2014 Rarities of the World continued...

VERY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1870 ONE-CENT NATIONAL BANK NOTE ISSUE. ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE WITH THE I GRILL, WHICH HAS BEEN ELEVATED TO A MAJOR CATALOGUE NUMBER.

Starting with the 2013 Scott U.S. Specialized Catalogue the I Grills have been elevated to major catalogue number status. Collectors will now have to acquire these I Grills in their quest for completeness. We have only offered four other unused 1c I Grills since we started keeping our detailed records.

With 2014 P.S.E. certificate (Image)

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THIS IS THE FINEST AND ONLY SOUND ORIGINAL-GUM 15-CENT I GRILL AMONG ONLY THREE RECORDED COPIES. AMONG THE RAREST STAMPS IN UNITED STATES PHILATELY.

Starting with the 2013 Scott U.S. Specialized Catalogue, the I Grills have been elevated to major catalogue number status. We anticipate that collector demand will be difficult to satisfy based on populations we have seen, especially in the higher value issues in unused condition.

For the 15c I Grill, Ronald A. Burns records 14 used off-cover, two unused and two covers, for a total of 18 items. This original-gum example is not included in his census. With this stamp we have offered all three of the original-gum examples recorded. Among the three, this is the only sound example. Another is well-centered but with a small sealed tear. The third example has faults and Fine centering.

With 2014 P.S.E. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND UNIQUE WATERCOLOR ESSAY FOR THE ONE-CENT FRANKLIN NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE.

Ex Finkelburg and Lake Shore. Illustrated in Scott catalog (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. AN ABSOLUTELY STUNNING COVER WITH THE PITTSBURGH SHIELD FANCY MACHINE CANCEL ON AN INSUFFICIENTLY PAID COVER TO SWITZERLAND. CONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE ONE OF THE GREATEST BANK NOTE ISSUE COVERS EXTANT.

Ex Braus, Kaplan and Albert. With 1991 P.F. certificate (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1870 24-CENT NATIONAL BANK NOTE CO. UNGRILLED ISSUE WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 JUMBO BY P.S.E. THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED.

With 1986, 1999 P.F. and 2003 P.S.E. certificates (OG, XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $9,250.00 as 95, unpriced in any higher grade). This is the highest grade awarded and it is shared by no others. (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A PERFECTLY CENTERED EXAMPLE OF THE 1870 24-CENT UNGRILLED NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE WITH A RED NEW YORK FOREIGN MAIL CANCEL -- GRADED SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E. THIS IS THE ONLY EXAMPLE TO ACHIEVE THIS GRADE AND THE FINEST EXAMPLE WE RECORD.

The 24c Bank Note Issue has always been a difficult stamp to find in the highest grades. There often seems to be a tradeoff between centering and color, with many stamps fading over years of handling. There are no examples graded above 90 for the grilled issue, and this 98 stands as the highest grade for the ungrilled issue, with none equaling it. The next closest is a single stamp graded 95 Jumbo (ex Kirke) and 16 graded 95.

With 2013 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98; SMQ $3,500.00) (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. GRADED XF-SUPERB 95, THIS IS THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM, LIGHTLY HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1870 30-CENT NATIONAL UNGRILLED ISSUE WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED. ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT OF ALL BANK NOTE ISSUES TO FIND IN SOUND, WELL-CENTERED, ORIGINAL-GUM CONDITION.

During the past 15 years, we have offered a few superb original-gum examples of National and Continental 30c Bank Notes (Scott 143, 154 and 165). Included in this total is a handful of the Continental printing, Scott 165, which is distinguished from its National Ungrilled counterpart by shade and the shape of the perforations. For the Ungrilled National printing, Scott 154, we have offered only about five hinged stamps in sound, Extremely Fine condition, and none graded as high as the example offered here (the famous Mint N.H. stamp from the Whitman collection was graded 90). This is one of the most difficult of all the Bank Note issues to find in such superb condition.

With 1988, 1999 P.F. and 2007 P.S.E. certificates (OGph, XF-Superb 95; SMQ $25,500.00). This is the only unused example of this issue in any gum condition graded 95 in the P.S.E. Population Report, with none higher. (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE USE OF THE 7-CENT CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE ISSUE ON A ONE-CENT POSTAL CARD TO BELGIUM, PAYING THE 8-CENT CLOSED MAIL RATE, WITH A PERFECT STRIKE OF A NEW YORK FOREIGN MAIL CANCEL.

With 1990 P.F. certificate (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1873 12-CENT CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE.

With 2014 P.F. certificate (VF-XF 85) (Image)

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FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 7-CENT 1875 CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.

Our recently updated census records for Scott 171 contain 73 copies. Many examples were separated by scissors, and so are often found with perforations partly missing or entirely trimmed away.

Unpublished Census No. 171-UNC-73. With 2014 P.F. certificate. (Image)

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VERY FINE AND CHOICE. A RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENT 1879 AMERICAN BANK NOTE ISSUE. THIS ISSUE IS RARELY OBTAINABLE IN CHOICE NEVER-HINGED CONDITION.

The 30c 1879 American Bank Note Company issue is surprisingly difficult to obtain in Mint N.H. condition. It is surprising because the 15c (Scott 189) is readily available. However, a survey of our photo records and auction library revealed the scarcity of well-centered 30c blocks from which singles could be removed. A review of Power Search found only nine other Mint N.H. singles.

With 2014 P.S.E. certificate (VF-XF 85; SMQ $4,650.00) (Image)

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