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 #165 United States 1908 Coil Stamps 1908 4c brown, Imperforate, Schermack Type II, horizontal pair, margins clear all around, original gum, h.r., left stamp with tiny marginal nick, right stamp with part paste-up on back, completely sound, with 1952 and 2019 Philatelic Foundation Certificates. Only 21 unused stamps are recorded, including four pairs and two guide line pairs, this one listed in the Siegel Census 314A-OG-PR3. A major 20th Century United States Rarity (with the rising popularity of vending and affixing machines, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing received numerous requests from manufacturers for supplies of imperforate stamps, which could then be privately perforated to conform to each firm's machine. In May 1908, a supply of 25 sheets (400 stamps per sheet) of the 4c 1902 Issue, without perforations, was delivered to the Schermack Mailing Machine Co. in Detroit. The entire supply was cut into coils with Schermack Type III perforations, designed for the firm's patented affixing machine and delivered to the Winfield Printing Co. for use on mass mailings of advertising material. Approximately 6,000 were used on a mailing for Hamilton Carhartt Manufacturer, and almost all of the 4,000 balance were used on a mailing for Burroughs Adding Machine Co.) * Catalog #314A Catalog Value $250,000 | Price Realized $130,000.00 |
 | Lot #166 United States 1908 Coil Stamps 1908 1c blue green, vertical coil, unused with original gum, h.r., centered to bottom, top stamp nicely centered, bottom stamp with a tiny corner crease at bottom left, otherwise a fine and rare Coil Pair, with 1957 (clear) and 2019 Philatelic Foundation Certificates. It is unknown how many of these stamps were issued. According to the Siegel Census, there are nine pairs (this being 316-OG-PR06), three line pairs and a single. A major 20th Century Philatelic Rarity. This particular pair has not been seen in over 50 years, ex-Caroline Prentiss Cromwell (1957 sale) * Catalog #316 Catalog Value $335,000 | Price Realized $90,000.00 |
 | Lot #167 United States 1908 Coil Stamps 1908 5c blue, vertical pair, h.r., both stamps exceptionally well centered, beautiful color, handstamped "N.S. Co.Ltd", not mentioned on the accompanying 1951 and 2019 Philatelic Foundation Certificates, the latter graded "XF-S95", making this the highest graded pair of 317, a true condition rarity (OGph, VF-XF90 is priced in SMQ at $19,500). There are no pairs or line pairs graded higher than this XF-S95 * Catalog #317 | Price Realized $21,000.00 |
 | Lot #168 United States 1908 Coil Stamps 1908 1c blue green, horizontal paste-up pair, h.r., well centered, fresh color, right stamp with handstamped guarantee mark, fine-v.f., with 1951 and 2019 Philatelic Foundation Certificates, * Catalog #318 Catalog Value $11,000 | Price Realized $3,000.00 |
 | Lot #169 United States 1908 Coil Stamps 1908 2c carmine, vertical coil pair, l.h., bottom stamp centered to top, pencil signed G.B. Sloane, top stamp well centered, beautiful color, fine-v.f., with 1985 and 2019 Philatelic Foundation Certificates. The 321 coil pair is one of the premier rarities of United States Philately (if not all of Philately in general) with only five pairs known (including one in the Miller Collection at the New York Public Library, which is currently on loan at the Smithsonian), and one with rejoined perforations; missing from virtually all advanced collections, most recent realizations include $325,000 excluding Buyer's premium (Shreve's, Brody Collection, 2002) * Catalog #321 Catalog Value $450,000 | Price Realized $700,000.00 |
 | Lot #170 United States 1908 Coil Stamps 1908 2c carmine, perf. 12 vertically, tied by Indianapolis (December 20) cancel on Special Delivery cover to A.M. Travers in Washington, with hand-written note by Travers attached at left, stamp with a tear and light horizontal crease, pair of 5c blue imperforate (Scott 315) removed, otherwise fine appearance, ex-Grunin, with 1954 PFC (showing the cover intact with pair of 315) and 2019 PFC. One of only two covers known, both from Indianapolis (there are no known used singles off cover). The other cover is ex-Zoellner and more recently ex-Gross ($260,000 hammer). A major 20th Century U.S. rarity (last offered in Robert A Siegel Grunin sale, November 1971)  Catalog #321 Catalog Value $250,000 | Price Realized $72,500.00 |
 | Lot #171 United States 1908 Coil Stamps 1908 2c carmine, perf. 12 vertically, horizontal pair, h.r., centered to left, faint diagonal bend at bottom right, very good. A rare 2c Shield Coil pair, with 1953 and 2019 Philatelic Foundation Certificates, * Catalog #322 Catalog Value $17,500 | Unsold |
