Sale 1375 — The Nick Kardasis Collection of the 1869 Pictorial Issue, Part One
Sale Date — Tuesday, 21 April, 2026
Category — Scott 112-122 with Original Gum-Superb Examples, Varieties, Multiples
1c Buff (112). Block of four, bottom stamps Mint N.H., top stamps lightly hinged, radiant color
FINE-VERY FINE. AN ATTRACTIVE BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE ONE-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE, WITH THE BOTTOM STAMPS IN MINT NEVER-HINGED CONDITION.
Ex Lilly, Wunderlich, Grunin and Ishikawa. With 2000 P.F. certificate. SCV as hinged block.
2c Brown (113). Mint N.H. in the opinion of The Philatelic Foundation (2017) and we concur, but there is a very tiny irregularity in gum that the P.S.E. interpreted as a previous hinge mark (2016, certificate no longer accompanies), unusually choice centering with Jumbo margins, bright color and crisp impression
EXTREMELY FINE GEM EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE. A STAMP WITH TREMENDOUS EYE APPEAL AND, IN THE OPINION OF THE PHILATELIC FOUNDATION, MINT NEVER-HINGED.
With 1988 P.F. certificate (top stamp in vertical pair) and 2017 P.F. certificate as Mint N.H., graded XF-Superb 95.
2c Brown, Split Grill (113 var). Showing part of grill at bottom and part at top, original gum, barest trace of what may be hinging, bright color and paper, Jumbo margins
EXTREMELY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE WITH SPLIT GRILL. A STAMP WITH FANTASTIC EYE APPEAL.
With 1995 P.F. certificate.
2c Brown, Without Grill (113b). Original gum, crisp impression, choice centering for this difficult issue, completely sound
EXTREMELY FINE. A RARE SOUND AND CENTERED ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE WITHOUT GRILL. THIS MAY WELL BE THE FINEST IN EXISTENCE.
We have offered less than a dozen singles, plus a rejoined block of four, since keeping computerized records. Most examples of this stamp are significantly off-center, with perfs in on one side.
Ex Wunderlich and Ishikawa. With 1993 and 1998 P.F. certificates.
6c Ultramarine (115). Horizontal pair, original gum, lightly hinged, radiant color, unusually choice centering
EXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN ABSOLUTELY STUNNING ORIGINAL-GUM PAIR OF THE 6-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE. THIS MAY WELL BE THE FINEST CENTERING IN ANY MULTIPLE.
Multiples of the 6c tend to be off-center, and many have perfs touching or into the design. The pair offered here, which has been off the market since a June 1988 Steve Ivy sale, is a notable exception.
With 1986 P.F. and 2009 P.S.E. certificates.
15c Brown & Blue, Ty. II (119). Mint N.H., deep rich colors and proof-like impressions on bright paper, wide margins
EXTREMELY FINE. AN INCREDIBLY RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 15-CENT TYPE II 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE.
We have offered only three other Mint N.H. singles since 1994, and the P.F. has certified only three. Large multiples of this issue do exist, and we have surveyed or sold most of them. Several contain Mint N.H. examples, but they are invariably off-center. Most of the blocks containing Mint N.H. stamps are significantly off-center, with perfs at least touching or well into the designs. The one exception is a left selvage block of 20 which contains eight Mint N.H. stamps, last offered in our 2018 sale of the Wingate collection. This is unlikely to be broken as it usually forms the linchpin of a great 1869 Pictorial or classic block collection, and is in such a collection today.
1984 P.F. certificate 133527 no longer accompanies. With 1999 and 2016 P.F. certificates. SCV as hinged $2,750 is not an accurate indicator of value.
30c Ultramarine & Carmine, Without Grill (121a). Original gum inaccurately described on certificate as "large part o.g." (it is full), deep rich colors and detailed impressions beautiful centering with unusually wide and balanced margins
EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE WITHOUT GRILL, GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. — THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED AND THE ONLY EXAMPLE TO ACHIEVE THIS GRADE.
With 2004 P.S.E. certificate (POG, XF-Superb 95). The Without Grill varieties are unpriced in SMQ.