The John F. Odeneal Collection of Mint United States Stamps continued...

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 12-CENT 1861 ISSUE.

Knowledgeable collectors recognize and appreciate the great rarity of well-centered, original gum classics. In particular, the 1861-66 Issue has been "discovered" as one of the most challenging of all. As escalating auction realizations show, collectors ignore Scott values in pursuing these elusive examples. This stamp was acquired in our December 2002 auction for $8,000 hammer.

Ex Floyd. Small red backstamp not mentioned on any certificate. With 1991 P.F. certificate and 2007 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90, SMQ $4,750.00). Although we think this stamp deserves to be graded XF-Superb 95, it is still the highest grade awarded to date by P.S.E., and one of only four to achieve this grade. One other with the same grade, but not centered as precisely, realized $5,500 hammer in our sale of the Scarsdale collection. (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL STAMP IN TERMS OF COLOR, IMPRESSION, CENTERING, AND FRESHNESS OF PAPER AND GUM.

With a growing awareness by collectors that 1861 Issues (5c and up) are exceedingly scarce in well-centered, original-gum condition, we would expect this stamp to draw keen competition. Although one finds the 24c unused without gum in this grade, original-gum examples are often poorly centered or faulty. Only on rare occasions has our firm offered a 24c Red Lilac of this quality. The 1861-62 Red Lilac shade is actually one of the scarcest of the 24c color varieties to find in sound well-centered original-gum condition, despite its lower Scott catalogue value relative to the other shades.

With 2000 P.F. certificate. (Image)

VERY FINE AND CHOICE LIGHTLY-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1863 5-CENT BROWN.

The 5c Brown 1863 shade is extremely difficult to find in choice original-gum condition. A block was decimated in 1989 to make this copy available to Mr. Odeneal.

With 1989 and 2007 P.F. certificates, the former for block of four (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. AN UNBELIEVABLY RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 15-CENT 1866 ISSUE IN THE FINEST CONDITION ATTAINABLE. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SOME SHADE VARIETIES, THE 15-CENT LINCOLN IS PERHAPS THE RAREST OF THE 1861-66 SERIES STAMPS IN SUCH CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM CONDITION.

In Siegel sales during the past several years, we have made frequent reference to the rarity of the 1861-66 Issue stamps in choice condition. With the exception of the rare 5c and 24c shades, our experience shows that the 15c Lincoln is the most difficult stamp to obtain in sound, choice original-gum condition. It is most often found without gum or with disturbed gum. Examples with full original gum are frequently off-center. The block of six (straight edge at left), ex Caspary, Lilly and Ishikawa, is well-centered with original gum, but our search of numerous other major auction sales produced few other examples apart from the block. Therefore, this stamp could be the rarest face-different design of the 1861-66 series in choice original-gum condition. As a Mint Never-Hinged stamp, its rarity is increased exponentially.

With 1990 and 2007 P.F. certificates. Scott Retail as hinged (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. THE 24-CENT 1861-63 ISSUE IS EXTREMELY RARE IN SOUND AND WELL-CENTERED ORIGINAL-GUM CONDITION. A FAR GREATER CHALLENGE TO ACQUIRE IN THIS GRADE THAN MANY COLLECTORS REALIZE.

Scott values, which are influenced by the quantity of poorly-centered copies extant, are irrelevant in the current market for choice original-gum classics.

With 2001 P.F. certificate (Image)