Lot 1533 () Airmail, 1918, 24¢ carmine rose & blue, center inverted (C3a), pos. 30, unused, deep rich color on bright paper, natural straight edge at right. Possible thin speck, barest trace of a tiny crease, probably a paper wrinkle. Fine. A fresh and most attractive example of arguably the most sought after stamp in U.S. philately. Scott $170,000 The story behind the "Inverted Jenny" is certainly one of the most well-known and fascinating in all of stamp collecting. It began with the somewhat hurried decision, in early 1918 (with the first World War still in progress), to issue a set of three postage stamps for the first official U.S. airmail flight, then scheduled for May 1918. Production time was extremely limited. Moreover, the high value of the set, the 24¢ value, was to be issued in tow colors (red and blue) with one color to be printed first and the printed sheets then reinserted in the printing presses for the second color. Despite all efforts to catch any printed errors, one sheet of 100 stamps, printed with the second color (the "Jenny" in the center of the stamp) upside down, managed to escape detection.

Realized $58,850

Lot 1414 1909, 8¢ olive green, bluish paper (363), wonderfully fresh with especially deep color and a strong impression, unusually well centered for this value. O.g., very lightly hinged. Very Fine. Scott $27,500 AN EXCEPTIONALLY FRESH AND WELL CENTERED EXAMPLE OF THE 8¢ BLUISH PAPER, THE VALUE GENERALLY CONSIDERED TO BE THE MOST DIFFICULT TO LOCATE IN PREMIUM CONDITION. Expertization: 2001 P.F. Certificate. As with the 4¢ bluish paper, there are fewer than 100 examples extant.

Realized $27,500

Lot 1765 Justice Dept., 1873, 90¢ and 30¢ values (O34, O33), franked with three 90¢ and four 30¢ values for a total of $3.90 postage, generally well centered, two 30¢ and one 90¢ faulty, tied to each other, through perfs, or to the legal size Goff correspondence cover to Clarksburg, W.V. by matching quartered cork cancels, "Washington, D.C. May 19" c.d.s. at bottom, illustrated corner card featuring the crimson seal of the Dept of Justice, cover with portion of backflap missing and piece out at top center affecting one 30¢ stamp, otherwise fine, a truly stunning cover. Estimate 30,000 - 40,000 THE ONLY RECORDED 90¢ JUSTICE COVER AND ONE OF ONLY THREE 90¢ OFFICIAL FRANKINGS ON FULL COVER. ONE OF THE GREATEST OFFICIAL COVERS IN EXISTENCE. Expertization: 1999 P.F. certificate. The notch at the top of this cover and the absence of stress marks from heavy contents suggest that this envelope was used as the mailing face on a tied bundle of courthouse documents weighing over four pounds.

Realized $26,400

Lot 1764 Justice Dept., 1873, 30¢ 6¢ and 3¢ values (O33, O28, O27), tied by "Washington, D.C. Jan 26" duplex with split cork cancel on legal size cover to Clarksburg, W.V., illustrated corner card featuring the crimson seal of the Dept of Justice, cover faults with some restoration in corners, 6¢ with couple perf faults, Fine, the only recorded combination of these values, 13-times the 3¢ first class letter rate. Estimate 10,000 - 15,000 ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED 30¢ JUSTICE COVERS AVAILABLE. Expertization: 1999 P.F. certificate. The second of the 30¢ Justice covers is in combination with the 90¢. A third was in the stolen starnes collection and is presumed lost.

Realized $22,000

Lot 1409 1909, 4¢ orange brown, bluish paper (360), quite well centered, rich warm color. O.g., lightly hinged. Fresh and Very Fine. Scott $24,000 AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 4¢ BLUISH PAPER OF WHICH ONLY ABOUT 90 ARE BELIEVED TO EXIST. Expertization: 1964 P.F. Certificate.

Realized $20,900

Lot 1331 1898, 50¢ Trans-Miss. (291), full bottom margin imprint and plate number 603 block of four, gorgeous saturated color in the dark sage green shade, quite well centered. O.g., a bit of sensible strengthening. Choice Very Fine. An exquisite example of this plate block rarity. Scott $14,000 Expertization: clear 1990 P.F. Certificate.

Realized $15,950

Lot 1718 S Justice Dept., 1875, 24¢ purple, overprinted "Sepcimen" (error) (O32SDa), deep rich color. Without gum as issued. Scissor separated as usual. Fine. Scott $5,000 THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE. Provenance: Pickard, Stone, Sheriff

Realized $12,100

Lot 1134 o 1869, 24¢ green & violet, center inverted (120b), bright color, exceptionally well centered within large margins. Relatively light cancel does not obscure the vignette. Couple miniscule thin specks, tiny sealed tear at left. Extremely Fine appearance. Scott $15,000 ONLY ABOUT 80 USED EXAMPLES. THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST CENTERED AVAILABLE.

Realized $12,100

Lot 1072 o 1860, 90¢ blue (39), well centered with perforations clear of design all around, intense color on bright paper, black town cancels. Fresh and Very Fine. Scott $7,500 AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF THE RARE USED 90¢ OF 1860. Expertization: 1971 and 1991 P.F. Certificates. The 90¢ value was in use for only one year before the Civil War caused the demonetization of the entire issue. Most of the small number of genuine used examples certified by the Philatelic Foundation are pen cancelled and/or faulty.

Realized $11,550

Lot 1131 P 1869, 15¢-90¢ centers inverted, plate proofs on card (120aP4-122aP4, 129aP4), or, in the case of the 30¢ flags inverted, each with large margins all around and fresh, rich colors. Small bit of extraneous ink on 15¢. Extremely Fine. Scott $10,750 A LOVELY SET OF THESE POPULAR PROOFS OF WHICH ONLY 100 SETS WERE PRODUCED. Provenance: Earl of Crawford

Realized $11,550

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