Lot 233
o
1923, 2¢ Harding, rotary, the rare perf 11 (613), intense color, neat wavy machine cancel. Small corner crease at bottom. Fine appearance.
Scott $40,000
AN ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE OF THIS 20TH CENTURY RARITY, OF WHICH LESS THAN 50 ARE KNOWN TO EXIST. THE PRESENT EXAMPLE IS FROM THE ORIGINAL FIND OF THE PERF 11 ROTARY PRESS STAMPS BY LESLIE LEWIS, OF THE NEW YORK STANLY GIBBONS STAMP COMPANY, AND IS INCLUDED IN THE USTICKE PHOTO.
Expertization: 1952, 1986 P.F. Certificates, 1999 A.P.S. Certificate.
No definitive answer as to why the "sheet waste" stamps, Scott # 544, 596 and 613, were produced. One theory, put forward by Gary Griffith in his United States Stamps, 1922-26, is that rotary press sheets of 400 were cut into panes of 100 and perforated on the perf. 11 machines that had been used for the flat plate stamps. This may have been done to salvage sheet waste, just as it was for the small coil waste sheets of 170, or it may have been done to replace damaged panes of #610 in post office decks of 100.
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| Realized $21,000 |
