Sale 1297 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Thursday, 31 October-2 November, 2023
Category — 1922-38 Issues (Scott 551-834)
15c Gray (566). Mint N.H., radiant color and detailed impression, essentially perfect centering, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2007 and 2013 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98), only eleven grade higher
20c Carmine Rose (567). Mint N.H., brilliant color, perfectly centered with Jumbo margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2007 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98 Jumbo)
30c Olive Brown, Double Transfer (569 var). Mint N.H. pair, the left stamp showing large double transfer at lower right — easily visible without a glass, Fine and elusive variety, with 2020 P.S.E. certificate, listed but unpriced in Scott
$2.00 Deep Blue (572). Mint N.H., outstanding centering, deep shade on bright white paper, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2020 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98), only eight grade higher
$5.00 Carmine & Blue (573). Mint N.H. with wide top selvage, brilliant colors on fresh paper, outstanding centering and wide margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2013 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98), only three stamps grade higher (one at 98J, two at 100)
$5.00 Carmine & Blue (573). Mint N.H. arrow, marker, and double plate nos. 14326/14327 block of 20 with selvage at both sides, rich colors, choice centering, few light natural gum wrinkles, bottom left stamp small natural gum skip is inconsequential
EXTREMELY FINE. AN ATTRACTIVE MINT NEVER-HINGED PLATE BLOCK CONTAINING THE ENTIRE TOP TWO ROWS OF THE PLATE.
Scott value as plate block of eight and twelve singles.
1c Green, Imperforate (575). Pair, huge margins all around including sheet margin at right and parts of five adjoining stamps, neat 1929 Benton Harbor Mich. machine cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, ex Helton, with 2013 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100), only three grade higher, we are left wondering why this wasn't awarded the Jumbo designation
7c Black, Perf 10 (588). Mint N.H., beautifully centered, intense shade, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2017 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95)
1c Green, Rotary, Perf 11 (594). Part original gum, straight edge at top which most recent cert calls "natural", thinned
FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXTREMELY RARE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT ROTARY PERF 11 ISSUE, SCOTT 594. THIS IS ONE OF THE RAREST 20TH CENTURY STAMPS IN UNUSED CONDITION.
The 1c Green, Scott 594, is waste from a horizontal rotary printing used to make coils. At the beginning or end of a coil-stamp print run from the 170-subject rotary plates, some leading or trailing paper was produced that was too short for rolling into 500-stamp rolls. In 1919 the Bureau devised a plan to salvage this waste by perforating and cutting the sheets into panes. They were put through the 11-gauge flat-plate perforator in use at the time, giving the sheets full perforations on all sides. The existence of Scott 594 was not reported until four months after the final sheets were delivered, and the 1c Rotary Perf 11 was soon recognized as one of the rarest United States stamps.
Our census of unused examples of Scott 594, available at our website at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/594, contains only 19 stamps. Of these only 11 have any gum, and three of those have perforated initials of Crowell Publishing Co. of Springfield, Ohio, which some collectors regard as equivalent to a cancel.
Census no. 594-OG-11. With 1959 P.F. and 2010 P.S.E. certificates.
3c Violet, Coil (600). Mint N.H. pair, outstanding centering and margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2007 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98), only two pairs grade higher
1½c Yellow Brown, Coil (605). Mint N.H. pair, bright color, fresh and Extremely Fine, with 2023 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98), only five grade higher (all at 100)
1c Dark Green, Huguenot-Walloon (614). Beautiful centering with unusually wide and balanced margins, neat strike of "Address Your Mail to Street and Number" slogan machine cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, ex "Natalee Grace", with 2007 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98), only two grade higher
5c Dark Blue, Lexington-Concord (619). Brilliant color on bright paper, wide margins and precise centering, light cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, a superb stamp, with 2010 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98), only one grades higher (at 98J, though this seems every bit as Jumbo as that example)
2c Carmine & Black, Norse-American (620). Wide margins and precise centering, wavy-line machine cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2018 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98), this is the highest grade awarded to a used Scott 620 and it is shared by only two others
WITHDRAWN
Presumed Fake
2c Carmine Rose, White Plains Souvenir Sheet (630). Mint N.H., rich color, unusually choice centering, Extremely Fine Gem
1½c Yellow Brown, Rotary Press Imperforate, Without Gum Breaker Ridges (631 var). Cross gutter block of sixteen, original gum, h.r., large margins, Very Fine, Scott value just for hinged center block without premium for the additional stamps
2c Carmine, Ty. II (634A). Mint N.H., intense shade and impression, fresh and Very Fine, with 1999 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine Rose, Aeronautics (649). Wide margins and near perfect centering, bright and fresh, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2017 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98), only four used examples grade higher
WITHDRAWN
Presumed Fake
5c Blue, Aeronautics (650). Perfect centering, pretty violet machine cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, ex Helton, with 2015 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98)
4c Yellow Brown, Kans. Ovpt. (662). Mint N.H., rich color, choice centering with balanced margins, Extremely Fine Gem, ex "Alan", with 2014 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98)
8c Olive Green, Kans. Ovpt. (666). Mint N.H. block of four, deep rich color, detailed impression, gorgeous centering, Extremely Fine and attractive, Scott value as singles
9c Light Rose, Nebr. Ovpt. (678). Mint N.H., outstanding centering, wonderfully bright and fresh, Extremely Fine Gem, ex "Clipper City", with 2007 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98), only five grade higher (highest is 100)
50c Red Lilac (701). Mint N.H., excellent centering, bright pastel color, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2007 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98)
2c Carmine Rose & Black, Yorktown (703). Mint N.H., bright color and detailed impression, mathematically perfect centering, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2006 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100), only two grade higher and two others share this perfect grade
10c Gray Black, National Parks (749). Mathematically perfect centering with wide margins, corner strike of cancel leaves design fully visible, Extremely Fine Gem, a perfect used example, with 2020 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100; unpriced in SMQ), this is the highest grade awarded and it is shared by only two others
WITHDRAWN
Presumed Fake
1c-10c National Parks, Imperforate (756-765). Complete set of singles with huge margins on all sides, including portions of adjoining stamps and six with portions of the plate number, Extremely Fine Gems, each with 2010 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100; total SMQ $800)
3c Presidential, Booklet (BK102, BK103). Four intact booklets, including one stapled at right with all four panes and cover miscut (with 2012 P.F. certificate), three of BK102 with thick cover, Very Fine and scarce group for the specialist
30c Deep Blue, Presidential (830b). Mint N.H. top left plate no. 22165 block of four, exceptionally rich color in the rare Deep Blue shade, choice centering
EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE PLATE BLOCK OF THE 30-CENT PRESIDENTIAL IN THE DEEP BLUE SHADE.
According to The Prexies by Roland Rustad, in a report in the American Philatelist President Franklin Roosevelt was presented with two 30c sheets, one in this Deep Blue shade and the other in Ultramarine. He chose the Ultramarine for the issued stamp, and the Blue sheet was taken back to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing for destruction. A block of four was saved for President Roosevelt, a known stamp collector. Since then, other examples in the Deep Blue shade have surfaced.
With 2021 P.F. certificate.
$1.00 Bright Magenta & Black, Presidential (832g). Brilliant color in this distinct shade, well-centered, double oval cancel at top, Very Fine and choice, with 2023 P.S.E. certificate (VF-XF 85; unpriced in SMQ), this is the highest grade awarded to a used example and it is shared by one other
$1.00-$5.00 Presidential (832-834). Mint N.H. top plate blocks of four, each with three different signatures of designers and engravers in the selvage, $1.00 block with long natural gum skip, Very Fine and an outstanding set for the Presidential collector