2002 Rarities of the World continued...

VERY FINE CENTERING AND AN ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE OF THE $200.00 "SMALL PERSIAN RUG". ONE OF THE CELEBRATED RARITIES OF REVENUE PHILATELY.

Scott Retail for ms. cancel (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. THIS IS THE LARGEST RECORDED MULTIPLE OF THE 2-CENT THIRD ISSUE REVENUE INVERT. IT IS, IN FACT, THE LARGEST ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF ANY 19TH CENTURY UNITED STATES INVERT.

According to the most definitive source on revenue multiples (which can be found at www.thecurtiscollection.com), there exists this block of six, three blocks of four, and two pairs of the 2c Third Issue Invert in multiples. This block is the largest and finest. At one point in the past it was described with a tiny thin, but there is none, and the P.F. certificate confirms its sound condition.

With 2002 P.F. certificate. Unpriced as unused. Scott Retail as three used pairs is $3,300.00 (Image)

VERY FINE AND CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT "I.R." EMERGENCY PROVISIONAL OVERPRINT.

To meet the increased demands for federal revenue during the Spanish-American War, on June 13, 1898 Congress approved the War Revenue Law of 1898. The law was to become effective on July 1, 1898, leaving only seventeen days before the new stamps were needed. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing had already started work on the dies, rolls and plates in anticipation of its passage, but they were still unable to issue stamps when the law went into effect.

A large quantity of 1c and 2c stamps were printed with an "I.R." overprint (Scott R153, R154, R155 and R155A). Additionally, small quantities were produced in the 8c, 10c and 15c denominations. These issues mark the first time that the United States had to resort to surcharging. (Image)

FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 15-CENT "I.R." EMERGENCY PROVISIONAL OVERPRINT.

Please refer to the previous description for a history of these emergency overprints. With 1994 P.S.E. certificate (Image)

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT CHAPMAN OVERPRINT. ONLY FIFTEEN COPIES ARE RECORDED.

In his privately published census, Larry Lyons records fourteen copies of Scott R158A. Of these, one is on document and ten are faulty. This stamp is not included in that census, and becomes the fifteenth copy of this rarity known to us.

According to Scott catalogue, the 1c Trans-Mississippi was overprinted by the Purvis Printing Company with federal government approval. They were ordered by L. H. Chapman of the Chapman Steamboat Line, which operated freight-carrying steamboats along the Erie Canal. Only 250 stamps were produced, additionally, 250 were printed reading "I.R./P.I.D. & Son", for P.I. Daprix & Son, which served different ports along the same waterway. (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE EXAMPLE OF THIS RARE STOCK TRANSFER STAMP. ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL REVENUE STAMPS.

Extensive search of auction records for the past 22 years produced only three examples of this Stock Transfer rarity. (Image)

VERY FINE EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL REVENUE STAMPS.

An extensive search of auction records for the past 22 years produced only three examples of this Stock Transfer rarity. (Image)