Lot 323
1979, $1 Lamp, Brown (Candle Flame) Inverted, o.g., never hinged, fresh and well centered, Very Fine, rare with only about 95 examples accounted for from the only known pane issued; with 2014 P.S.E. certificate.Scott No. 1610c $17,500.
Known as the "CIA" invert, the known pane of 100 was sold by the McLean, Virginia post office in the spring of 1986 an employee of the CIA who had been sent to the post office to buy stamps for the agency. The inverted error was discovered shortly after and nine CIA employees decided to switch the errors for newly purchased normal issues. The story of what happen eventually was leaked and a scandal eventually ensued with four employees being fired.
Realized: $10,500