Sale 1367 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Thursday, 9-11 December, 2025
Category — Officials Special Printings
1c-30c Agriculture, Specimen Ovpt. (O1S-O9S). Complete set, without gum as issued, several well-centered, a couple values with perf flaws, a few other small faults, Fine-Very Fine appearance
(Image Magnifier)2c Yellow, Agriculture, "Sepcimen" Error (O2Sa). Without gum as issued, brilliant color, fresh and Fine, rare with only 19 recorded in our census, ex Mooz
(Image Magnifier)1c Violet Rose, Executive, Soft Porous Paper, Specimen Ovpt. (O10xS). Four blocks of four, without gum as issued, two probably formed a block of eight and are hinged together (inaccurately), right block in this multiple with bottom right corner selvage, Fine-Very Fine, also two additional blocks, both with h.r. reinforcing perf separations, bottom pair in one light crease, some perf toning in the other, appear Fine-Very Fine, ex Mooz, Scott value as four blocks of four
(Image Magnifier)1c-90c Interior, Specimen Ovpt. (O15S-O24S). Complete set, without gum as issued, bright colors, some scissors-separation, three reperfed
FINE APPEARANCE. THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT SET IS ONE OF THE TWO RAREST OFFICIAL SPECIAL PRINTING SETS TO THE 90-CENT VALUE.
Of the 3c to 90c values, between 75 and 88 were sold, for a total of 635 stamps, making the Interior Department set one of the two rarest of the 1c-90c Special Printings (the Treasury Department has 646 sold, excluding the 7c). Six with P.F. certificates.
(Image Magnifier)6c Vermilion, Interior, Specimen Ovpt. (O18S). Without gum as issued, attractive centering and margins, fresh and Very Fine, only 83 sold, with 2003 P.F. certificate
12c Vermilion, Interior, Specimen Ovpt. (O20S). Without gum as issued, brilliant color, well-centered with complete perfs all around but reperfed at left, Very Fine appearance, the 12c and the 30c are the rarest of the Interior Department Special Printings, with only 75 of each sold, ex Mooz, with 2023 P.F. certificate
1c-90c Justice, Specimen Ovpt. (O25S-O34S). Complete set, without gum as issued, most with intact perforations, a few small faults, 10c reperfed, 24c privately gummed and color slightly faded, Fine-Very Fine appearance, the sold quantities of the 3c-90c denominations in this set range from from 150-178, 6c and 15c each with 2013 P.F. certificate
(Image Magnifier)1c Purple, Justice, "Sepcimen" Error (O25Sa). Sharp impression on fresh paper, two tiny violet handstamps on back do not show thru, Very Fine, only 30 recorded in our census, from the Nathanael Greene collection, 1976 P.F. certificate no longer accompanies, with 2025 P.S.E. certificate
1c Purple, Justice, "Sepcimen" Error (O25Sa). Without gum as issued, bright color, trace of a diagonal crease at top left only visible in fluid, appears Very Fine, only 30 recorded in our census, with 2001 P.F. certificate
6c Justice, Specimen Ovpt. (O28S). Without gum as issued, incredibly well-centered with full perforations, tiny surface scrapes are barely noticeable, Extremely Fine appearance, scarce with such choice centering, only 163 sold, with 2006 P.F. certificate
10c Purple, Justice, Specimen Ovpt. (O29S). Without gum as issued, detailed impression on bright paper, choice centering, Very Fine, only 163 sold, with 2005 P.F. certificate
12c Purple, Justice, Specimen Ovpt. (O30S). Without gum as issued, brilliant color, wide and beautifully balanced margins, especially at top and bottom, Extremely Fine, a premium example of this Special Printing, only 154 sold
15c Purple, Justice, Specimen Ovpt. (O31S). Without gum as issued, bright color, fresh and Fine, only 157 sold, with 2006 P.F. certificate
1c-90c Navy, Official, Specimen Ovpt. (O35S-O37S, O39S-O45S). Set less the 6c value, without gum as issued, fresh colors, mostly intact perforations, a few small faults, three value reperfed, Fine-Very Fine appearance, the Navy Official Specimens are scarce, just 102 of the 90c were sold, 3c, 24c, and 30c each with 1999 P.F. certificate, 12c with 2009 A.P.S. certificate
(Image Magnifier)1c Ultramarine, Navy, "Sepcimen" Error (O35Sa). Without gum as issued, three wide wide margins, small thin spot at upper right, appears Very Fine, only 35 recorded in our census, ex Mooz
3c Ultramarine, Navy, Specimen Ovpt. (O37S). Without gum as issued, wide margins and bright color, slightly nibbed perfs at right not mentioned on certificate, Very Fine appearance, only 126 sold
7c Navy, Specimen Ovpt. (O39S). Without gum as issued, wonderfully fresh and Very Fine, choice quality for this
10c Ultramarine, Navy, Specimen Ovpt. (O40S). Without gum as issued, vivid color, fresh and Fine, only 112 sold, with 2003 P.F. certificate
15c Ultramarine, Navy, Specimen Ovpt. (O42S). Without gum as issued, bright color and paper, fresh and Fine, only 107 sold, with 2003 P.F. certificate
24c Ultramarine, Navy, Specimen Ovpt. (O43S). Without gum as issued, exceptional depth of color, excellent centering especially for this difficult issue, Very Fine and choice, only 106 sold, with 2007 P.S.E. certificate
1c-90c Post Office, Specimen Ovpt. (O47S-O56S). Complete set, without gum as issued, scissors-separating causes some perf flaws, otherwise most are sound, the Post Office set ranks third in rarity among the 1c to 90c complete set Official Special Printings, with no more than 81 sets possible, five values each with P.F. certificate
(Image Magnifier)1c Black, Post Office, "Sepcimen" Error (O47Sa). Without gum as issued, straight edge at left, small corner crease at bottom left, otherwise Fine, only 17 recorded in our census, ex Mooz
