Lot 1708 ()
1883 Special Printing, 4¢ deep blue green, without gum as issued, bright fresh paper and deep intense color indicative of this issue, Fine, a lovely example of this extremely rare Special Printing issue, ex-Sheriff; with 1971 P.F. and 2015 P.S.E. certificates.Scott No. 211D $47,500.
AN ATTRACTIVE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE 1883 4¢ AMERICAN BANK NOTE CO. SPECIAL PRINTING ISSUE.
This Special Printing is from a trial printing by a new steam-powered American Bank Note Co. press. Approximately 1,000 of these stamps (in sheets of 200 with an imperforate gutter between panes of 100) were delivered as samples to the Third Assistant Postmaster General and subsequently made their way to the public market.
Official Postal records show that twenty six examples of this Special Printing where issued. The Philatelic Foundation has certified all but one of these. Out of the mere twenty five that has been certified, five examples are recorded with small flaws.
Realized: $15,000