Agriculture Dept., 1875 Special Printing, 10¢ yellow, overprinted "Specimen" (Scott O5SD), without gum as issued, Post Office fresh in glowing color, nicely centered on snow-white paper; tiny, inconsequential inclusion at back of head mentioned solely for accuracy, Very Fine, 390 sold, with 2021 P.S.A.G. certificate.
Scott $400. (Image)

Estimate $300-400

Agriculture Dept., 1875 Special Printing, 12¢ yellow, overprinted "Specimen" (Scott O6SD), without gum as issued, incredibly fresh and bright with radiant color and exceptional centering, Very Fine to Extremely Fine. Of the only 373 examples sold, this is certainly among the finest extant, with a 2021 P.S.A.G. certificate graded "85".
SMQ VF-XF 85.
Scott $550. (Image)

Estimate $500-750

Executive Dept., 1873, 1¢ to 10¢ complete, "Roosevelt" small die proofs (Scott O10P2-O14P2); hinged on the reverse, Very Fine.
Scott $500. (Image)

Estimate $200-300

Executive Dept., 1873, 2¢ carmine, plate proof on India paper (Scott O11P3), block of 12, large margins; trivial pinhole on seventh stamp, Very Fine overall.
Scott $240. (Image)

Estimate $150-200

Navy Dept., 1875 Special Printing, 1¢ ultramarine, overprinted "Sepcimen" (error) (Scott O35SDa), without gum as issued, fresh and sound with clean color and crisp contrasting overprint, Fine to Very Fine, less than 100 can exist.
Scott $2,750. (Image)

Estimate $1,200-1,800

Navy Dept., 1875 Special Printing, 1¢ ultramarine, overprinted "Sepcimen" (error) (Scott O35SDa), without gum as issued, fresh and well centered; nicely reperforated at the left, otherwise Very Fine. No more than 100 can exist; with a 2006 P.F. certificate.
Scott $2,750. (Image)

Estimate $750-1,000

Navy Dept., 1873, 2¢ black, trial color large die proof (Scott O36TC1ae), 74 x 90 mm, fresh, Very Fine.
Scott $500. (Image)

Estimate $250-350

Navy Dept., 1875 Special Printing, 7¢ ultramarine, overprinted "Specimen" (Scott O39SD), without gum as issued, crisply printed in the clearest ultramarine imaginable, with clean carmine overprint, Fine to Very Fine, only 112 produced, with 2018 P.F. certificate.
Scott $550. (Image)

Estimate $300-400

Navy Dept., 1873, 90¢ Perry, "Atlanta" trial color plate proofs on card, 3 different colors, each with short transfer at top left (Scott O45TC4b, c, e vars.), Very Fine, the short transfer is listed elsewhere for this issue, but not priced as Atlantas. (Image)

Estimate $200-300

Post Office Dept., 1873, 2¢ Jackson essay, in black (Scott O48-E1c), complete design, die on ivory glazed paper, 65 x 75 mm, Very Fine and rare.
Scott $1,750. (Image)

Estimate $1,000-1,500

Post Office Dept., 1873, 3¢ Washington essay, in orange red (Scott O49-E4c), complete design, die on ivory glazed paper, 50 x 56 mm, Very Fine and rare.
Scott $1,750. (Image)

Estimate $1,200-1,800

Post Office Dept., 1875 Special Printing, 12¢ black, overprinted "Specimen" (Scott O52SD), without gum as issued, Departmentally fresh with bold color, fresh paper, and a clean, sharp overprint, Very Fine, a mere 93 sold, with 2015 P.S.E. certificate.
Scott $1,600. (Image)

Estimate $1,000-1,500

State Dept., 1873, 1¢ to 90¢ values, "Atlanta" trial color plate proofs on card, in brown (Scott O57TC4c-O67TC4c), Very Fine.
Scott $407. (Image)

Estimate $200-300

State Dept., 1873, 1¢ to $20 complete, plate proofs on India paper (Scott O57P3-O71P3), all with large margins, a lovely set, Very Fine to Extremely Fine.
Scott $625. (Image)

Estimate $200-300

State Dept., 1875 Special Printing, 1¢ bluish green, overprinted "Specimen", ribbed paper, with small dotted "i" (Scott O57SDc), without gum as issued, Post Office fresh with rich color, clean overprint, and nicely balanced glowing paper; penciled identification notes on reverse, Very Fine to Extremely Fine, with 2020 P.F. certificate graded VF-XF 85.
SMQ VF-XF 85.
Scott $650. (Image)

Estimate $600-800

State Dept., 1875 Special Printing, 12¢ bluish green, overprinted "Specimen" (Scott O63SD), without gum as issued, bright and fresh, top perfs clipped, otherwise Fine to Very Fine.
Scott $550. (Image)

Estimate $200-300

State Dept., 1875 Special Printing, $2 green & black, overprinted "Specimen" (Scott O68SD), without gum as issued, an immaculate example with clean colors and sharp overprint, Fine, one of the scarcest of all Official Specimens, only 32 were sold, with 2018 P.F. certificate.
Scott $19,000. (Image)

Estimate $10,000-15,000

Treasury Dept., 1873, 1¢ to 90¢ complete, "Atlanta" trial color plate proofs on card, in blue (Scott O72TC4e-O82TC4e), a pristine set, each with large margins, Very Fine.
Scott $407. (Image)

Estimate $200-300

Treasury Dept., 1873, 1¢ to 90¢ complete, large die proofs (Scott O72P1-O82P1), approximately 75 x 90 mm each (full size), an especially choice set, Extremely Fine.
Scott $880. (Image)

Estimate $300-400

War Dept., 1873, 2¢ black, trial color plate proof on card (Scott O84TC4a), block of 4, o.g., never hinged, Very Fine.
Scott $300. (Image)

Estimate $150-200

War Dept., 1875 Special Printing, 30¢ rose, overprinted "Specimen" (Scott O92SD), without gum as issued, fresh with clean color on sound paper; tight-margined as often, but with perforations clear on all four sides, Very Fine, with 2019 P.F. certificate.
Scott $1,400. (Image)

Estimate $1,000-1,500

Agriculture Dept., 1873, 15¢ yellow (Scott O7), o.g., lightly hinged, in radiant color and razor-sharp impression within near-perfect centering, Extremely Fine to Superb, an Agriculture that grows on you, a Solo Top of the Pop, as PSE's Population Report lists a "90" as its highest grade, with 2016 P.F. certificate graded XF-SUP 95.
SMQ XF-SUP 95; $975 as a "90".
Scott $425. (Image)

Estimate $1,500-2,000

Agriculture Dept., 1873, 24¢ yellow (Scott O8), o.g., hinged, dig this Aggie, in deep, clean color on immaculate paper; three perfectly balanced margins, just a hair from perfect centering, Very Fine to Extremely Fine, scarce this nice, a Top of the Pop, with PSE's Population Report listing only a single stamp at this grade, with 2020 P.S.A.G. certificate graded VF-XF 85.
SMQ VF-XF 85; $575.
Scott $425. (Image)

Estimate $400-600

Executive Dept., 1873, 2¢ carmine (Scott O11), unused without gum, magnificent near-perfect centering, Extremely Fine, with 2021 P.S.A.G. certificate.
Scott $260. (Image)

Estimate $250-350

Executive Dept., 1873, 10¢ carmine (Scott O14), o.g., small hinge remnant, a bold Executive with intense color and crystal-clear detail; paper fresh, sound, and fully margined, Fine to Very Fine, a tantalizing Tom, with 2021 Crowe certificate.
Scott $1,200. (Image)

Estimate $350-500