1c Black, Post Office, Specimen Ovpt., Inverted Ovpt. (O47Sb). Without gum as issued, well-centered, couple slightly short perfs in top left corner, appears Very Fine, this is the only invert error among the Officials Special Printings, although the 1c Post Office stamps were printed from a 200-subject plate, the sheets were divided into panes of 100 before overprinting, therefore, only 100 of the inverted "Specimen" overprints could have been produced and we do not know how many were sold, only a small fraction of the number printed has been located, ex Mooz
3c Black, Post Office, Specimen Ovpt. (O49S). Without gum as issued, unusually well-centered for this issue with wide margins, scissors-separated at left but perfs are present, Very Fine and choice, with 2005 P.F. certificate
10c Black, Post Office, Specimen Ovpt. (O51S). Without gum as issued, outstanding centering and margins for this, intense shade, Extremely Fine, only 177 sold
10c Black, Post Office, Specimen Ovpt. (O51S). Without gum as issued, huge margins and well-centered, perfs scissors-separated at top but present, Extremely Fine, only 177 sold, with 2006 P.F. certificate
10c Black, Post Office, Specimen Ovpt. (O51S). Without gum as issued, crisp impression, wide margins, Very Fine, only 177 sold, ex Fekete
12c Black, Post Office, Specimen Ovpt. (O52S). Without gum as issued, intense shade, fresh and Fine, only 93 sold, with 2001 P.F. certificate
12c Black, Post Office, Specimen Ovpt. (O52S). Without gum as issued, intense shade and impression, Fine, only 93 sold, ex Fekete
90c Black, Post Office, Specimen Ovpt. (O56S). Without gum as issued, intense shade, wide right margin, Fine, only 82 of the 90c Post Office Special Printing were sold, making it the second scarcest denomination of the set, with 2003 P.F. certificate
1c-90c State, Specimen Ovpt. (O57S-O67S). Without gum as issued, fresh colors, mostly intact perforations, some small faults, Fine-Very Fine appearance, 1c with 2006 P.S.E. certificate
(Image Magnifier)1c Yellow Green, State, Soft Porous Paper, Specimen Ovpt. (O57xS). American Bank Note Co. printing, block of four with selvage at left, without gum as issued, mixed font with the overprint showing variation in the size of letters, rich color and attractive centering, reinforced perf separations including most of the horizontal perfs, Fine, ex Mooz
2c Bluish Green, State, "Sepcimen" Error (O58Sa). Without gum as issued, small thin spot, Fine appearance and very scarce, from the Nathanael Greene collection, only 23 recorded in our census
(Image Magnifier)1c-90c Treasury, Specimen Ovpt. (O72S-O82S). Complete set, without gum as issued, rich colors, some scissors-separations, but mostly intact perfs, small faults, 90c completely sound, Fine-Very Fine appearance, only 72 of the 90c were sold — the lowest among all the 1c-90c Special Printings, meaning no more than 72 complete Treasury sets can exist, between 74 to 99 of the other values were sold (excluding the common 1c and the slightly more available 2c and 7c), for a total of 646 stamps, this makes the Treasury Department Special Printing one of the two rarest sets overall of the 1c to 90c issues, along with the Interior Department, which has 635 sold, six values with P.F. certificate
(Image Magnifier)15c Dark Brown, Treasury, Specimen Ovpt. (O79S). Without gum as issued, intense shade and impression, perfs scissors-separated at top but intact, Very Fine, only 75 sold, ex Inman
1c-90c War, Specimen Ovpt. (O83S-O93S). Complete set, without gum as issued, attractive colors, most with intact perforations, mixed condition, some with faults to varying degree, Fine-Very Fine appearance, other than the 1c, 2c and 7c values, between 104 and 119 copies of the War Department Special Printings were sold (the 30c has the smallest sale quantity with 104)
(Image Magnifier)2c Deep Rose, War, Specimen Ovpt. (O84S). Block of four, without gum as issued, rich color, fresh and Very Fine, ex Golden
7c War, "Sepcimen" Error (O87Sa). Without gum as issued, rich color, three wide margins, in at top, light horizontal crease and few ink stained perfs at top
FINE APPEARING AND RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 7-CENT WAR DEPARTMENT SPECIAL PRINTING WITH THE "SEPCIMEN" OVERPRINT ERROR. ONE OF ONLY THREE EXAMPLES RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS.
Only 539 copies of the 7c War Special Printing were sold, but it is not known how the stamps were taken from the sheets or if full sheets were exhausted before breaking a subsequent sheet. If full sheets were used, then only seven errors were sold. We record only three examples. The other two are ex Mooz (Framingham find, slight fading and a nibbed perf, Sale 1274, lot 824) and ex "Adventurer" (Extremely Fine and sound, Sale 1277, lot 2499).
Ex Stone, Dr. Lobdell and Inman. With 2010 P.F. certificate.
24c Deep Rose, War, Specimen Ovpt. (O91S). Without gum as issued, brilliant color, choice balanced margins
EXTREMELY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE SCARCE 24-CENT WAR DEPARTMENT SPECIAL PRINTING.
Only 106 were sold and this is one of the finest extant.
From the Nathanael Greene collection. Ex "Adventurer". With 2019 P.F. certificate.
Official Specimen Ovpts., Balance. 28 stamps covering a range of Departments including some specialty items, most were purchased at auction individually, a few small flaws to be found but overall Fine-Very Fine with many sound, several certificates accompany, Scott value approximately $7,000
