Sale 332



 
Lot 2048



1893, $5 Columbian (245), flawless centering within wide and balanced margins and as fresh as the day it was printed with intense color on brilliant white paper, a deeply and finely etched impression, perfectly spotless never hinged original gum, Extremely Fine. SMQ $87,900.
Scott $10,500

WITH MAGNIFICENT CENTERING AND IN PERFECT STATE OF PRESERVATION, HERE IS A MATCHLESS MINT SINGLE OF THIS ICONIC UNITED STATES CLASSIC WITH THE HIGHEST GRADE BY THE PSE, A DISTINCTION IT SHARES WITH ONLY ONE OTHER.

Expertization: 1992 PF and 2004 PSE Certificates, the latter graded XF-Sup 95.

If there is one stamp that epitomizes the quest of the Golden State collector, it would have to be this $5 Columbian. He bought this stamp in the mid-1990s, years before the concept of grading stamps entered anyone's mind. In our many decades as auctioneers, we have seen any number of well centered and fresh $5 Columbians, but when one adds the element of Never Hinged, we have never encountered anything that began to approach this example. We look forward to helping a fellow philatelist add this gem to his/her own collection.


Realized $92,000



 
Lot 2029



1880 Special Printing, 10¢ deep brown (197), outstanding centering within very wide margins, exceptionally fresh color and paper, sharp impression, Extremely Fine.
Scott $55,000

A MAGNIFICENT-QUALITY 10¢ SOFT PAPER SPECIAL PRINTING.

Expertization: 1999 PF Certificate.

Special Printing are most certainly one of the more difficult areas to collect in choice quality. The hard papers typically come with scissor separated perforations. The soft paper varieties are often faulty, most notably with thins due to the somewhat fragile nature of the paper. When one finally has a fresh, sound example, the centering invariably leaves much to be desired. This 10c soft paper we offer here is actually one of the finest Special Printings extant of any denomination.


Realized $41,688



 
Lot 2047



1893, $4 Columbian (244), precisely centered, warm rich color on fresh crisp paper, flawless never hinged original gum, Extremely Fine. SMQ $65,000.
Scott $7,250

A TRULY SUPERB $4 COLUMBIAN IN POST OFFICE FRESH CONDITION AND THE HIGHEST GRADED BY THE PSE TO DATE (ONE OF THREE).

Expertization: 2000 PF and 2004 PSE Certificates, the latter graded XF-Sup 95.

To locate a $4 Columbian in choice mint condition is as difficult- or perhaps even more so, as to locate the $5.

The mint, Never Hinged single offered here is unquestionably in the finest obtainable quality and would be a perfect match for the $5 Columbian in the following lot.


Realized $37,375



 
Lot 2067



1898, $1 Trans-Miss. (292), bottom margins single with imprint, extraordinary centering within very wide margins for the issue, intense "jet black" color on bright paper, full fresh never hinged original gum (lightly hinged in selvage only), Extremely Fine. SMQ $25,000.
Scott $3,400

A SUPERB AND UTTERLY EYE-ARRESTING MINT EXAMPLE OF WHAT, FOR MANY COLLECTORS, IS THE MOST BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED UNITED STATES STAMP EVER ISSUED. THERE ARE FIVE OTHER 95'S AND ONE 98, BUT WHEN ONE CONSIDERS THE EXTRAORDINARY FRESHNESS OF THE EXAMPLE WE HAVE HERE, WITH THE RICH COLOR AND THE PRESENCE OF THE STRONG IMPRINT, IT IS UNDOUBTEDLY THE FINEST QUALITY OBTAINABLE.

Expertization: 2001 PF and 2006 PSE Certificates, the latter graded XF-Sup 95.

Provenance: "Westchester"

When we offered this $1 Trans-Miss in our Sale #283, I felt there could not possibly be a finer example. I have seen none since to alter that opinion.


Realized $31,050



 
Lot 2086



Postage Due, 1879, 2¢ deep brown, Special Printing (J9), virtually perfectly centered, rich color and a finely detailed impression, full clean original gum, Extremely Fine.
Scott $19,000

WITH ITS CHOICE CENTERING AND FULL ORIGINAL GUM, THIS 2¢ SPECIAL PRINTING IS PROBABLY THE FINEST OF THE FEW SOUND MINT EXAMPLES EXTANT.

Expertization: 1960, 1999 and 2006 PF Certificates, the latter graded XF 90.

Provenance: Gorham

Postage due Special Printings are not supposed to exist in this quality. Invariably, they come without gum, thinned or off center. A review of all denominations of this issue leaves us with the impression that this may well be the finest of all the Postage Due Special Printings. Of note, the PSE has only graded two o.g. examples of any values of this set, one 1¢ and one 2¢- each receiving a grade of 80.


