2015 Rarities of the World continued...

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS THE UNIQUE USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 3-CENT F GRILL PRINTED ON BOTH SIDES. A PHENOMENAL RARITY

Engraved stamps printed on both sides usually have a poor impression on one side and a second, complete impression on the other. They probably occurred when a sheet was printed without proper moistening, which prevented the paper from picking up the ink in the recessed lines of the engraved plate.

Our records contain the unused block of 18 with parts of seven stamps printed on back (ex Whitman) and this sole used single.

With 1988 and 2007 P.F. certificates. Unpriced as used in Scott, and to the best of our knowledge this is the first time this has appeared at auction. (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT 1861 RE-ISSUE.

The 1c Re-Issue was printed from a new plate of 100 subjects, compared to the original plate of 200 in two panes. 10,000 stamps were printed (100 impressions). 3,195 of the 1c were sold, by far the largest quantity of any denomination of the set. The remaining 6,805 were destroyed on July 16, 1884.

With 1976 and 2014 P.F. certificates (XF-Superb 95) (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. THIS OUTSTANDING USED EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT BLACK JACK RE-ISSUE HAS BEEN GRADED XF 90 BY P.S.E., WHICH IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED. ONLY 24 USED EXAMPLES ARE CONTAINED IN OUR CENSUS AND THE EXAMPLE OFFERED HERE IS UNQUESTIONABLY ONE OF THE FINEST EXTANT.

Our Our census of Scott 103 used, available at our website at http://siegelauctions.com/ dynamic/census/103/103.pdf ,contains 24 copies. However, of these only five or six have centering we would consider Very Fine, and perhaps a couple others could be considered Extremely Fine. Several of the possibly sound examples have not been examined in decades and may in fact not be sound. The example offered here, with wide balanced margins and a relatively light cancel, is a true condition rarity and clearly among the very finest examples known.

Census No. 103-CAN-24. With 2014 P.F. certificate as sound. With 2013 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $52,500.00). This is the highest grade awarded to a used example and one of only three to achieve this grade (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. ONLY 23 USED EXAMPLES OF THE 3-CENT 1861 RE-ISSUE ARE RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS. A GREAT RARITY.

The 3c Re-Issue was printed from the original plate, which contained 200 subjects in two panes. 10,000 were printed (50 impressions). Only 465 of the 3c were sold; the remaining 9,535 were destroyed on July 16, 1884.

Our census of Scott 104 used, available at our website at http://siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/104/104.pdf , records 23 examples, plus one with a non-contemporary cancel (not shown). Most have duplex cancels, with a large portion sent from New York.

Census No. 104-CAN-23. With 2015 P.S.E. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE AND CHOICE. A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 15-CENT 1861 RE-ISSUE.

The 15c Re-Issue was printed from the original plate of 200 subjects. 10,000 stamps were printed (50 impressions). Only 397 of the 15c were sold; the remaining 9,603 were destroyed on July 16, 1884.

With 1983 and 2014 P.F. certificates (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENT 1861 RE-ISSUE, WHICH IS ARGUABLY THE MOST CHALLENGING OF THE 1861-66 RE-ISSUES TO OBTAIN IN THIS GRADE.

The 30c Re-Issue was printed from the original plate of 200 subjects. 10,000 stamps were printed (50 impressions). Only 346 of the 30c were sold; the remaining 9,654 were destroyed on July 16, 1884.

Little space was left on the 30c 1861 plate for vertical rows of perforations between stamps, and the same plate was used for the 1875 Re-Issue. Therefore, well-centered copies with perforations clear at the sides are rare. When one takes into consideration the limited number sold (346) and other condition factors, such as gum and freshness of paper, the rarity of the stamp offered here can be truly appreciated.

Ex Hall, who acquired this in the Stephen Brown sale held in 1939. With 2001 P.F. certificate (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE USED EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENT RE-ISSUE OF THE 1861-66 ISSUE. ONLY 22 USED EXAMPLES ARE RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS.

Our census of used Scott 110, available at our website, contains only 22 examples, plus one with a non-contemporary cancel. Of these, 14 have faults. Most of the faulty examples have serious defects. Very few copies, either sound or defective, have decent centering. The stamp offered here has margin width all around that is extremely unusual for any of the 30c 1861 printings.

Census No. 110-CAN-22. With 2015 P.S.E. certificate (Image)

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