2015 Rarities of the World continued...

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VERY FINE AND CHOICE. A STUNNING MINT NEVER-HINGED 2-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL WITH FULL CORNER SHEET-MARGIN SHOWING A BIT OF END-ROLLER GRILL.

With 1990 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail as hinged. (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 3-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE.

P.S.E. encapsulated (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $2,500.00). We believe this should have been graded 98 or 95 Jumbo. Only two Mint N.H. stamps have graded higher to date. Scott Retail as hinged (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 15-CENT TYPE II 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE WITH THE FRAME PRINTED IN THE DISTINCTIVE DARK BROWN SHADE.

With 2007 P.F. certificate as normal shade (VF-XF 85) (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 90-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE, WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED XF 90 BY THE PHILATELIC FOUNDATION. AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT ISSUE TO OBTAIN IN SUCH SUPERB CONDITION.

The 90c 1869 Pictorial is widely admired for its beautiful engraving and dignified portrait of Abraham Lincoln. However, collectors have been frustrated in their efforts to acquire choice examples of this issue. Used 90c stamps are typically heavily cancelled, because the high denomination was cause for postal clerks to thoroughly obliterate any chance for re-use. Naturally, the significant monetary value of 90c in 1869 limited the number of unused stamps that would be saved for future collectors. Therefore, the collector ideals of "well-centered with original gum" and "lightly cancelled" are seldom obtainable in the available supply of 90c 1869's. The stamp offered here, with lightly hinged original gum and choice centering, probably ranks among the top 1% of surviving 90c 1869's in unused state.

With 1987 and 2008 P.F. certificates (XF 90). (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF SEVEN RECORDED UNUSED EXAMPLES OF THE 30-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL INVERT. ONE OF THE GREATEST RARITIES OF UNITED STATES PHILATELY.

Only seven unused examples of the 30c 1869 Pictorial Issue with inverted flags are known. Only one has original gum (recently sold in our auction of the "Beverly Hills" collection for $600,000 hammer). The other six have no gum. Of the seven unused copies, the original-gum example is sound. One other is confirmed as sound (our 2014 Rarities sale) and one other may potentially be sound.

Census No. 121b-UNC-06. Ex Ward, Sinkler, Heathcote, Shafer and "Newport." With 1967 and 2007 P.F. certificates.

Our census of the unused 30c 1869 Pictorial Issue Inverts is available at: http://siegelauctions.com/2013/1052/30c_Unused.pdf (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. GRADED SUPERB 98, THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADED EXAMPLE OF THE 6-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL RE-ISSUE IN ANY CONDITION -- EITHER UNUSED OR USED -- AND USED IS SIGNIFICANTLY RARER. ONE OF THE FINEST 1869 PICTORIAL RE-ISSUE STAMPS EXTANT.

The 6c is one of the rarest of the 1869 Pictorial Re-Issues in used condition. SMQ estimates that approximately 30 exist, and our own informal count concurs. Most are either off-center or have flaws. This superb stamp is certainly the finest of the used population. There are no other 6c Re-Issues graded higher than 95 in any gum condition - original gum, no gum or used (four original gum, one no gum and one used are graded 95).

With 2015 P.F. (Superb 98) and 2015 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98; unpriced in SMQ above the grade of 95, SMQ $17,500.00 as 95). By way of comparison, in the instances where SMQ prices unused 1869 Pictorial Re-Issues at a 98 grade, it prices them approximately twice the value of a 95 (only the 1c is priced at 98 used and it is also double the 95 price). If that were to hold for this stamp, SMQ would be approximately $35,000.00 (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL USED EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL RE-ISSUE.

SMQ estimates that approximately 30 used examples are known. We estimate that between 30 and 50 are known used. However, it is surprisingly difficult to obtain in such select condition.

With 2012 P.S.E. certificate (VF-XF 85; SMQ $3,500.00). (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL USED EXAMPLE OF THE 12-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL RE-ISSUE.

The 12c 1869 Pictorial Re-Issue is the second rarest of the set in used condition (the 3c is the rarest). The Rose book estimates 15-25 extant used copies, and SMQ estimates 20 extant.

With 2015 P.F. certificate (VF-XF 85 XQ). The XQ in the grade is used for stamps of extraordinary quality. (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A MARVELOUS ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL RE-ISSUE, WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E.

With 1993 and 2009 P.S.E. certificates (OGh, XF-Superb 95; SMQ $9,000.00). (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 90-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL RE-ISSUE.

With 1976 P.F. and 2014 P.S.E. certificates (Image)

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