Lot 296
1901, 4¢ Pan-American, center inverted (296a), extraordinarily well centered for the 4¢ invert with exceptionally bright and fresh colors and full original gum, Extremely Fine and choice. SSV $750,000.
Scott $75,000+
AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE STAMP IN SOUND, WELL CENTERED CONDITION WITH FULL, UNDISTURBED ORIGINAL GUM, THIS IS, IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, THE FINEST 4¢ PAN-AMERICAN INVERT EXTANT. THERE IS ONLY ONE OTHER EXAMPLE GRADED XF 90 (BY PSE) AND THERE ARE NONE HIGHER.
Expertization: 2002 & 2012 PF Certificates, the latter graded XF 90.
Provenance: Drucker, Gorham
The 4¢ Pan-American invert, unlike the 1¢ and 2¢ was printed intentionally and was never intended for release to the public. While up to 100 examples were distributed unofficially, many of these were overprinted "Specimen". Another group of about 100 were later traded to philatelists for other stamps needed for the collection of the National Museum. This second group came from a sheet that had been stuck down to a backing sheet by the Post Office Department when they decided to make it part of their archives. This is why the large majority of non-Specimen overprints have disturbed gum. There are probably fewer than ten mint examples with the perforations clearing the design, that still maintain their full undisturbed original gum, making these examples the rarest of all the 20th century inverts in similar quality
The Scott Catalogue value for the 4¢ Invert, like that of the 2¢ is for "examples with full original gum that is slightly disturbed.
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| Realized $62,500 |
