Sale 133: The Arthur K. Wachtel Collection of Mint Never Hinged United States

Lot 1356 ()   

Newspaper, 1875, $6 ultramarine, C.B.N.C. "Hard Paper" Special Printing, without gum as issued, nicely centered, fresh and bright color, F.-V.F.; with 1988 & 2017 P.F. certificates.
Scott No. PR50    $70,000.

A MAGNIFICENT EXAMPLE OF THE $6.00 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY NEWSPAPER SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY FOURTEEN WERE SOLD, AND ONLY EIGHT HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED AS GENUINE. THIS IS ONE OF THE RAREST STAMPS IN UNITED STATES PHILATELY.

According to official sale records, only 14 examples of the 1875 $6.00 Newspaper Special Printing were ever sold and delivered. On July 16, 1884, the remaining unsold supply was withdrawn from sale and subsequently destroyed. Surviving examples are exceedingly rare, with only a handful appearing at auction in the past century - each drawing significant interest from advanced collectors of U.S. back-of-the-book material.Complete images:
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Realized: $45,000

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Lot 1047    

1869, 90¢ carmine & black, o.g., never hinged, fresh with strong bright colors, centered to the right with design just touching perfs in a few places, Fine and attractive; with 1980 P.F. & 2023 P.S.E. certificates.
Scott No. 122; $11,000 for hinged    Estimate $20,000 - 30,000.

AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE NEVER HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1869 90¢ PICTORIAL ISSUE - BELIEVED TO BE ONLY MINT EXAMPLE KNOWN IN NEVER HINGED CONDITION.

After a search of the P.F. Certificate Search and various auction sites, we where unable to find any other 1869 90¢ Pictorial issue in never hinged condition. We feel quite confident this is the only never hinged example that exists.Complete images including certificate(s):
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Lot 1205    

1917, 5¢ carmine color error, unwatermarked, imperf., the single error in a block of 6, o.g., never hinged, huge margins all round, bright vibrant color on fresh paper, Superb; with 2002 P.S.E. certificate.
Scott No. 485    $12,000 for single.

AN EXCEPTIONAL NEVER HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1917 5¢ CARMINE IMPERFORATE COLOR ERROR IN A BLOCK OF 6.

While producing the 2¢ plate "7942", during one of the inspections it was noted that three positions in the plate were not satisfactory and needed to be burnished out and re-entered. The transfer roll for the 5¢ stamp was mistakenly used with the error passing through production unnoticed, with the error sheets released in perf. 10 (467), perf. 11. (505) and a limited number imperf. (485).Complete images including certificate(s):
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Realized: $14,000

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Lot 1355 ()   

Newspaper, 1875, $1.92 dark brown, C.B.N.C. "Hard Paper" Special Printing, without gum as issued, deep rich color on bright paper, Very Fine; with 1992 P.S.E. & 2017 P.S.A.G. certificate.
Scott No. PR48    $20,000.

A RARE EXAMPLE IN COMPLETELY SOUND CONDITION OF THE $1.92 1875 CONTINENTAL NEWSPAPER SPECIAL PRINTING. ONLY 41 WERE SOLD.

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Realized: $9,000

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Lot 1001    

1847, 5¢ orange brown, o.g., never hinged, four full well balanced margins, bright vivid orange brown color, Very Fine; with 2003 P.F. (for Scott #1) & 2017 P.F. certificates.
Scott No. 1b    $10,000 for hinged.

A LOVELY EXAMPLE OF THE 1847 5¢ FRANKLIN ISSUE IN THE SCARCE ORANGE BROWN SHADE - MOSTLY LIKELY UNIQUE IN NEVER HINGED CONDITION.

To date, only seven mint original gum examples of the 5¢ orange brown have been certified by the Philatelic Foundation. All but four are in sound condition with this being sole example in never hinged conditionComplete images including certificate(s):
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Realized: $13,500

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Lot 1073    

1879, 10¢ brown, A.B.N.C. printing, without secret mark, o.g., never hinged, well centered amid large margins, strong bold color and very fresh, Very Fine; with 2024 P.S.A.G. certificate.
Scott No. 187    $10,000.

AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE NEVER HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1879 10¢ AMERICAN ISSUE WITHOUT SECRET MARK - QUITE POSSIBLY THE FINEST EXAMPLE EXISTING IN NEVER HINGED CONDITION.

After a search of the P.F. Certificate Search and various auction sites, we where unable to find any other example of the 1879 10¢ American Bank Note issue without secret mark in never hinged condition.Complete images including certificate(s):
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Realized: $22,000

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Lot 1215    

1923, 1¢ green, rotary press sheet waste, perf. 11, o.g., never hinged, rich bold color and very fresh, well centered for this notoriously off-centered issue, fresh and Fine; with photocopy of 1974 & 2021 P.F. certificates, the latter Graded (Fine 70).
Scott No. 544    $30,000 for the grade of fine.

AN EXTREMELY RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 1923 1¢ PERF 11 ROTARY SHEET WASTE ISSUE IN NEVER HINGED CONDITION - WITH APPROXIMATELY NINE SUCH EXAMPLES IN EXISTENCE.

A small quantity of 1¢ Rotary Press stamps was perforated 11 at the end of 1922, using remainder sheets from the earlier printings that were normally perforated in 10 gauge or 11/10 compound gauge. Most of the recorded copies of Scott 544 are off-center or have been damaged as a result of lower production standards and poor handling. It was not discovered until 1936 when three used examples came to light.Complete images including certificate(s):
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Realized: $13,000

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Lot 1126    

1894, $5 dark green, unwatermarked, o.g., never hinged, nice margins and centering for this notoriously difficult issue, beautiful rich deep color and very fresh, Very Fine, with approximately a dozen or so example exist in never hinged condition; with 1982 P.F. & 2016 P.S.E. certificates.
Scott No. 263    $15,000.

AN ATTRACTIVE NEVER HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1894 $5 UNWATERMARKED ISSUE - A GREAT BUREAU ISSUE RARITY IN NEVER HINGED CONDITION.

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Lot 1028    

1861, 3¢ pink, o.g., never hinged, fresh with clear margins, except slightly close at right, bold color, F.-V.F.; with 2021 P.F. & 2022 P.S.E. certificates.
Scott No. 64    $14,000 for hinged.

AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE NEVER HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1861, 3¢ PINK ISSUE - WITH ONLY A FEW KNOWN EXAMPLE IN NEVER HINGED CONDITION.

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Realized: $6,000

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Lot 1014    

1859, 5¢ brown, type I, top margin single, o.g., never hinged, very nicely centered with design just in at top and perfs clear on all other sides, rich bold color and exceptional impression, with wide sheet margin selvage, Very Fine; with 2010 P.F. certificate.
Scott No. 29    $5,500 for hinged.

AN EXTRAORDINARILY RARE NEVER HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1859 5¢ BROWN TYPE I ISSUE - PERHAPS THE ONLY EXISTING EXAMPLE IN NEVER HINGED CONDITION.

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Realized: $18,000

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