2004 Rarities of the World continued...

VERY FINE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT COLUMBIAN USED ON JANUARY 2, 1893, THE MONDAY ISSUE DATE.

The 2c Columbian was issued on Sunday, January 1, 1893, but most post offices were closed. January 2 is accepted as the First Day of Issue. (Image)

FINE AND PRISTINE. ONE OF THE FEW AVAILABLE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLES OF THE RARE 4-CENT COLUMBIAN ERROR OF COLOR.

The 4c Columbian color error was caused by the use of a wrong batch of ink, and spectrographic analysis has shown that the blue inks of the 4c error and 1c Columbian have the same components.

Stamps from at least two panes reached collectors, and the few cancelled examples indicate that stamps used by the public came from additional panes. It is likely that a number of full sheets were printed using the wrong ink, and most of the stamps have simply been lost to philately.

Ex Drucker. With 1972 and 2002 P.F. certificates. (Image)

VERY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 4-CENT COLUMBIAN ERROR OF COLOR.

With 2001 P.S.E. certificate. (Image)

A FINE EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 4-CENT COLUMBIAN ERROR OF COLOR.

This is the more intense of the two error shades. (Image)

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONLY THIRTEEN USED EXAMPLES OF THE 4-CENT COLUMBIAN ERROR OF COLOR HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED BY THE PHILATELIC FOUNDATION. ONE OF THE GREAT RARITIES OF USED UNITED STATES STAMPS.

Only four of the thirteen are sound, and two of the sound copies have not been re-examined for faults since the 1940's. Therefore, the number of sound copies may actually be less than four, and may only be two. Most of the used examples are also off-center to some degree, with eight having the perforations either close or touching on at least one side. The stamp offered here is among the three best-centered of all known used examples. In the last six years, this is only the third used example of this rarity we have handled.

With 1978 P.F. certificate (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED 30-CENT COLUMBIAN THAT RANKS AMONG THE FINEST EXTANT.

With 2004 P.F. certificate (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL MINT NEVER-HINGED $1.00 COLUMBIAN IN POST-OFFICE FRESH CONDITON..

The superb centering and remarkable Mint Never-Hinged state make this stamp one of the most outstanding $1.00 Columbians we have offered. With copy of 2003 P.F. certificate for block of four (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE $1.00 COLUMBIAN.

With 1990 P.F. certificate (Image)

VERY FINE AND CHOICE. A SCARCE USED BLOCK OF THE $1.00 COLUMBIAN.

A wonderful and remarkably intact used block (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE $2.00 COLUMBIAN IN REMARKABLE CONDITION. A PHENOMENAL STAMP IN EVERY RESPECT.

Typically, when a collector assembles an Extremely Fine, Mint Never-Hinged set of Columbians, the $2.00 space remains empty to the very end due to the low supply and high demand. It is simply one of the rarest stamps of the set in this condition. The Zoellner collection sold by the Siegel firm had a lightly hinged stamp. The Weisman collection had a Mint N.H. stamp, but it was not centered, and the Lyons collection had a used $2.00. The Scott value of $3,500.00 for a Mint N.H. stamp (in Very Fine grade) does not begin to reflect the true rarity of such examples, as demonstrated by the $30,000 realization in our March sale (Sale 872, lot 658).

With 2002 P.F. certificate. (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. EASILY ONE OF THE WIDEST-MARGINED EXAMPLES OF THE $4.00 COLUMBIAN IN EXISTENCE.

With 1988 P.F. certificate (Image)