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-PSE Set Registry #1 All-Time Finest Set
30c Ultramarine & Carmine (121). Original gum, lightly hinged, bright and fresh colors, perfectly centered with wide margins all around
EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SPECTACULAR ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL IN THE FINEST CONDITION ATTAINABLE. THIS MARVELOUS STAMP HAS BEEN AWARDED THE GRADE OF XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. — THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED.
The rarity of centered original-gum examples of the 30c 1869 with grill is somewhat obscured by the availability of off-center copies of the 30c with and without grill. If the scope were narrowed to Scott 121 only, in the grade of Extremely Fine, we estimate that fewer than 25 examples would be counted. Among the qualifying stamps, this is without a doubt one of the finest two or three.
With 1986 and 2002 P.F. certificates. With 2015 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, XF-Superb 95). This is the highest grade awarded and it is shared by only one other (we have never offered it).
