MAGNIFICENT WORLD CLASS GEM IN THE ULTIMATE GRADE OF GEM-100, Perfectly centered amid extremely large margins, Glowing rich color and sharp clear impression, A perfect World Class example for the collector building the FINEST set of Zeppelins one GEM-100 at a time, A surprisingly difficult stamp to obtain in the ultimate grade of GEM-100, Only recorded example attaining this grade.

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Mint N.H., perfectly framed with enormous even margins, brilliant color and sharp impression

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS STAMP IS WITHOUT QUESTION THE FINEST EXAMPLE OF THE 50-CENT 1894 UNWATERMARKED BUREAU ISSUE IN EXISTENCE.

The unwatermarked 1894 Issue was the Bureau of Engraving and Printing's first effort producing postage stamps. As collectors know only too well, the 1894 unwatermarked stamps are typically poorly centered with irregular perforations. Issued quantities of the higher values on unwatermarked paper were small -- only 175,330 of the 50c, compared to 244,110 of the 30c 1869 -- and collectors have hinged most of the supply in philatelic hands. This 50c stamp has margins and centering rarely seen on any copy, used or unused, and its Mint Never-Hinged condition elevates it to the top of its class.

In his three-volume work on 19th Century United States stamps, Lester G. Brookman wrote the following about the 50c 1894 Issue: "There are few, if any, of the 19th century U.S. stamps that are so difficult to find in superb used condition as is this stamp. The price for commercial copies of this stamp can well be multiplied by 10 and the buyer of a superb copy of this stamp at such a price can rejoice in the fact he has a bargain!" Brookman's comments apply equally to 50c stamps with original gum and actually understate the value of a Mint Never-Hinged example.

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Position 44L4, original gum, lightly hinged, large margins at top and bottom, ample to clear at sides, deep rich Plate 4 color and sharp impression from a late state of the plate with unusually wide breaks in top and bottom outer lines

EXTREMELY FINE. THIS IS THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT IMPERFORATE TYPE III EXTANT. THE BREAKS IN OUTER LINES AT TOP AND BOTTOM -- THE DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC OF TYPE III -- ARE ESPECIALLY WIDE IN THIS LATE IMPRESSION.

Type III is defined by breaks in the outer lines at both top and bottom. Many Type III stamps have breaks that were created or enlarged by plate wear. Since the wear occurred over a period of time, a majority of stamps of this type (both unused and used) have small breaks in at least one line. The most notable exception is Position 99R2, which has the widest breaks of any Type III position, due to the short transfer during plate entry.

The stamp offered here should be considered significant for several reasons. The breaks at top and bottom are so wide that it actually approaches those of Position 99R2. This E Relief position (44L) had breaks in both lines when originally entered on the plate; however, later impressions show widened breaks, and, in this example, the breaks are extremely wide. The large margins at top and bottom also allow for easy identification of the type. All factors considered -- design, impression, margins and gum -- this stamp is easily one of the finest original-gum examples of the imperforate Type III.

A review of past auction catalogues demonstrates how rare this stamp is in original-gum condition. None were offered in the Newbury, Zoellner, Golin, Weisman, Lyons or Floyd collections. Caspary had an unused 99R2 in a strip of three, and the Ishikawa collection contained the famous block of nine with one Type III stamp (Position 99R2).

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Few stamps hold the widespread fascination of the "Inverted Jenny" and the importance of its undisputed popularity combined with the unimprovable virgin condition cannot be overstated.

The Finer of the two graded Never Hinged example known. The ultimate "virgin" inverted Jenny.

The 1918 Twenty Four Cent Inverted Jenny is one of the most recognized rarities in all of philately. Its legendary status began the moment the stamp was issued in May 1918, when William T. Robey purchased an entire error sheet of 100 at the New York Avenue Post Office window in Washington D.C.

Within a week, Robey sold the sheet for $15,000 to the well-known Philadelphia stamp dealer Eugene Klein. All but six examples of this stamp from the original sheet survive. The whereabouts of those six are unknown and presumably lost forever.

In our opinion, this is the most valuable single from the original sheet. Although there are bettered centered examples, they have all been hinged and, therefore ,are no longer totally original. If you have the means, consider this treasure.

Certified trades considered and in-house financing is available.

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Unusually choice centering and wide margins for this Invert error, barest trace of hinging, deep rich colors on bright paper, remarkable state of freshness

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. NO DOUBT ONE OF THE FINEST LIGHTLY-HINGED EXAMPLES OF THE ONE-CENT PAN-AMERICAN INVERT.

The 1c Pan-American Inverts were found in at least four different post offices around the country. Of the 600 to 700 known, most have disturbed gum and are off-center. The stamp offered here is remarkably fresh and certainly one of the best-centered examples known.

