Sale 1309 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Saturday, 10 February, 2024
Category — Back of the Book Issues
16c Green, 1918 Air Post (C2). Mint N.H., brilliant color, detailed impression, perfectly centered with wide margins, Extremely Fine Gem, a gorgeous stamp, P.S.E. Encapsulated (Superb 98), only two grade higher
16c Green, 1918 Air Post (C2). Bright color and wide margins, New York registry oval cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2017 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95)
24c Carmine, 1923 Air Post (C6). Bright color and balanced margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2014 P.S.A.G. certificate (95)
15c Map, Air Post (C8). Mint N.H., deep shade and detailed impression, mathematically perfect centering, Extremely Fine Gem, P.S.E. Encapsulated (Gem 100), only two grade higher
65c Green, Graf Zeppelin (C13). Bright color, attractive centering, Very Fine and choice, with 2007 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, VF-XF 85)
10c Blue, Special Delivery (E2). Wide balanced margins, duplex cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2019 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95), five at this grade and only three higher
10c Green, Special Delivery (E7). Bright color, well-centered, partial duplex cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2019 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95), seven at this grade and just four higher
10c Ultramarine, Special Delivery (E9). Original gum, bright color, wide and well balanced margins, Extremely Fine, with 1987 and 2021 P.F. certificates (XF 90)
10c Ultramarine, Special Delivery, "Pink Back" (E11 var). Mint N.H., gorgeous color, wide margins and choice centering, Extremely Fine, with 2022 P.F. certificate (XF 90), a footnote in Scott states that Pink Backs are "valued at approximately five times more than the normal stamp", Scott value as normal
20c Black, Special Delivery (E19). Mint N.H., intense shade and proof-like impression, choice centering with unusually wide and balanced margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2012 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98)
2c on 1c Green, Offices in China (K1). Mint N.H. left and right plate nos. 8431 and 13318 blocks of six, rich color, right plate block with natural gum bends in top row, Very Fine, ex "Magnolia"
4c on 2c Rose, Offices in China (K2). Right plate no. 13440 block of six, exceptional centering throughout, deep rich color, Extremely Fine, a lovely plate block, ex "Magnolia"
6c on 3c Violet, Offices in China (K3). Mint N.H. right plate no. 8868 block of 20, rich color, Fine-Very Fine, an attractive large format plate block, Scott value as plate block of six and 14 singles, ex "Magnolia"
8c on 4c Brown, Offices in China (K4). Mint N.H. bottom plate no. 8497 block of 16, narrow selvage which cuts into the plate number but it is still identifiable, rich color, bottom two rows natural gum bends, Fine, Scott value as plate block of six and ten singles, ex "Magnolia"
12c on 6c Red Orange, Offices in China (K6). Mint N.H., bright color, beautiful centering, barest trace of oxidation not present on certificate, Very Fine and choice, with 2002 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (VF-XF 85)
14c on 7c Black, Offices in China (K7). Top plate no. 8899 block of six, tropicalized original gum, choice margins and centering, Very Fine-Extremely Fine, ex "Magnolia"
14c on 7c Black, Offices in China (K7). Right plate no. 8490 block of six, tropicalized original gum, small rust spots at staple holes, Fine-Very Fine, ex "Magnolia"
16c on 8c Olive Green, Offices in China (K8a). Mint N.H. bottom plate no. 7742 block of six, deep rich color, Fine, ex "Magnolia"
20c on 10c Orange Yellow, Offices in China (K10). Mint N.H. right plate no. 8437 block of six, rich color, Fine-Very Fine, ex "Magnolia"
20c on 10c Orange Yellow, Offices in China (K10). Bottom plate no. 8438 block of six, original gum, five stamps Mint N.H., deep rich color, well-centered, Very Fine-Extremely Fine, a lovely plate block, ex "Magnolia"
24c on 12c Claret Brown, Offices in China (K11a). Narrow left plate no. 10623 block of six, original gum, three stamps hinge remnant and three Mint N.H., dark color and well-centered, pos. 3 small thin spot, appears Very Fine, ex "Whitpain" and "Magnolia"
30c on 15c Gray, Offices in China (K12). Top plate no. F12590 block of six, original gum, four side stamps Mint N.H., top center stamp small hinge remnant and bottom center stamp with small thin spot from an adherence, excellent centering throughout, Extremely Fine appearance, a Power Search review reveals how elusive this issue is as a top plate block, apart from the examples offered in this sale, since 1993 we have offered only three others, despite the small thin spot on one stamp this is a beautiful centered example, ex "Magnolia"
