2016 Rarities of the World continued...

VERY FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 1880 24-CENT AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.

Our recent review of records at the Philatelic Foundation found 67 certified copies of Scott 200, 24 of which have faults (usually a thin spot). A few exist outside of that population, including the example offered here.

Small backstamp (Image)

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FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 1880 30-CENT AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING.

Our census of Scott 201 contains 44 examples certified as genuine, 16 of which have faults (usually a thin spot). Only ten are confirmed as sound, and only seven of these have decent centering. Another 18 need to be reexamined for condition, but only a handful of these have nice centering.

Census No. 201-UNC-39. Ex Mielstrup (Siegel Sale 431, May 1973) where acquired by the current owner. With 1957 P.F. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE . A SCARCE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE 90-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 41 ARE KNOWN TO EXIST.

Our census of Scott 202 contains approximately 41 certified copies. The 90c 1880 Special Printing on soft paper is notorious for its condition. Thins or more serious faults affect about half of the known examples.

Census No. 202-UNC-04. Ex "Country Gentleman" (Siegel Sale 422, 1972) where acquired by the current owner. Small blue "W.H.C. " (Colson) backstamp. With 1973 P.F. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE. THE 2-CENT SCARLET VERMILION 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING IS ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL BANK NOTE SPECIAL PRINTINGS. OUR CENSUS CONTAINS ONLY 20 EXAMPLES.

Our census of Scott 203, available at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/203/203.pdf , contains only 19 stamps which are available to collectors. The 20th copy is in the Miller collection at The New York Public Library.

Census No. 203-UNC-01. Small blue "W.H.C." (Colson) backstamp. Acquired by the current owner in our 1973 Rarities sale. With 1973 P.F. certificate. (Image)

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A FINE APPEARING AND EXTREMELY RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1880 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SOFT-PAPER SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 18 COPIES ARE RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS.

The 5c 1880 Special Printing on soft paper is the second most elusive of all the Bank Note Special printings. Our census of Scott 204 is available at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/204/204.pdf , and records only 18 copies of this stamp, including one example in the Miller collection at The New York Public Library.

Census No. 204-UNC-09. Acquired by the current owner in our 1967 Rarities sale. With 1966 P.F. certificate (Image)

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FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 1882 5-CENT GARFIELD SPECIAL PRINTING, SCOTT 205C. ONLY 21 EXAMPLES ARE RECORDED.

This elusive Special Printing was the subject of an informative article by William E. Mooz in Chronicle 153 (February 1992). His research provides strong evidence that the stamps recognized as Scott 205C are a small part of the 2,463 sold as Special Printings through the Third Asst. PMG, and that regular issues were used to fill the backlog of orders for the 5c Garfield.

Our census of Scott 205C (available at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/205C/205C.pdf ) illustrates the 21 recorded examples.

Census No. 205C-UNC-06. Ex Robert B. Greenes (Siegel Sale 395, May 1971) where acquired by the current owner. With 1969 P.F. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 1883 4-CENT AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 26 ARE RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS.

Our census of the 4c 1883 Special Printing, available at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/211D/211D.pdf , contains 26 stamps offered as No. 211D, of which 25 have been certified by The Philatelic Foundation. Post Office Department records indicate that only 26 were sold.

Census No. 211D-UNC-07. Last offered in our 1976 Rarities sale. With 1948 P.F. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING AND RARE SET OF PANAMA-PACIFIC SMALL DIE PROOFS OF THE 1887-88 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY ISSUE. PERHAPS 3-5 ARE KNOWN, AND THIS IS THE ONLY INTACT SET WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED.

From February 20 to December 4, 1915, the Panama-Pacific Exposition was held in San Francisco, to commemorate Balboa's discovery of the Pacific Ocean and to celebrate the opening of mankind's greatest engineering achievement, the Panama Canal.

The Post Office Department decided to prepare a limited number of proof sets showing every United States stamp printed up to the time of the Exposition. A total of 413 different designs were made. Only two sets were officially prepared, but it is widely recognized that between 3 and 5 of each were made. These included Officials, Newspapers and Periodicals, Philippines and other special use stamps.

These proofs are rarely offered as a complete set. 30c and 90c accompanied by 1990 P.F. certificates (not mentioning the tiny thin on the 30c) (Image)

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