2010 Rarities of the World continued...

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN OUTSTANDING MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 15-CENT 1902 ISSUE WITH THE EXALTED P.S.E. GRADE OF SUPERB 98.

With 2007 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98, SMQ $13,700.00). This is the highest grade awarded to date, and only one other shares this desirable grade. The other was offered in our auction of the Whitman collection. (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $5.00 1902 ISSUE. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT ISSUE TO OBTAIN IN SUCH CHOICE MINT NEVER-HINGED CONDITION.

The 1902-03 Regular Issue was a great improvement over the Bureau's first efforts in 1894 and 1895. Perforations tend to be cleaner, and centering better, but the large plate layout and perforate method still resulted in a large number of poorly centered stamps. Furthermore, stamps issued in choice condition seldom stayed that way, because the boom in stamp collecting that began with the Roosevelt administration caused hordes of hinge-bearing philatelists to mount stamps over and over again. For this reason, today's collectors have grown accustomed to paying many multiples of Scott value for Extremely Fine stamps in Mint Never-Hinged state. This is especially true when it comes to the $5.00 denomination. This fact is made abundantly clear when you realize that the highest grade awarded by P.S.E. to a $5.00 value in never-hinged condition is a 90, given to only two stamps.

With 1998 P.S.E. and 1999 P.F. certificates showing part imprint, and stating that it is hinged only in the selvage. The selvage has since been removed. (Image)

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VERY FINE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT TYPE I SHIELD ISSUE BOOKLET PANE WITH HORIZONTAL WATERMARK.

As described in U.S. Booklets and Booklet Panes (p. 52), during late December 1906 to January 1907, sheets from eight plates were printed using horizontally watermarked paper, delivered in error by the manufacturer, rather than the normal vertically watermarked paper. Other than the early 360-subject plates for No. 279Bj-k, this is the only U.S. booklet pane known on horizontally watermarked paper

With 1979 and 2002 P.F. certificates (Image)

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VERY FINE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT TYPE I SHIELD ISSUE BOOKLET PANE WITH HORIZONTAL WATERMARK.

As described in U.S. Booklets and Booklet Panes (p. 52), during late December 1906 to January 1907, sheets from eight plates were printed using horizontally watermarked paper, delivered in error by the manufacturer, rather than the normal vertically watermarked paper. Other than the early 360 subject plates for No. 279Bj-k, this is the only U.S. booklet pane known on horizontally watermarked paper

With 2007 P.S.E. certificate (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 322.

This stamp was the basis of the Scott listing of the 2c 1908 Shield coil in Mint N.H. condition. Before this stamp was reported, Scott 322 was only listed as hinged. With the P.F.'s reversal of their opinion the Mint N.H. listing should be discontinued.

Ex Lessin (as a pair). With 1997 P.F. certificate as pair and 2009 P.F. certificate as single (Image)

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