2017 Rarities of the World continued...

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EXTREMELY FINE SET OF CORNER SHEET-MARGIN SINGLES OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT DOLLAR-VALUE PLATE PROOFS WITH INVERTED CENTERS.

According to research by Robert L. Markovits, only two sheets of ten of each of the $5.00 and $20.00 State Department Invert proofs were produced, along with a single sheet of the $2.00. The $10.00 was not produced as an invert proof. Therefore, the complete set consists of three proofs. (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS THE UNIQUE SHEET OF TEN OF THE $5.00 STATE DEPARTMENT WITH INVERTED CENTER. ONE OF THE GREATEST RARITIES OF THE OFFICIAL ISSUES AND ONE OF THE GREATEST UNITED STATES PROOFS IN EXISTENCE.

Robert Markovits was of the opinion that only two sheets of ten of the $5.00 with inverted center were ever found. The other has been broken.

Ex Dr. Korff. (Image)

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VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE MINT NEVER HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $10.00 STATE DEPARTMENT WITH PART IMPRINT.

A review using Power Search found only two other Mint N.H. singles of the $10.00 State Department Issue (plus a block of four). Of the three Mint N.H. examples, only two retain their selvage -- the other is a plate number single from our 2000 Rarities sale.

With copy of 2010 P.F. certificate for a block of four (Image)

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VERY FINE AND CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT AGRICULTURE AMERICAN BANK NOTE PRINTING ON SOFT PAPER. AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT STAMP TO OBTAIN IN SUCH CHOICE CONDITION.

With 2008 P.F. certificate (Image)

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FINE. ONLY FOUR EXAMPLES OF THE 30-CENT AGRICULTURE "SEPCIMEN" ERROR ARE RECORDED.

Only 354 of the 30c Agriculture Special Printing were sold, but it is not known how the stamps were taken from the sheets or if full sheets were exhausted before breaking a subsequent sheet. If full sheets were used, then at most four can possibly exist. Robert Markovits recorded only three examples; we now record four with the addition of the example offered here. The ex-Sheriff and Markovits copy and the example sold in Siegel Sale 913 have similar centering to the stamp offered here. The 1933 Hind sale described an example as centered to southeast and the only example known, but it was not illustrated.

Small blue backstamp. (Image)

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VERY FINE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SPECIAL PRINTING WITH "SEPCIMEN" ERROR.

Although the volume of sales of the 2c Justice Special Printing (3,395) indicates that stamps from 34 sheets were sold, including 34 "Sepcimen" errors, we actually do not know how sheets were separated or if an entire sheet was sold before the next sequential sheet. The rarity of the 2c Justice "Sepcimen" error -- with perhaps six or seven examples known -- does not accord with the quantity of stamps sold. Combs was perplexed by its rarity and wondered if the error was corrected during the press run.

Ex Inman. With 2016 P.F. certificate (Image)

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FRESH AND FINE. THE $6.00 1875 CONTINENTAL NEWSPAPER SPECIAL PRINTING IS ONE OF THE RAREST UNITED STATES STAMPS. ONLY FOURTEEN WERE SOLD, AND ONLY SIX HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED AS GENUINE.

According to sale records of the 1875 Newspaper Special Printings, 14 of the $6.00 were sold and delivered. On July 16, 1884, the Special Printings were withdrawn from sale, and the remaining supply was destroyed.

Our records contain only six copies certified as genuine: five by The Philatelic Foundation and one certified by P.S.E. This is the fourth we have offered since keeping computerized records.

Census No. PR50-UNC-03. Ex Engel, "Connoisseur" and Weisman. With 1960 and 1992 P.F. certificates. With 1992 P.S.E. certificate (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A BEAUTIFUL AND PRISTINE EXAMPLE OF THE 12-CENT 1894 UNWATERMARKED NEWSPAPER ISSUE, GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. THIS STANDS ALONE AS THE HIGHEST GRADED.

This is a difficult issue to obtain in sound condition with such choice centering. We would rank this among the top two or three we have encountered.

With 2001 P.F. and 2016 P.S.E. certificates (OGph, XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; unpriced in SMQ above the grade of 90, SMQ $5,050.00 as 90). This is the highest grade awarded and is shared by no others. The next highest grade is a 70 (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $2.00 1895 UNWATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE, GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 JUMBO. THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED.

With 2010 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $5,100.00). Only two original gum stamps have been graded thus far and this stands alone as the highest grade awarded (the other is graded F 70). (Image)

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