United States Stamps continued...

1908 FIVE CENT BLUE PRIVATE AND EXPERIMENTAL COILS continued...

Lot	Symbol	CatNo.	Lot Description	CV or Estimate
481		315	#315, 5c Blue imperforate, horizontal pair with vertical guide line, very large and even margins all around, deep luxuriant color and a strong detailed impression on fresh white paper, pristine o.g., n.h., extremely fine; a select quality pair; 2004 PF certificate. (Image)	$875.00 SOLD for $725.00 Will close during Public Auction
482		315	#315, 5c Blue imperforate, horizontal pair, large margins all around, strong rich color on fresh white paper, o.g., n.h., extremely fine; 1998 PSE certificate. (Image)	$875.00 SOLD for $725.00 Will close during Public Auction
483	Ou	315	#315, 5c Blue imperforate, a magnificent quality used example of this stamp, which is far more rare genuinely used than mint, exceedingly large margins all around, wonderfully fresh, light wavy machine cancel; an extremely fine gem; certified singles of #315, particularly in this outstanding quality, seldom appear on the marketplace; 2002 PF certificate and a 2005 PSE certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $2,600.00); not only is this the highest grade the PSE has ever assigned to a used copy of this stamp, it is the sole example to grade 95. (Image)	$1,000.00 SOLD for $3,500.00 Will close during Public Auction
484		315 var.	#315 var., 5c Blue imperforate, U.S. Automatic Vending Ty. I separations measuring 15 1/2mm between notches, a lovely unused pair, deep rich color, exceedingly well centered, extremely fine and especially scarce thus. (Image)	$750.00 SOLD for $475.00 Will close during Public Auction
485		315 var.	#315 var., 5c Blue imperforate, U.S. Automatic Vending Ty. II separations, a marvelously well centered mint pair of this rare coil, with perfectly balanced margins all around, deep rich color, o.g., minor h.r., extremely fine; particularly elusive this well centered and certified genuine; 2007 PF certificate. (Image)	$1,400.00 SOLD for $1,050.00 Will close during Public Auction
486		315 var.	#315 var., 5c Blue imperforate, U.S. Automatic Vending Ty. III perforations, a lovely pair of this rare and seldom seen vending machine perforation, exceptionally fresh and with intensely rich color, wonderfully well centered, o.g., trivial natural wrinkle in left stamp mentioned for accuracy only, extremely fine; clear 1990 PF certificate. (Image)	$1,200.00 SOLD for $1,050.00 Will close during Public Auction
487		317	#317, 5c Blue coil, perf. 12 horiz., a phenomenally rare guide line strip of four, marvelously fresh, with rich color and a crisp impression distinctive only to genuine examples of this coil, exceedingly well centered and margined, full o.g., some minor h.r.'s primarily placed between the stamps to sensibly reinforce the perforations, margins at sides have been "hand trimmed" according to the recently issued Philatelic Foundation certificate which accounts for the varying width of the stamps which are a bit narrower in the top pair versus the lower pair, the exact reason for the "hand trimming" can never be known for sure, but the experimental nature of these Bureau coils and the fact that they were hand manufactured, suggests this was a production phenomenon, very fine.The 1908 Bureau issue coils rank among the rarest of all United States stamps, and this is especially true for any line pair or line strip, which are the most collectable and valuable of the coil positions. Of the five different coils which were produced, only a handful of line pairs or strips exist. And, in the case of the Two Cent Coil, both in vertical and horizontal formats, no line pairs exist at all. Line pairs or line strips of the Five Cent coil, which only exists in a vertical format, are immense rarities. Our records reveal that there are only four genuine line pairs or line strips still surviving. Interestingly, of this tiny population, three are found in line strips of four, like the one offered here. It is believed that all three line strips of four come from the same source, a Detroit collector named George W. Rice who, in 1911 or 1912, was able to obtain a partial coil roll and was offering the stamps at $1.00 (!) each to his fellow collectors. It is reported that he only sold three line strips of four. All three line strips possess very similar centering. One was last offered at auction in 1968 and was described as having a slight crease affecting two stamps. Another was sold at auction in 1989 and was described as having natural vending machine gripper marks (punctures) on two stamps. The third strip, offered here, has been in a private collection for several decades. The final recorded pair is a never hinged line pair (of two), which we believe was sold in a private transaction just a few years ago for a substantial sum.The chance to purchase a 1908 Five Cent Bureau issue coil line pair/strip, at public auction, is truly the epitome of a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity, as no other example has made an auction appearance, to our knowledge, in over 17 years. With only four recorded examples this ranks among the greatest rarities in United States philately, on par with the likes of such rarities as the 1867-68 Five Cent "A" Grill (four known) or the Three Cent "B" Grill (four known), both of which catalog substantially more than this line strip. Accompanied by both a 1943 American Philatelic Society Board of Examiners and 2007 Philatelic Foundation certificates, in addition to being lightly signed in pencil on reverse by the well known expert E. Stern. (Image)	$67,000.00+ SOLD for $65,000.00 Will close during Public Auction

