The Jay Hoffman Collection of United States Stamps continued...

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

Our census of Scott 203 published in the Zoellner catalogue (and updated at our website at: http://siegelauctions.com/enc/census/203/203.htm) 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-04. Ex Lessman and Connoisseur. With 1992 and 2006 P.F. certificates (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE FINEST OF THE 21 EXAMPLES OF THIS STAMP RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS.

This elusive Special Printing was the subject of an informative article by William E. Mooz in the Chronicle, 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 this issue available at http://siegelauctions.com/enc/census/205c/205c.htm illustrates the 21 known copies. The provenance of the example offered here is especially desirable. The last example we offered at auction was in our sale of the Vineyard collection, in 2004.

Census No. 205C-UNC-12. Ex Neinken, "Southern Cross", Weisman, Lyons and McKinney. With 1944 A.P.S. certificate and 1991 P.F. and 1993 P.S.E. certificates. (Image)

VERY FINE AND CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THIS IMPERFORATE BETWEEN ERROR.

We have offered only a handful since keeping computerized records. "HF" backstamps. With 2005 P.F. certificate (Image)

A VERY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE EXCEEDINGLY RARE 4-CENT 1883 AMERICAN SPECIAL PRINTING. ONE OF THE MOST ELUSIVE OF ALL BANK NOTE SPECIAL PRINTINGS.

Our census of the 4c 1883 Special Printing published in the Zoellner catalogue and updated on our website at: http://www.siegelauctions.com/enc/census/211D/211D.htm 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.

The Scott Catalogue value for No. 211D has not been correctly adjusted in relation to its counterparts, such as Scott No. 205C, with which it has always maintained near parity. For example, between 2001 and 2008, Scott No. 205C rose from $28,500 to its current $75,000, while Scott No. 211D only increased from $26,000 to $50,000. In our estimation, the Scott value for No. 211D should be at least $75,000. The copy in our recent Sale 953 realized $75,000 hammer despite a tiny thin, which confirms our assessment of this rarity's true market value.

Census No. 211D-UNC-19. With 1983 and 2002 P.F. certificates. (Image)