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Mint N.H., mathematically perfect centering with equally wide margins all around, vibrant color and proof-like impression, post-office fresh paper and gum

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS THE FINEST GRADED EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT PANAMA-PACIFIC PERF 10, HAVING ACHIEVED A GEM 100 GRADE FROM P.S.E.--NO OTHER SCOTT 404 HAS REACHED THE PERFECT 100-POINT GRADE.

The Panama-Pacific Exposition commemorative set was originally released in late 1912 and officially placed on sale on January 1, 1913, two years in advance of the actual exposition (the stamps are inscribed "San Francisco 1915"). The stamps were first issued with 12-gauge perforations. When the Bureau of Engraving and Printing changed to 10-gauge perforations in late 1914, sheets of Panama-Pacific stamps were issued in Perf 10 form. This modification was not officially announced or widely recognized by stamp collectors; therefore, the Perf 10 stamps are much scarcer than their Perf 12 counterparts.

The 10c design depicts the "Discovery of San Francisco Bay," based on a painting by Charles F. Mathews (Johl, Vol. 1, pp.69-70). It depicts the Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portola and his crew with the Muwekma Ohlone natives. In 1769 Portola led the first expedition and observed San Francisco harbor. In 1775 Juan Manuel de Ayala, captain of the Spanish ship San Carlos, was the first to enter the harbor, which led to the establishment of the earliest European settlements.

The 10c was first issued in the standard Yellow used for the regular-issue 10c stamp, but the design was difficult to see in this shade (Scott 400). The stamp color was changed to a darker Orange and issued with 12-gauge perforations (Scott 400A). When the 10-gauge perforations were introduced, a much smaller supply was issued as Orange Perf 10 (Scott 404).

The 10c Panama-Pacific Perf 10, Scott 404, typically comes poorly centered. It is also plagued by short perfs--for a reason. The wide-spaced 10-gauge perfs were introduced by postal officials to strengthen the sheets during handling. Postmasters complained that the Perf 12 sheets broke apart too easily, but the move to Perf 10 went too far, and postmasters then started complaining that they were tearing apart stamps while trying to separate them (Perf 11 ended up being just right). Scott 404 is also much scarcer than its Perf 12 counterparts, Scott 400 and 400A. Only two panes of 70 are reported to survive, and singles bought by collectors were almost invariably hinged in albums. A few statistics from the PSE Population Report (2/25/2008) show the relative scarcity of Scott 400, 400A and 404 in high grades (Mint NH). Looking at 98+ grades, Scott 404 represents less than 20% of the total number of 10¢ Panama- Pacific stamps (6 out of 31). In Gem 100, there is only one Scott 404 (and one 400A in 100J).

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Extremely well-centered with unusually wide margins for this printing, sharp impression, bold wavy-line machine cancel

FRESH AND EXTREMELY FINE. .

Records show 40 used singles (one faintly cancelled, if at all) and two used pairs. Of the singles, 23 are sound, but of these only five rate a grading of Very Fine or Extremely Fine. The stamp offered here is unquestionably in the finest existing condition.

The 2c Harding Rotary Perf 11 stamp was discovered in 1938 by Leslie Lewis of the New York firm, Stanley Gibbons Inc. Gary Griffith presents his hypothesis in United States Stamps 1922-26 that rotary-printed sheets of 400 were first reduced to panes of 100 and then fed through the 11-gauge perforating machine normally used for flat plate sheets. This method distinguishes sheet-waste stamps -- Scott 544, 596 and 613 -- from the coil-waste stamps and explains the existence of a straight-edge on Scott 613.

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Original gum, lightly hinged, brilliant color as fresh as the day it was printed, beautiful centering with unusually wide margins for this difficult issue

EXTREMELY FINE GEM WITH THE EXALTED P.S.E. GRADE OF XF-SUPERB 95. THIS IS EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES OF THE 90-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE IN EXISTENCE. A MAGNIFICENT STAMP IN EVERY RESPECT.

The 90c 1869 Pictorial is widely admired for its beautiful engraving and dignified portrait of Abraham Lincoln. However, collectors have been frustrated in their efforts to acquire choice examples of this issue. Used 90c stamps are typically heavily cancelled, because the high denomination was cause for postal clerks to thoroughly obliterate any chance for re-use. Naturally, the significant monetary value of 90c in 1869 limited the number of unused stamps that would be saved for future collectors. Therefore, the collector ideals of "well-centered with original gum" and "lightly cancelled" are seldom obtainable in the available supply of 90c 1869's. The stamp offered here, with lightly hinged original gum and choice centering, probably ranks among the top 1% of surviving 90c 1869's in unused state.

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Mint N.H. Deep rich Crimson Lake shade and proof-like impression, beautifully centered with wide and well-proportioned margins, post-office fresh

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Mint N.H., intense color in the true Olive Green color on bright paper, beautiful centering with wide margins

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