1903 TWO CENT SHIELD

Lot	Symbol	CatNo.	Lot Description	CV or Estimate
488	u	319	#319, 2c Carmine, a striking mint single, being incredibly well centered within immensely large margins all around, bright fresh color, o.g., lightly hinged, superb; a large-margined gem; 1991 PF certificate and a 2004 PSE certificate (XF-Superb 98 Jumbo; SMQ $65.00 for 98); this is the highest grade given to this stamp by the PSE, being one of four so graded. (Image)	$6.00 SOLD for $150.00 Will close during Public Auction
489		319j	#319j, 2c Carmine rose, Ty. II, attractive mint single, featuring truly radiant color of this carmine rose shade, well centered within large margins, pristine o.g., n.h., extremely fine; a scarce stamp in Type II which is normally found in lake and not the lighter shades; 2006 PSE certificate. (Image)	$150.00 SOLD for $260.00 Will close during Public Auction
490	u	320c	#320c, 2c Carmine rose, Ty. I, imperforate, exceedingly large symmetrical margins all around, incredibly bright and fresh, o.g., n.h., an extremely fine gem; a most attractive example of this elusive shade (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $220.00) (Image)	$130.00 SOLD for $260.00 Will close during Public Auction

1904 LOUISIANA PURCHASE

Lot	Symbol	CatNo.	Lot Description	CV or Estimate
491	PB	323	#323, 1c Louisiana Purchase, impressive full bottom right corner margin imprint and plate no. 2163 block of six, featuring excellent overall centering, wonderfully fresh with deep rich color, o.g., n.h., extremely fine and quite scarce thus. (Image)	$500.00 SOLD for $600.00 Will close during Public Auction
492	u	324	#324, 2c Louisiana Purchase, extraordinarily well centered, brilliantly fresh color and an especially strong impression, unblemished o.g., n.h., extremely fine; 2004 PSE certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $840.00). (Image)	$65.00 SOLD for $900.00 Will close during Public Auction
493	u	324	#324, 2c Louisiana Purchase, unusually large and wonderfully well balanced margins all around, radiant color on bright fresh paper, o.g., n.h., extremely fine; a pristine gem; 1985 PF certificate and a 2005 PSE certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $840.00); ex-Jarrett. (Image)	$65.00 SOLD for $725.00 Will close during Public Auction
494		324	#324, 2c Louisiana Purchase, imprint and plate no. 2165 pane of 50, bright color, o.g., n.h., trivial gum adherence on position 34, there is some perf. separation which for the most part does not affect the plate blocks, fine centering. (Image)	$3,470.00+ SOLD for $700.00 Will close during Public Auction
495	u	325	#325, 3c Louisiana Purchase, an absolutely gorgeous top sheet-margin single, possessing impeccable centering within balanced margins all around, deep intense color and a prooflike impression on fresh paper, o.g., n.h., an extremely fine gem; 2002 PSE certificate (Superb 98; SMQ $7,450.00); the highest grade the PSE has assigned to this stamp, being one of only four. (Image)	$210.00 SOLD for $5,250.00 Will close during Public Auction
496	u	325	#325, 3c Louisiana Purchase, an impressive top left corner margin mint single, being wonderfully well centered within large margins, rich luxuriant color and impression, l.h., extremely fine; 2006 PSE certificate (XF 90; SMQ $160.00). (Image)	$90.00 SOLD for $150.00 Will close during Public Auction
497	PB	325	#325, 3c Louisiana Purchase, full top margin imprint and plate no. 2103 block of four, brilliantly fresh and bright with large sheet selvage, gorgeous intense color and prooflike impression on immaculate paper, extraordinarily well centered, pristine o.g., n.h., extremely fine; an incredibly choice example of this scarce commemorative plate block; 2006 PF certificate. (Image)	$1,075.00 SOLD for $600.00 Will close during Public Auction
498		326	#326, 5c Louisiana Purchase, exceptionally well centered, deep rich color and a well incised impression, o.g., n.h., extremely fine; 2002 PF certificate. (Image)	$225.00 SOLD for $425.00 Will close during Public Auction
499	u	327	#327, 10c Louisiana Purchase, a highly desirable mint example, being exceedingly well centered and margined, rich luxuriant color and a razor-sharp impression, flawless o.g., n.h., an extremely fine gem; 2007 PSE certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $3,400.00). (Image)	$400.00 SOLD for $2,500.00 Will close during Public Auction
500		327	#327, 10c Louisiana Purchase, bottom margin imprint single, excellent centering, rich color and a clean impression, o.g., n.h., extremely fine and quite handsome; 1998 PSE certificate for an imprint strip of three, this being the center stamp. (Image)	$400.00 SOLD for $850.00 Will close during Public Auction