40c on 20c Deep Ultramarine, Offices in China (K13). Bottom plate no. 12595 block of six, original gum, center stamps h.r., other four stamps Mint N.H., brilliant color, natural narrow selvage just into plate no., Fine-Very Fine, an attractive and scarce bottom plate block, this is the only example we have offered since before 2009, ex "Whitpain" and "Magnolia", Scott value as singles
40c on 20c Deep Ultramarine, Offices in China (K13). Left and right plate no. blocks of six, left plate no. 12595, original gum, bottom four stamps Mint N.H., top pair with slight gum stain on back which barely shows thru the perfs on front, appears Fine, right plate no. 6938, original gum, h.r. on top and bottom stamps, center stamps Mint N.H., faint thin spot in ungummed portion of selvage only, Fine, ex "Magnolia"
2c on 1c Green, Offices in China (K17). Left plate no. 10600 block of six with shifted overprint, "Shanghai" well into the left stamps and selvage at left, tropicalized original gum, Fine and rare combination of a Durland-listed "scarce" plate number and a dramatic overprint shift, ex "Magnolia"
2c on 1c Green, Offices in China (K17). Two top plate no. blocks of six, first plate no. 10595, original gum, gum skips throughout or perhaps a bit of gum loss on a couple stamps, Fine, second plate no. 10600, original gum, one stamp barely hinged and the others Mint N.H., one with gum skip, Fine, ex "Magnolia"
10c Yellow, Agriculture (O5). Original gum, h.r. at top, brilliant color, well-centered with Jumbo margins, Extremely Fine, with 2021 P.F. certificate (XF 90 Jumbo)
$2.00 Green & Black, State (O68). Slightly disturbed original gum, rich color, choice centering for this difficult issue, Very Fine, ex "Adventurer", with 1979 and 1980 P.F. certificate as original gum
10c Brown, Treasury (O77). Mint N.H. block of four, deep rich color, top right stamp with natural gum wrinkles, Fine, ex "World Traveler", with 2022 P.F. certificate incorrectly locating the wrinkles on the top left stamp and also calling them "natural paper wrinkles" (there is no evidence of them on the front so we go with gum wrinkles), Scott value as singles
15c Brown, Treasury (O79). Block of four, original gum, slightly glazed on bottom pair, top pair much less evident but we conservatively call that pair hinged as well, rich color, Fine
2c Rose, War (O84). Block of four, original gum, lightly hinged, bright color, bottom pair Very Fine, top pair Fine, with 2021 P.F. certificate
10c Dark Bluish Green, 1875 Reprint (PR6). Without gum as issued, outstanding centering and margins, deep rich color, Extremely Fine, with 2004 P.F. and 2005 P.S.E. certificates (VF-XF 85), one other stamp shares this grade and just five grade higher
50c Carmine, 1895 Watermarked Issue (PR119). Bright color and wonderfully balanced margins, neat circular cancel, Extremely Fine, with 2014 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90), this is the highest grade awarded to a used example of this stamp and is shared by just two others
$2.00 Scarlet, 1895 Watermarked Issue (PR120). Vibrant color, gorgeous centering, orange bars cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, ex Gorham
$5.00 Dark Blue, 1895 Watermarked Issue (PR121). Deep rich color on bright paper, wide and balanced margins, cork cancel, Extremely Fine, ex Gorham, with 2003 P.F. certificate
$10.00 Green, 1895 Watermarked Issue (PR122). Rich color, purple cancel, choice centering, Extremely Fine, ex Gorham, with 2006 P.F. certificate (XF 90)
$10.00 Green, 1895 Watermarked Issue (PR122). Neat pen cancel, rich color and attractive margins, Very Fine, with 2020 P.S.E. certificate (VF 80), just two others at this grade and three higher
$20.00 Slate, 1895 Watermarked Issue (PR123). Intense shade and impression, extra wide margins, circular cancel, Extremely Fine, with 2012 P.F. certificate (XF 90 XQ)
$50.00 Dull Rose, 1895 Watermarked Issue (PR124). Mint N.H. with top right corner selvage (lightly hinged in selvage only), vibrant color, Very Fine and choice, with 2006 P.F. certificate (VF-XF 85)
$100.00 Purple, 1895 Watermarked Issue (PR125). Choice centering and margins, deep rich color, neat circular cancel, fresh and Extremely Fine, with 2012 P.F. certificate (XF 90)
1c Carmine Rose, Parcel Post (Q1). Vibrant color, huge balanced margins, neat strike of Penn. Term. Sta. New York mute double oval cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2019 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo)
25c Carmine Rose, Parcel Post (Q9). Rich color and wide balanced margins, neat Chicago mute double oval, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2017 P.S.A.G. certificate (95)
50c Carmine Rose, Parcel Post (Q10). Bold color, neat Boston double oval registry cancel, Extremely Fine, with 2012 P.F. certificate (XF 90)
$1.00 Carmine Rose, Parcel Post (Q12). Deep color, wide balanced margins, New York registry oval cancel, Extremely Fine, with 2008 P.F. certificate (XF 90)
Confederate States, 10c Greenish Blue, Die A (11c). Mint N.H., vibrant color, wide margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2015 P.F. certificate (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo)