Lot 2310 o
1923, 2¢ Harding, rotary press printing, the rare perf 11, line machine cancel, centered to the lower right, strong color, Fine; with 1985 P.F. certificate.Scott No. 613 $35,000 in the grade of fine.
AN ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE OF THE 1923 2¢ HARDING ROTARY PERF 11 ISSUE - A GREAT 20TH CENTURY RARITY.
The Harding Memorial stamps mark one of the quickest turnarounds from concept to delivery in the history of U.S. postage stamps. President Harding, the 29th president of the U.S., died of a heart attack on August 2, 1923. Less than a month later a memorial stamp honoring his presidency was issued. How the Bureau of Engraving and Printing managed to print over one and one half billion stamps in 3 months is also something of a miracle. It is possible the haste at which this stamp was produced might be at least partially behind one of the great rarities of 20th century U.S. stamps, the rotary press sheet waste stamp perforated 11x11. The stamp was printed on the rotary presses, but was perforated on the flat plate, perf 11 equipment, rather than with the normal perf 10 perforating machines used to perforate the rotary press stamps of the time.
Realized: $18,000