The New Amsterdam Collection of United States Rarities
July 10, 2019
The New Amsterdam Collection of United States Stamps sold for close to $7 Million on 10th July 2019. Hundreds of floor and internet bidders competed for just 220 lots at auction which took almost four hours to complete. With the final hammer, the New Amsterdam Collection took its rightful place among the most valuable stamp collections in philatelic history.
The New Amsterdam Collection was formed over fifty years ago, its mission to complete spaces in a newly acquired Scott National Postage Album. Most of the material was acquired through Dumont Stamp Company, an old established and respected dealership which was in midtown Manhattan in the 1970s.
Competition was intense, especially for the top items. The absolute highlights of the auction were the two 1867 "Z" Grills, each with a pre-sale estimate of $750,000. The 10c green (Washington) fetched $1,150,000 and 15c gray black (Lincoln) $1,610,000, the latter setting a record for a single United States stamp sold at auction.
Additional rare Grills realized $661,250 for a 3c "B" Grill and $172,500 for a 30c "A" Grill. Other noteworthy results include $287,500 for 1869 30c Pictorial with Inverted flags and $402,500 for 24c Inverted Jenny. A rare 2c coil pair estimated at $300,000 was hammered down at $805,000. All results include Cherrystone's 15% buyer's premium.
| Images | Description | Current Bid |
 | Lot #201 United States - Postage Dues 1879 2c brown, 3c brown and 30c brown, three different, h.r., well centered, fine-v.f., each with 2019 PFC, * Catalog #J2-3,6 Catalog Value $850 | Price Realized $350.00 |
 | Lot #202 United States - Postage Dues 1879 1c deep brown, Special Printing, unused without gum, with 1965 PFC ("traces of gum, surface thinning at left edges") and 2019 PFC noting "surface scuffing at top left and along the left side", fine appearance. A rare Postage Due Special Printing. William E. Mooz, in an article on the 1c appearing in Chronicle No. 170, May 1996, offers evidence to support his theory that the actual number of true Special Printings sold was significantly lower than the reported figures. For the 1c, Mooz estimates 500 sold, but it is possible that as many as 400 purchased by G. B. Calman were destroyed, (*) Catalog #J8 Catalog Value $16,000 | Price Realized $1,700.00 |
 | Lot #203 United States - Postage Dues 1879 2c deep brown, Special Printing, unused without gum, small thin spot at upper right, otherwise fine and very rare Special Printing, with 2019 PFC (catalogued as unused without gum) (*) Catalog #J9 Catalog Value $15,000 | Price Realized $1,900.00 |
 | Lot #204 United States - Postage Dues 1879 3c deep brown, Special Printing, unused without gum, small thin spot at upper left, unpunched perforations at sides, v.f. appearing example of this rare Postage Due Special Printing, only 436 sold, with 2019 PFC (catalogued as unused without gum) (*) Catalog #J10 Catalog Value $20,000 | Price Realized $3,500.00 |
 | Lot #205 United States - Postage Dues 1879 5c deep brown, Special Printing, unused disturbed original gum from hinge removal, hinge remnant, nice color, some thin spots and diagonal crease, fine appearance of this very rare Postage Due Special Printing, with 2019 PFC (it has been estimated that only 249 copies reached the public), * Catalog #J11 Catalog Value $13,000 | Price Realized $2,100.00 |
 | Lot #206 United States - Postage Dues 1879 10c deep brown, Special Printing, unused large part original gum, h.r., nice color and well centered for this issue, minute toning at lower right, small thin spots and horizontal crease, otherwise fine, with 2019 PFC. A rare Postage Due Special Printing, only 174 sold, * Catalog #J12 Catalog Value $6,500 | Price Realized $950.00 |
 | Lot #207 United States - Postage Dues 1879 30c deep brown, Special Printing, unused without gum, fine, only 179 sold, with 2019 PFC, (*) Catalog #J13 Catalog Value $7,000 | Price Realized $1,200.00 |
 | Lot #208 United States - Postage Dues 1884 10c red brown, h.r., well centered and fresh, tiny adherence on gum, v.f., with 2019 PFC, * Catalog #J19 Catalog Value $550 | Price Realized $190.00 |
 | Lot #209 United States - Postage Dues 1884 50c red brown, unused with original gum, h.r., fresh and fine, with 2019 PFC, * Catalog #J21 Catalog Value $1,800 | Price Realized $240.00 |
 | Lot #210 United States - Postage Dues 1894 1c vermilion, h.r., small faults, fine appearance, with 2019 PFC, * Catalog #J29 Catalog Value $2,250 | Unsold |
 | Lot #211 United States - Postage Dues 1894 5c deep claret, small h.r., well centered, v.f., with 2019 PFC, * Catalog #J34 Catalog Value $300 | Price Realized $230.00 |
 | Lot #212 United States - Postage Dues 1897 30c claret, never hinged, well centered, v.f., extremely difficult to find in never hinged condition, with 2019 PFC, ** Catalog #J43 Catalog Value $1,500 | Price Realized $1,100.00 |
 | Lot #213 United States - Postage Dues 1914 3c carmine lake, never hinged, bright color, fresh and fine, very difficult to find in never hinged condition, with 2019 PFC, ** Catalog #J54 Catalog Value $3,000 | Price Realized $1,100.00 |
 | Lot #214 United States - Postage Dues 1914 30c carmine lake, n.h., fine, with 2019 PFC, ** Catalog #J57 Catalog Value $525 | Unsold |
 | Lot #215 United States - Postage Dues 1914 50c carmine lake, never hinged, usual centering, bright color, fresh and fine example of this scarce Postage Due, with 2018 PFC (Scott No. J58 has the highest catalogue value of any regularly issued Postage Due stamps and only a few never hinged examples are recorded) ** Catalog #J58 Catalog Value $21,000 | Price Realized $4,750.00 |
 | Lot #216 United States - Postage Dues 1916 2c rose, never hinged, light natural gum bend, fresh and fine, with 2019 PFC, ** Catalog #J60 Catalog Value $625 | Price Realized $130.00 |
