U.S. and Worldwide Stamps & Postal History
January 10-11, 2017

ImagesDescriptionCurrent Bid
Lot #117
United States 1979 "CIA" Invert
1979 $1.00 Rush Lamp & Candle Holder, intaglio brown color inverted, n.h., v.f., with photocopy of the 1987 PFC for the original pane of 18 from which this originated (the CIA invert is one of the best known inverted color errors in United States philately. These stamps were discovered by an on-duty CIA employee who teamed up with some colleagues to purchase the pane from a post office. Saving a copy each, the group later sold the bulk of the sheet to a prominent stamp dealer. News of the error reached CIA officials who sought to claim ownership, and US Postal authorities tried to recover the stamps. Official queries, threats, and even job losses followed the group until the sale of the pane was ruled legal. Only about 80-85 copies are accounted for),
**
Catalog #1610c
Catalog Value $ 17,500
Price Realized
$14,500.00

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