cancel, rich colors, Very Fine set
65c-$2.60 Graf Zeppelin (C13-C15). 65c and $2.60 duplex grid cancels, $1.30 New York circular datestamp cancel and part of purple flight cachet, attractive centering and margins, light creases, appear Very Fine
65c-$2.60 Graf Zeppelin (C13-C15). Mint N.H. left or right plate no. blocks of six, including 65c left plate no. 20078, $1.30 right plate no. 20086 and $2.60 left plate no. 20090, each with very choice centering, particularly the key $2.60 value, 65c and $1.30 with a tiny toned spot in selvage, $2.60 with slightly reduced selvage, all are free of the gum skips that are often encountered
EXTREMELY FINE CENTERING AND LOVELY SET OF MINT NEVER-HINGED PLATE BLOCKS OF THE 1930 GRAF-ZEPPELIN ISSUE.
Total Scott value $15,200.
65c Green, Graf Zeppelin (C13). Mint N.H., deep rich color and outstanding centering, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2010 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98), only twelve grade higher
65c Green, Graf Zeppelin (C13). Top plate no. 20079 block of six, top stamps with gum skips which knocks this out of the Mint N.H. category for us, rich color, Extremely Fine, scarce with such choice centering
65c Green, Graf Zeppelin (C13). Mint N.H. left plate no. 20080 block of six, rich color, bottom left stamp small natural pre-printing paperfold, Fine-Very Fine
$1.30 Brown, Graf Zeppelin (C14). Mint N.H. bottom plate no. 20087 block of six, excellent centering, natural gum bends/creases, Extremely Fine plate block
$2.60 Blue, Graf Zeppelin (C15). Mint N.H., deep rich color and proof-like impression, near perfect centering
EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $2.60 GRAF ZEPPELIN ISSUE, GRADED SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E.
With 2025 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98). Only two Mint N.H. examples grade higher.
50c Carmine, Trans-Pacific, Air Post (C22). Mint N.H. wide top plate number 21625 block of six, vivid color and choice centering
EXTREMELY FINE AND RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED WIDE TOP PLATE BLOCK OF THE 50-CENT CLIPPER ISSUE.
Advanced collectors of U.S. plate blocks understand that this issue is far rarer as a wide top Mint N.H. plate block than even the $2.60 Graf Zeppelin. The Scott Catalogue notes "wide full selvage top margin plate blocks of No. C22 are extremely scarce and sell for $2,000.00 or more" (versus $85.00 price for regular plate block).