The Robert R. Hall Collection of Outstanding United States Stamps continued...

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1861 ISSUE ONE-CENT FIRST DESIGN. ONLY 24 ARE AVAILABLE TO COLLECTORS, AND APPROXIMATELY HALF HAVE ORIGINAL GUM.

Our census of Scott 55, available at our website at: http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/55/55.pdf , contains a total of 25 examples of this stamp. Of these, one is in The New York Public Library collection. Of the 24 available to collectors, nine have no gum, thirteen have gum and two are cancelled. Approximately half are defective to some degree. The example offered here, with original gum and a barely noticeable tiny imperfection, is one of the most attractive and desirable examples extant.

Census No. 55-OG-07. Ex McNall. With 1958 and 2004 P.F. certificates. This is the first with original gum we have offered since the 2009 Whitman sale. A footnote in Scott Catalogue states that this stamp "is valued with perfs cutting slightly into the design at top." (Image)

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VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER BLOCK OF TWELVE OF THE 1861 3-CENT FIRST DESIGN IN THE ORANGE RED TRIAL COLOR.

The Chapin census lists one plate block of twelve, which is the largest recorded plate number multiple. We assume that the Chapin census was limited to the Brown Rose 3c First Design, Scott 56. Plate number blocks of any 3c First Design shade are exceedingly rare.

With 1992 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail as plate block of eight (any shade) and four singles (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE 1861 5-CENT FIRST DESIGN, OF WHICH A MERE 36 COPIES ARE KNOWN.

Our census of Scott 57, available at our website at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/57/57.pdf , contains a total of 36 copies of this rarity. Of these, one is in The New York Public Library collection. Of the 35 thought to be available to collectors, two are cancelled, 18 have no gum, five have part original gum and ten have full (or nearly full) original gum. Eight of the full or part original gum stamps in private hands are sound or have tiny flaws, such as a corner perf crease. Of the no-gum copies, seven are sound or have a small toned spot, and the other eleven have faults of varying degrees. The stamp offered here has only a very minor small closed tear.

Census No. 57-UNC-11. Philatelic Foundation certificate 257252 no longer accompanies. (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM 12-CENT 1861 FIRST DESIGN STAMPS IN EXISTENCE, OF WHICH SIXTEEN ARE RECORDED, INCLUDING ONE THAT WILL NEVER BECOME AVAILABLE TO COLLECTORS.

The 12c is the rarest of the 1861 First Designs and Colors, with a total of 16 examples recorded, including one in the Miller collection at The New York Public Library. Our census of the 12c 1861 First Design is available at http://www.siegelauctions.com/enc/census/59.pdf . Of the 15 copies available to collectors, only eight have full original gum. Of these eight, two are sound, one has slightly disturbed gum, one has nibbed perfs, three have thin spots or tears, and this stamp has a faint crease that does not affect its appearance in any way. Only one of the no-gum stamps is sound. Ranked strictly by centering and margins, this stamp is among the top quarter of the population.

Census No. 59-OG-04. Ex Caspary, "Country Gentleman" (Siegel Sale 422), Cole and Ballman. With 1988 P.F. certificate (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS STAMP IS ONE OF THE FIVE BEST-CENTERED 30-CENT 1861 FIRST COLOR STAMPS WITH ORIGINAL GUM. A BRILLIANT AND VERY RARE TRIAL PRINTING.

Our census of the 30c 1861 First Color, available at http://siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/61/61.pdf , contains a total of 33 examples, including one in the Miller collection at The New York Public Library. A characteristic common to most examples of the 30c 1861 First Color is faint creasing, which in some cases is very severe and in others barely visible. Six stamps with original gum are free of faults, although a few have a trivial nibbed perf or two. All of the sound stamps are centered to one side (as are most of the others).

Census 61-OG-08. Ex Zoellner. With 1958 P.F. certificate. (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE CENTERING. AN ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE OF THE 1861 90-CENT FIRST DESIGN. THE SECOND RAREST STAMP OF THE 1861 FIRST DESIGNS AND COLORS.

Our census of the 1861 First Designs and Colors is available at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/62/62.pdf . It contains 22 examples of Scott 62, including one copy in the Miller collection at The New York Public Library and another certified as a privately-perforated No. 62a, which comes from a set in the Col. Green sale that was signed by John Luff (we believe this stamp to be genuine). One of the stamps has been certified as genuine with a trial cancel. Excluding the Miller copy, only eight examples of the 90c First Design have original gum. Three of the original-gum stamps in private hands are sound, and five have minor faults, all of a similar nature.

Census No. 62-OG-08. Ex "Country Gentleman" (Siegel Sale 422). "W.H.C." backstamp (Warren H. Colson). With 1973 P.F. certificate as sound. (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. A RARE SOUND AND CENTERED ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1861 10-CENT FIRST DESIGN.

The 10c 1861 "First Design" (or Type I from Plate 4) is extremely difficult to find in well-centered, sound, original-gum condition. This is partly due to the narrow spacing on Plate 4, which was used for the earliest printing.

Ex Engel. With 1957 and 1989 P.F. certificates (Image)

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FINE. A FRESH AND RARE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE 1861 10-CENT FIRST DESIGN WITH ORIGINAL GUM.

The 10c 1861 "First Design" (or Type I from Plate 4) is extremely difficult to find in sound, original-gum condition. (Image)

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