2020 Rarities of the World continued...

VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1879 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE WITHOUT SECRET MARK AND WITH DOUBLE PAPER.

With 2003 and 2012 P.F. certificates, the former as a block of four. This is the only single we have offered since keeping computerized records (Image)

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FRESH AND FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 7-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.

Our census of Scott 196 contains fewer than 85 examples. With 2006 P.F. and 2016 P.S.E. certificates (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. A RARE AND WONDERFULLY CHOICE MINT NEVER-HINGED PLATE BLOCK OF THE 10-CENT 1882 RE-ENGRAVED ISSUE -- EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST EXTANT.

Scott Catalogue lists this as both a plate block of ten and a plate block of twelve. We have sold just one plate block of ten in Mint N.H. condition since keeping computerized records (Sale 962, lot 2467) and this is the only Mint N.H. plate block of twelve we have offered. The pristine gum, without skips and bends, choice centering and overall freshness make this a wonderful Bank Note issues plate block rarity.

With 2006 P.S.E. certificate. (Image)

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VERY FINE. THIS IS THE ONLY SURVIVING BLOCK OF THE 2-CENT SPECIAL PRINTING WITH THE FULL "STEAMER -- AMERICAN BANK NOTE CO." IMPRINT. AN EXCEPTIONAL RARITY OF THE BANK NOTE COMPANY PERIOD.

In 1885 the American Bank Note Co. experimented with a Hoe & Co. steam-powered, chain-driven printing press to increase the rate of production. New plates of 200 subjects were created for use on the steam press, including one with the distinctive "STEAMER -- AMERICAN BANK NOTE CO." imprint at the top center of the plate. Five sheets of 200 stamps were printed from this "Steamer" plate and sent to the Post Office Department. Since the full sheets were intended to be divided into panes of 100, the vertical gutter between the two panes was left imperforate. These sheets were later sold into the philatelic market and divided into smaller units.

We can account for all five top imprint pieces from the "Steamer" sheets. This unique block of sixteen, which was in the Siegel 1974 Rarities sale (lot 113), probably comes from the sheet once owned by Representative Ernest R. Ackerman. The strip of six offered in our 2009 sale of the Alan B. Whitman Collection is the second largest multiple. These two are the only recorded multiples with the complete imprint. The three remaining imperforate-between multiples from the tops of the sheets are a block of four (offered in lot 155) and two pairs, each with the "American Ban" portion of the imprint but lacking the word "Steamer."

Ex Ackerman and from our 1974 Rarities sale. Scott value for the ex-Whitman top margin horizontal strip of six is $35,000.00. This complete block of sixteen is unlisted in Scott. (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF ONLY TWO SURVIVING BLOCKS OF THE 2-CENT SPECIAL PRINTING WITH ANY PORTION OF THE "STEAMER -- AMERICAN BANK NOTE CO." IMPRINT.

In 1885 the American Bank Note Co. experimented with a Hoe & Co. steam-powered, chain-driven printing press to increase the rate of production. New plates of 200 subjects were created for use on the steam press, including one with the distinctive "STEAMER - AMERICAN BANK NOTE CO." imprint at the top center of the plate. Five sheets of 200 stamps were printed from this "Steamer" plate and sent to the Post Office Department. Since the full sheets were intended to be divided into panes of 100, the vertical gutter between the two panes was left imperforate. These sheets were later sold into the philatelic market and divided into smaller units.

We can account for all five top imprint pieces from the "Steamer" sheets. The unique block of sixteen offered in lot 154 probably comes from the sheet once owned by Representative Ernest R. Ackerman. The strip of six offered in our 2009 sale of the Whitman Collection is the second largest multiple. Those two are the only recorded multiples with the complete imprint. The three remaining imperforate-between multiples from the tops of the sheets are this block of four and two pairs, each with the "American Ban" portion of the imprint but lacking the word "Steamer".

Ex Sheriff. With 1971 P.F. certificate which mentions a crease on one stamp but not the rejoined perfs between the top row and the selvage. $4,000.00 Scott value for two imperforate-between pairs does not convey the rarity of this block with the part imprint (Image)

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