Lot
1718 
1979, $1 Lamp, brown (candle flame) inverted, o.g., never hinged, fresh and well centered, Extremely Fine and choice, rare with only about 95 examples accounted for from the only known pane issued. 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 to 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 thereafter and nine CIA employees decided to switch the errors for newly purchased normal issues. The story of what happened was eventually leaked and a scandal ensued with four employees being fired.
Realized: $12,000