Sale 1347 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Thursday-Friday, 6-7 March, 2025
Category — Special Delivery thru Parcel Post
10c Blue, Special Delivery (E2). Wide top left corner block of ten with "AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY" imprint and "No. 552" plate number, stamps Mint N.H., lightly hinged only in gummed part of selvage, choice centering with wide margins, deep rich color and proof-like impression
A MAGNIFICENT PLATE BLOCK OF TEN OF THE 10-CENT 1888 SPECIAL DELIVERY ISSUE WITH EXTRA WIDE TOP SELVAGE.
The second Special Delivery stamp, Scott E2, was made from two plates — numbered 552 and 73. Plate 552 was made first and was numbered in the series of 1882; Plate 73 was numbered in the series of 1890. There are perhaps ten known of the 1888 Issue, Scott E2, of which about half come from top positions. The same plates were used to print the Orange Special Delivery issue, Scott E3, which was issued in conjunction with the 1893 Columbian Issue. The plate block offered here is one of the finest we have ever encountered.
Ex "Southern Cross" and Gross. With 1983 P.F. certificate. Scott value as a hinged plate block and two Mint N.H. singles.
10c Blue, Special Delivery (E4). Wide top part imprint single, stamp Mint N.H., h.r. in selvage, deep rich color, wide margins, Very Fine, with 2018 P.S.E. certificate
10c Blue, Special Delivery (E4). Disturbed original gum, enormous Jumbo margins, choice color on fresh paper, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2006 P.F. certificate as "redistributed original gum", 2007 P.S.E. certificate as regummed no longer accompanies — we disagree with P.S.E. on this — if it were regummed the gum wouldn't look disturbed like this
10c Blue, Special Delivery (E4). Wide top imprint and plate no. 77 block of six, original gum, lightly hinged, few rejoined perf separations between top left and bottom left stamps
FINE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER BLOCK OF SIX OF THE 10-CENT 1894 UNWATERMARKED BUREAU SPECIAL DELIVERY ISSUE. VERY FEW PLATE BLOCKS ARE KNOWN.
Each of the first four Special Delivery Issues (E1-E4) is rare in plate block form. There are perhaps a dozen known of the 1894 Issue, E4. Only one plate number was used for this issue — Plate 77. With 2009 P.F. certificate.
10c Ultramarine, Special Delivery (E6). Top imprint and plate no. 5243-09 block of six, lightly hinged, rich color on bright paper, fresh and Fine
10c Green, Special Delivery (E7). Mint N.H. top imprint and plate no. 4920 block of six, rich color, well-balanced margins, Very Fine plate block
10c Ultramarine, Special Delivery (E8). Top imprint and plate no. 5535 block of six, original gum, top center stamp and top center selvage previously hinged, other five stamps and selvage Mint N.H., deep rich color, choice centering, left stamps natural perf disc impressions, Extremely Fine, with 2007 P.F. certificate
10c Ultramarine, Special Delivery (E9, E11). Left imprint and plate no. 5520 blocks of eight, original gum, lightly hinged, bright colors, No. E9 with natural vertical gum skip on two, No. E11 with natural gum bends
FINE-VERY FINE. THE SIDE IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER BLOCKS OF EIGHT OF THESE SPECIAL DELIVERY ISSUES ARE EXTREMELY RARE.
The side imprint and plate blocks are rarer than other positions for one simple reason: on the sides the imprint stretches across four stamps, rather than three. Therefore, in order to get the full imprint at sides, this issue needs to be collected as a plate block of eight.
Ex Todd and our 2009 Rarities sale. Both are listed but unpriced in Scott. Scott does list No. E9a as a side plate block of eight, for $6,500.
