The Alan B. Whitman Collection of Outstanding United States Stamps continued...

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. WITHOUT QUESTION THIS IS ONE OF THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT TYPE IA IN EXISTENCE. A FANTASTIC STAMP IN TERMS OF MARGINS, GUM, FRESHNESS OF PAPER, COLOR AND IMPRESSION. THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW SOUND ORIGINAL-GUM FOUR-MARGINED EXAMPLES OF THIS RARITY WE HAVE OFFERED DURING 78 YEARS OF AUCTIONS.

The extremely rare Type Ia, showing the full design at bottom, was furnished only by 18 of the 200 subjects on Plate 4 (the remaining two bottom-row positions were sub-type Ic). This stamp is particularly desirable, because it shows the sheet margin at bottom and at right, so that the characteristics of the type are clearly evident.

A Power Search review shows how rare this stamp is with four margins, in sound condition, and with original gum. We have only offered ten original-gum singles and a pair as part of a block of four in all of our Rarities sales and during the past 15 years of auctions. Of these, only two singles and the multiple have margins completely clear of the design. The singles have small toned specks, and the multiple has a faint horizontal crease.

Ex Caspary and Lilly (as a pair). With 1989 and 2000 P.F. certificates (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A MAGNIFICENT MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 IMPERFORATE ONE-CENT TYPE II, WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 JUMBO BY P.S.E. -- THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO DATE AND THE ONLY EXAMPLE TO ACHIEVE THIS GRADE. A TRULY SPECIAL STAMP IN EVERY RESPECT -- GUM, MARGINS, FRESHNESS OF PAPER, COLOR AND IMPRESSION.

With 1999 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo). The only other graded Mint N.H. example (graded 95) was offered in our Sale 967. It has a sheet margin at top, but the stamp offered here has far larger margins, earning it the Jumbo appellation. (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

EXTREMELY FINE GEM EXAMPLE OF THIS SCARCE ONE-CENT 1851 ISSUE CRACKED PLATE VARIETY. ONE OF THE FINEST KNOWN SINGLES WITH ORIGINAL GUM.

Unlike plate cracks resulting from stress fractures during the course of printing, the Plate 2 crack is believed to have been caused by a integral flaw in the steel plate. As Plate 2 was used, the crack widened and extended downward into the fourth row. Due to the nature of this unusually large crack, Ashbrook preferred to call it the "Plate 2 Flaw."

Ex Sevenoaks. With 1994 P.F. certificate (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A MAGNIFICENT ORIGINAL-GUM PAIR OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT IMPERFORATE TYPE II WITH ENORMOUS BOTTOM AND LEFT SHEET MARGINS. A SPECTACULAR CLASSIC MULTIPLE.

There are several desirable positions of this type. Among these are: the one position on Plate 1 Late which is not recut, the top row positions on Plate 4, which show the design complete at top, the plate crack positions from the top left of Plate 2, and any stamp from the short-lived Plate 3. We would add corner sheet-margin positions to this list.

Ex Chapin (acquired privately). With 1989 and 2003 P.F. certificates (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

VERY FINE AND CHOICE. WIDELY REGARDED AS THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 1851 ONE-CENT IMPERFORATE TYPE III FROM POSITION 99R2. THIS POSITION IS THE BEST EXAMPLE OF THE TYPE III, WITH THE WIDEST BREAKS AT TOP AND BOTTOM.

Type III is defined by breaks in the outer lines at both top and bottom. Many Type III stamps have breaks that were created or enlarged by plate wear. Since the wear occurred over a period of time, a majority of stamps of this type (both unused and used) have small breaks in at least one line. The most notable exception is Position 99R2. According to the Neinken book, "The 99R2 stamp is a fresh entry, that was short transferred both at top and bottom, over an original entry that had been erased... The reason that 99R2 is the finest example of Type III is because of its very short transfer at top and at bottom, giving us the wide breaks in these lines." (p. 184).

Ex Caspary and Lilly as part of a strip of three and ex Connoisseur and Concord as a single. With 1977, 1990 and 2008 P.F. certificates (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

EXTREMELY FINE. A MAGNIFICENT ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE IMPERFORATE ONE-CENT TYPE IIIA. SUPERB IN EVERY RESPECT.

The Type IIIA is rare in sound original-gum condition. A review using Power Search located only five examples which could qualify for a collection of high-quality stamps.

With 1996 P.S.E. and 2000 P.F. certificates (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT IMPERFORATE TYPE IV WITH TREMENDOUS VISUAL APPEAL.

In our opinion, this extraordinary stamp is certainly deserving of a higher grade, either 95 Jumbo or 98 Jumbo. The stamp has a sheet margin at top, and the margins on other sides show parts of all three adjoining stamps. They are also quite even and balanced.

With 1993 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (OGph, XF-Superb 95) (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN OUTSTANDING MINT NEVER-HINGED PAIR OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT TYPE IV IMPERFORATE. MINT NEVER-HINGED STAMPS OF THE CLASSIC ERA ARE EXCEEDINGLY RARE.

Very few imperforate 1c 1851 multiples exist from which Mint N.H. singles could or can be removed. A review using Power Search found eight Mint N.H. examples in addition to the pair offered here.

With 2008 P.S.E. certificate. Scott Retail as hinged singles does not even come close to indicating the rarity of this remarkable pair. (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 3-CENT 1851 ORANGE BROWN. A REMARKABLE CLASSIC STAMP IN ABSOLUTELY PERFECT CONDITION, WHICH HAS EARNED IT THE P.S.E. GRADE OF XF-SUPERB 95.

The three or four examples of the 3c Orange Brown in Extremely Fine Gem Mint Never-Hinged condition come from blocks that were divided into singles in recent years. This single comes from the block of twelve formerly in the Piller and Zoellner collections.

Ex Piller and Zoellner (as part of a block) and Silver Lake (as a single). With 1979 and 2004 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95). This is the only graded Mint N.H. example of either Scott 10 or 10A. Scott Retail as hinged (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS STUNNING MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE IMPERFORATE 1851 3-CENT DULL RED TYPE II HAS BEEN AWARDED THE GRADE OF SUPERB 98 JUMBO BY P.S.E. -- THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO DATE.

The 3c 1851 is a common stamp, but as one goes up the grading scale, original-gum examples awarded 95 or better are increasingly scarce. Factoring in Mint Never-Hinged original gum, the rarity of high-grade examples increases exponentially. A review using Power Search found only two others of this type in Mint N.H. condition. The last to be offered was in 2005, which was cut in at bottom, and the one before that was sold in 2004. This Mint N.H. stamp with the coveted Superb 98 Jumbo P.S.E. grade ranks alongside the rarest of classic imperforate issues.

With 1996 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98 Jumbo). This is the highest grade awarded to date. Only one Mint N.H. Scott 11 has achieved the same grade. Scott Retail as hinged (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB PAIR OF THE 1851 3-CENT TYPE II IMPERFORATE, WITH THE BOTTOM STAMP IN PRISTINE MINT NEVER-HINGED CONDITION.

With 2000 P.F. certificate. (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com