UNITED STATES STAMPS AND POSTAL HISTORY continued...

The 1917 Five Cent Imperforate Error is one of the key 20th Century rarities of United States philately. It has been recorded by George B. Sloane that a total of 48 uncut imperforate sheets of 400 of plate no. 7942 were sold out of the New York City Post Office, each sheet containing a single error and a double error, making 48 the maximum number of either error block that could possibly exist. Over the years, some of these blocks were cut up for singles or miscut altogether, making undesirable blocks of six for instance. Also, due to the wartime printing methods, several suffer from large inclusions, gum bends or skips and other production maladies. Still others were hinged or thinned at one time. The block offered here is as choice as can exist, an opinion shared by the Professional Stamp Experts, who awarded this block the ultimate grade of Gem 100 Jumbo, the only such block to be so graded.

An eye-arresting showpiece for the most fastidious collector. Accompanied by a 2011 PSE certificate (Gem 100 Jumbo; the SMQ does not attempt to price Scott #485). (Image)