2008 Rarities of the World continued...

FRESH AND FINE-VERY FINE. A RARE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE 1918 24-CENT INVERTED "JENNY" ERROR. WITHOUT QUESTION THIS IS THE MOST FAMOUS STAMP IN AMERICAN PHILATELY.

According to Jenny by George Amick (Amos Press, 1986), the original sheet of 100 Inverted "Jenny" stamps was purchased for $24 by William T. Robey at the New York Avenue Branch Post Office window in Washington D.C., on May 14, 1918, one day after the stamp was first placed on sale at the main post office. On May 20, Robey sold his sheet for $15,000 to Eugene Klein, a Philadelphia stamp dealer. Klein had already arranged to sell the sheet to Col. Edward H. R. Green for $20,000. Colonel Green instructed Klein to divide the Inverted "Jenny" sheet into singles and blocks, and to sell all but a few key position blocks.

It is well-known among stamp specialists and professionals that examples of the Inverted "Jenny" come in different grades of freshness and condition. Many of the original 100 stamps were mistreated by collectors during the years, despite the stamps' rarity and value. Colonel Green himself allowed moisture to affect some of the stamps he retained. Other examples have become slightly toned from improper storage and climatic conditions. Hinge removal has caused thins and creases in numerous stamps, and a few have been "lost" to philately -- or nearly so, as in the case of the copy swept up in a vacuum cleaner.

The stamp offered here, Position 21 with the left sheet selvage, is exceptionally fresh and very lightly hinged. The attached selvage immediately identifies it as a stamp from the far left vertical row.

Ex Lehman. With 1977 Robson Lowe certificate of opinion and 2008 P.F. certificate. (Image)

FINE-VERY FINE MINT NEVER-HINGED SHEET OF 100 OF THE 6-CENT 1918 AIR POST.

Scott Retail as Mint N.H. plate block and Mint N.H. singles (Image)

FRESH AND FINE-VERY FINE. A N ATTRACTIVE PANE OF 100 OF THE 16-CENT 1918 AIR POST.

Scott Retail as 92 Mint N.H. singles, Mint N.H. plate block and two hinged singles (Image)

FRESH AND FINE. A BEAUTIFUL COMPLETE SHEET OF 100 OF THE 24-CENT 1918 AIR POST.

This sheet comes from the second state of the plates, where "Top" was added to both plates to prevent errors such as the Inverted "Jenny" from occurring again. (Image)

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXTREMELY RARE PLATE BLOCK OF THE 24-CENT 1918 AIR POST WITH THE BLUE "TOP" ONLY.

The first sheets of 24c 1918 Air Post stamps were trimmed at the top and right to facilitate distribution. After the Inverted "Jenny" error was discovered, the Bureau engraved the word "Top" at the top of the red and blue plates and stopped trimming the selvage to make it easier to spot invert errors. Some argue that the "Top" was engraved on the blue plate first, then added to the red plate later. Others claim that the sheets with the blue "Top" only were already printed with the red frame (without "Top") and finished with the blue vignette from the modified plate. Either way, very few sheets were issued with the blue "Top" only. (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $2.60 GRAF ZEPPELIN, WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E.

With 2007 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98, SMQ $5,950.00). Only one has graded higher to date, which was sold for $57,750 in our Scarsdale sale and was recently sold privately for $100,000 (Image)

VERY FINE-EXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB AND DESIRABLE SET OF MINT NEVER-HINGED TOP PLATE NUMBER BLOCKS OF SIX OF THE GRAF ZEPPELIN ISSUE.

A review of our computerized records indicates we have only offered six other sets of Mint N.H. top plate blocks since keeping computerized records. The top plate blocks are considered the most desirable. (Image)

VERY FINE AND CHOICE SET OF TOP PLATE BLOCKS OF THE GRAF ZEPPELIN ISSUE.

With 2004 P.S.E. certificates (Image)

AN ATTRACTIVE AND RARE FLOWN FIRST DAY COVER WITH A COMPLETE SET OF THE GRAF ZEPPELIN ISSUE. THIS CELEBRATED "COLEMAN" FIRST DAY COVER IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT OF THE GRAF ZEPPELIN FIRST DAY USAGES, BY VIRTUE OF THE SIGNATURES OF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL AND OTHER POST OFFICE OFFICIALS.

This remarkable cover was held by the Coleman family until the early 1980's. (Image)