2c-$2.00 Offices in China (K1-K18). Complete set including both 16c and 24c shades, original gum except 18c regummed, a couple are Mint N.H., No. K18 crease, overall Fine-Very Fine
2c-$2.00 Offices in China (K1-K18). Including two of K17 (one Mint N.H. with 2001 P.F. certificate), others original gum, mostly h.r., bright colors, Fine-Very Fine set
1c-90c Post Office (O47-O56, O108). Including two 1c, the 6c and 12c Mint N.H., others original gum with some lightly hinged, each with far better centering than normally seen, Very Fine-Extremely Fine set, each with P.F. certificate from 1979-2005
$5.00 Green & Black, State (O69). Disturbed original gum, h.r., crisp impression, small thins, Fine appearance, with 2018 P.F. certificate
$20.00 Green & Black, State (O71). Original gum, detailed impression
VERY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $20.00 STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL.
Small red backstamp just shows thru at bottom left (not noted on certificates). With 1986 Brettl and 2020 P.S.A.G. certificate.
30c Brown, Treasury, Soft Paper (O112). Original gum, h.r. at top, light horizontal crease along the top perfs, appears Fine, with 1997 P.F. certificate, this is only the second original gum example we have offered in eight years
3c Ultramarine, Navy, Specimen Ovpt. (O37S). Without gum as issued, bright shade, fresh and Fine, only 126 sold
1c-90c State, Specimen Ovpt. (O57S-O60S, O62S-O67S). Without gum as issued, rich colors, few small faults, Fine-Very Fine
5c-25c 1875 Special Printing of 1865 Newspapers & Periodicals Issue, Imperforate (PR5 var-PR7 var). Without gum as issued, large margins, brilliant colors
EXTREMELY FINE. A RARE AND DESIRABLE SET OF THE 1875 CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING OF THE 1865 FIRST NEWSPAPERS & PERIODICALS ISSUE.
According to the Scott Catalogue, the Continental Bank Note Co. made a second special printing from new plates, which did not have the colored border but did have the National Bank Note Co. imprint in the bottom inner line. They exist both perforated and imperforate, and were not regularly issued. Each with 2006 P.S.E. certificate.
1c-$60.00 1894 Special Printing of 1875-85 Newspapers & Periodicals Issue, Perforated (PR14 var, PR57var-PR62var, PR71var-PR72var, PR74var, PR76var-PR79var, PR81var, PR83var-PR86var, PR88var-PR89var). Privately perforated and gummed, complete set of all 25 denominations (including the 9c 1875 Issue), most h.r.
FINE-VERY FINE. A RARE COMPLETE SET OF THE 1875-1885 NEWSPAPERS & PERIODICALS FROM THE 1894 SPECIAL PRINTING AUTHORIZED BY THE BUREAU OF ENGRAVING & PRINTING — THE SO-CALLED "COLMAN" SPECIAL PRINTING.
In 1894 the Bureau of Engraving & Printing ordered a set of Newspapers & Periodicals stamps from the American Bank Note Co. to serve as samples. The stamps were printed from the original Continental Bank Note Co. plates, including all denominations--the 1c was issued only by ABNC, in 1885, and the 9c was discontinued when the 1879 Issue was printed. A Washington D.C. land office agent and philatelist, Hamilton F. Colman, obtained a set of imperforate panes of 50 from the wife of Capt. Thomas C. Munce, chief of the U.S. Post Office Department Stamp Division. Colman kept five sets imperforate and privately perforated the other 45. Colman was indicted in 1897 for illegal possession of these stamps, but was acquitted (see William E. Mooz, "The Year 1894 and Newspaper Stamps", Chronicle 239).
Each with 2009 or 2016 P.F. certificate.
1c-$100.00 1895-97 Watermarked Issue (PR114-PR125). Mint N.H. except $100.00 possibly hinged at lower right, fresh colors, choice centering, Extremely Fine Gems, a superb set, ex "Silver Lake" and Inman
1c-$1.00 Carmine Rose, Parcel Post, 1c-25c Dark Green, Parcel Post Postage Due (Q1-Q12, JQ1-JQ5). Complete sets of both, original gum, several Mint N.H. including Nos. Q1, Q2, Q4 (gum crease) and JQ3-JQ4, the 50c No. Q10 has huge balanced margins but a slightly nibbed perf (with clear P.S.E. certificate), overall Very Fine sets