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Sale 326
Lot 290
 
1901, 1¢ 2¢ 4¢ Pan American centers inverted (294a, 295a, 296a), complete set of blocks of four, 1¢ and 2¢ quite nicely centered, 4¢ very well centered, all with bright fresh colors, 1¢ and 4¢ with some rejoined perf separations, 2¢ rejoined, 1¢ small corner crease, original gum, h.r., Fine to Very Fine, 2¢ hinges removed, original gum Fine to Very Fine, 4¢ slightly disturbed original gum, though much better gum condition than normally associated with this denomination, small tear lower left stamp, otherwise Very Fine-Extremely Fine.
Estimate 500,000 - 750,000
A MOST IMPORTANT AND EXCEEDINGLY RARE SET OF BLOCKS OF THESE HIGHLY POPULAR 20TH CENTURY ERRORS OF WHICH NO MORE THAN ONE OTHER SET CAN EXIST.
Expertization: 2¢ 1980 P.F. Certificate, 4¢ photocopy of 1968 P.F. Certificate.
Provenance: 1¢ Col. Green, Zoellner, 2¢ Zoellner, 4¢ Col. Green, L Souren, Lilly, Zoellner
Since the 1998 Zoellner sale, where this set of blocks last made an auction appearance, the market value of United States inverted centers has risen dramatically, especially over the last three years. So, for example, the C3a in the Zoellner sale hammered for $175,000. When it was resold in 2005, it hammered for $525,000. Since that time, several examples have sold in auction or private treaty for over $750,000. Another dramatic example of this upward trend is the unused 24¢ 1869 inverted center. In 2003, the Lafayette example hammered for $260,000. In 2008, a lesser quality example realized $1,125,000. It is our sincere thought that the estimated value of these three blocks may well prove to be quite conservative.
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| Realized $575,000 |
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Lot 381
1915, 10¢ Panama-Pacific, perf 10 (404), full top margin plate no. 6135 block of six, incredibly well centered, especially for this rare and difficult plate block, stunning fresh color and paper, strong solid perforations, original gum, lightly hinged, Extremely Fine.
Scott $14,000
A SIMPLY MAGNIFICENT EXAMPLE OF THIS KEY TOP PLATE BLOCK.
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| Realized $28,750 |
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Lot 835
P
Documentary, 1871 Second Issue, $5,000 orange red, dark blue and black, unissued, trial color plate proof on India (R133ATC), mounted on thin card, brilliant color, few tiny edge faults on India paper as typical, still Very Fine and choice.
Scott $8,000
THE ONLY RECORDED $5,000 "LARGE PERSIAN RUG" IN THIS COMBINATION OF COLORS.
Provenance: Joyce
Thomas C. Kingsley records twenty-five $5,000 "Large Persian Rug" trial color proofs. Of these, there are only fifteen in private hands and ten currently in the holdings of the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum from the legendary Eagle revenue collection.
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| Realized $20,700 |
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Lot 14
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1847, 10¢ black (2), large balanced margins, strong color with a detailed impression on fresh paper, unused, Very Fine to Extremely Fine.
Scott $16,000
AN OUTSTANDING, EXCEEDINGLY RARE UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 10¢ 1847 ISSUE.
Expertization: 2001 P.S.E. Certificate.
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| Realized $17,250 |
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Lot 577
Airmail, 1930 Graf Zeppelin complete (C13-C15), full top margin plate nos. blocks of six, an incredible matched set of full top plate blocks, each featuring outstanding centering throughout, wonderfully fresh and intact, original gum, never hinged, light vertical gum crease on two $2.60 (mentioned for accuracy and not noted in Certificate), Extremely Fine.
Scott $23,250
SETS OF TOP PLATE BLOCKS IN THIS QUALITY ARE RARELY OFFERED.
Expertization: each with 1991 P.F. Certificates.
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| Realized $16,675 |
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Lot 129
o
1869, 90¢ carmine & black (122), near perfect centering within large margins, bright colors, faint purple cancellation leaves design fully visible, fresh and choice Extremely Fine, SMQ $10,100.
Scott $5,400
A SUPERB EXAMPLE OF THE 90¢ 1869 ISSUE, COMBINING IMPECCABLE CENTERING AND MARGINS WITH A LIGHT COLOR CANCELLATION.
Expertization: 2002 P.F. & 2007 P.S.E. Certificates, latter grated XF-Superb 95.
The Philatelic Foundation certificate states that this is cancelled by a faint purple cancellation, and this is the listing example. The P.S.E. declined an opinion as to the specific shade of the cancellation.
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| Realized $14,950 |
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Lot 834
o
Documentary, 1871 Second Issue, $500 "Persian Rug" (R133), exceptionally well centered with bright color, oval handstamp and manuscript cancels of the Surrogates Office, N.Y., few small thins and minor corner crease (most of these large stamps are faulty to some degree) but a choice Extremely Fine appearing example of this classic revenue.
Scott $13,500
A CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE CELEBRATED $500 LARGE PERSIAN RUG, WHICH IS TRULY RARE IN SUCH OUTSTANDING CONDITION.
There were only 204 examples of the $500 Large Persian Rug issued. Kingsley recorded only 29 surviving examples, although two unrecorded examples appeared recently in the Tolman collection. Most of these are faulty to some degree.
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| Realized $13,225 |
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Lot 171
1879, 15¢ red orange (189), perfectly centered within large margins, stunningly fresh deep color, flawless never hinged original gum, Superb. SMQ $15,800.
Scott $900
A SIMPLY MAGNIFICENT EXAMPLE OF THE 15¢ AMERICAN PRINTING IN THE FINEST OBTAINABLE QUALITY— ONE OF ONLY THREE TO MERIT THE SUPERB GRADE, WITH NONE HIGHER.
Expertization: P.S.E. Certificate encapsulated grade Sup 98.
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| Realized $11,500 |
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Lot 374
1913, 10¢ orange yellow Panama-Pacific (400), perfectly centered, pure golden color, as fresh as the day it was printed, flawless original gum, never hinged, Superb. SMQ $6,750.
Scott $300
A MATCHLESS GEM THAT SIMPLY COULD NOT BE IMPROVED UPON.
Expertization: 2008 P.S.E. Certificate graded Sup 98.
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| Realized $9,775 |
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Lot 612
Postage Due, 1879, 1¢ deep brown, Special Printing (J8), exceptionally deep fresh color, centered a bit to the side as often, original gum, fully Fine for this.
Scott $20,000
A MOST ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE OF THIS EXCEEDINGLY RARE POSTAGE DUE SPECIAL PRINTING.
Expertization: 2003 P.F. Certificate.
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| Realized $9,775 |
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