Realized $27,600



 
Lot 2046



1893, $1 Columbian (241), beautifully centered and impeccably fresh with lovely brilliant color and pristine never hinged original gum, Extremely Fine. SMQ $40,400.
Scott $3,800

A STRIKING, NEVER HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $1 COLUMBIAN.

Expertization: 2004 PSE Certificate graded XF-Sup 95.

To state the obvious, all of the dollar value Columbians are rare in pristine, well centered condition. The $1 we offer here, plus the $4 and $5 in the following two lots, represent a truly remarkable offering. This stamp, with its fiery color and totally pristine appearance represents the pinnacle of a high quality $1 Columbian.


Realized $25,300



 
Lot 2011

o

1867, 1¢ blue, E. grill (86), amazing centering within large margins for a 1¢ E grill, bright blue color on fresh paper, neatly struck straight line "Paid" cancel, Extremely Fine. SMQ $15,400.
Scott $550

A STRIKING USED EXAMPLE OF A STAMP RARELY FOUND IN PREMIUM CONDITION, LET ALONE THIS SUPERB GRADE, BEING THE HIGHEST GRADED, MINT OR USED, TO DATE BY THE PSE WITH ONLY ONE OTHER EXAMPLE AT THIS GRADE.

Expertization: 1986 & 2003 PF and 2008 PSE Certificates, the latter graded Superb 98.

Realized $25,300



 
Lot 2087



Postage Due, 1914, 50¢ carmine lake (J58), near perfect centering with full perforations all around, dazzling fresh color, full fresh original gum that has only been lightly hinged, Extremely Fine.
Scott $12,500

A MAGNIFICENT MINT EXAMPLE OF THIS, THE RAREST OF THE MINT POSTAGE DUES, AND THE STUMBLING BLOCK TO A CHOICE MINT SET.

Expertization: 1992 PF Certificate.

When we first viewed this 50¢ Postage Due in the Golden State Collection, the initial assumption was that we had never seen its equal. We then did the research, reviewing numerous years of auction catalogues, our own and our colleagues, the Philatelic Foundation's new database (which encompasses 1999 to date) and the PSE population report with exactly one mint single at 80. Our conclusion is that this may very well be the finest extant with no others even beginning to be its rival.


Realized $21,850



 
Lot 2057



1894, 15¢ dark blue (259), centered with absolute precision, stunning deep rich color contrasted beautifully by the bright paper, pristine never hinged original gum, Superb. SMQ $22,000.
Scott $1,000

AN INCOMPARABLE MINT SINGLE, WHICH, WITH ITS PERFECT CENTERING AND DAZZLING COLOR, IS IN A CLASS BY ITSELF; THE HIGHEST GRADED BY THE PSE TO DATE AND THE ONLY ONE AT THIS GRADE.

Expertization: 1996 PF (for block from which this was taken) and 2004 PSE Certificates, the latter graded Superb 98.

A gem quality, never hinged 15¢ First Bureau has long presented a seemingly impossible challenge. Most seasoned collectors have come to realize that to obtain a beautifully centered example they would probably have to settle for one that was hinged. In fact, the PSE has only graded seven never hinged singles in a grade of Very Fine or higher, and there is only one never hinged example graded 95. With this Superb 98, we know one fortunate collector will no longer have to settle.


Realized $19,550



 
Lot 2060



1894, $5 dark green (263), very well centered for this notoriously difficult high value, rich fresh color, crisp paper, and spotless never hinged original gum, Very Fine. SMQ $14,400.
Scott $15,000

AN EXTRAORDINARY NEVER HINGED MINT SINGLE, BEAUTIFULLY CENTERED AND WITH PRISTINE NEVER HINGED ORIGINAL GUM. ARGUABLY THE FINEST NEVER HINGED $5 FIRST BUREAU EXTANT AND CERTAINLY THE HIGHEST OF ONLY THREE NEVER HINGED EXAMPLES GRADED BY THE PSE, THE OTHERS GRADED AT 70 AND 75.

Expertization: 1993 PF (for block from which this came) and 2004 PSE Certificates, the latter graded VF 80.

It is no wonder this is a difficult stamp to find mint and in high quality. Only 62 sheets of 100 were sold, and unlike the $5 Columbians which were issued with collectors in mind, this issue was meant to be used for heavy parcels. Of the small number that were never used, the majority are off center and virtually all of them were hinged. We doubt if there are more than a half dozen reasonably well centered and never hinged singles, and we have seen none that could surpass this present example.


Realized $17,250