Rare Stamps & Postal History of the World
September 13-14, 2022
We are pleased to present our September 13-14 auction of Rare Stamps and Postal History of the World. An important sale, with a number of highlights, starting with United States graded stamps, 1847 Issue on cover, 1869 Pictorials Proofs and Essays, including a complete set of Atlanta Trial Colors, two different sets of Columbian Large Die Proofs, a collection of rare Plate Blocks, a newly discovered holding of sheets, blocks of four of the CIA and Stock Exchange Inverts, Flight covers and U.S. Possessions. There are rarities from Bolivia, China including an Inverted Hall of Classics, France and French Colonies, with better Zanzibar, Great Britain and British Commonwealth, Dr. Leslie Rose's collection of Germany and Colonies, Hungary with First Issues on cover and pre-WWII Imperforate souvenir sheets. From Latvia, there is a world-renown collection formed by Imants Timma, with stamps and covers, Occupation Issues, Kurland and a splendid collection of Wenden. The sale also includes a sensational, long-forgotten collection of Imperial Russia. Brought to the United States just after WWII, this collection, only recently unearthed, includes the remarkable unused pair of Russia Number One with original gum, a splendid holding of proofs and essays, (including a collection of 140 different Romanov Proofs) and much more. Many of these items were exhibited in New York in 1927 and until now, had been presumed lost during the War. Finally, the sale includes close to 300 large lots and collections.
| Images | Description | Current Bid |
 | Lot #226 United States 1979 "CIA" Invert 1979 $1.00 Rush Lamp & Candle Holder, intaglio brown color inverted, n.h., v.f., with PSE certificate graded "VF-XF 85". 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 $17,000 | Price Realized $17,500.00 |
 | Lot #227 United States 1979 "CIA" Invert 1979 $1.00 Rush Lamp & Candle Holder, intaglio brown color inverted, block of four, n.h. and post office fresh, v.f., one of only three known blocks of four of this popular error, significantly undervalued given its rarity. Discovered in 1985, the CIA Invert was the first major inverted stamp in 66 years. The story began when an auctioneer specializing in U.S. error stamps announced the discovery (by a "business in northern Virginia") of 85 inverted 1979 $1 Rush Lamp stamps. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing launched an internal investigation and found that there were no indications of impropriety by its employees. It was discovered that an on-duty C.I.A. employee had purchased a partial sheet of 95 inverted stamps at a small post office near McLean, Virginia. When the office workers realized what they had, they pooled their money and substituted non-error $1 Rush Lamp stamps for the inverts. Each of the nine co-workers kept a stamp. The remaining 86 stamps, including one that was damaged, were quietly sold to the auctioneer. The story made headlines across the nation and was featured on every major television network. The CIA launched an ethics investigation and demanded that the co-workers surrender their inverts or face 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for conversion of government property for personal gain. Five employees returned their stamps, one claimed his had been lost, and three people resigned. The CIA donated the recovered inverts to the National Postal Museum (catalogued as singles)  **Catalog #1610c Catalog Value $68,000 | Price Realized $57,500.00 |
