The Maitland Collection of U.S. Stamps and Inverted Centers of the World
October 29-30, 2024
We are pleased to present two outstanding sales from the Maitland Collection - United States Stamps and Inverted Centers of the World. The focus on the United States Collection is on items typically missing from conventional collections, most notably Re-Issues, Special Printings, rare Coils, Postage Dues and of course the Inverted Jenny (which is offered in the Inverted Centers sale). Some additional highlights include a sound unused Indian Red, Grills, Bluish Papers complete, imperf. 5c in 2c block, "Fast", "Slow" and "Grounded" Jennies, and more.
The Maitland Collection of Inverted Centers of the World brings these striking errors and some of their stories to light. The United States showing is apparently complete, with 1869 Pictorials, 1901 Pan-Americans, Internal Revenues and the more modern CIA and Stock Exchange inverts. Rounding the group is the Inverted Jenny, one of the three stamps recovered from the infamous "McCoy" block. Stolen from the APS Convention in 1955, the Maitland copy is position 75, its fascinating story available at https://invertedjenny.com/position/75.
The collection continues with major rarities from Central and South America, better Canal Zone, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama, Peru and Uruguay.
European Countries feature the three Inverted Parliament Building errors from Austria, Inverted Madonna from Hungary, Bulgaria 50st, Athens Academy from Greece, Italian Filiberto and Postage Dues, as well as Italian Colonies, 1956 Poland 20gr Boxer, a splendid group of Imperial Russia and Spain.
The British Commonwealth is highlighted by Canadian Revenues, St. Lawrence Seaway, multiple examples of the Truro School, plus Patricia Airways. Jamaica, Labuan, New Zealand, Cook Islands, South Australia and Tonga.
Not to be overlooked, there are inverts from Belgian Congo, French Colonies, Liberia, excellent Iran and others.
These sales will take place live via CherrystoneLIVE.
| Images | Description | Current Bid |
 | Lot #2528 UNITED STATES POSSESSIONS Canal Zone 1907 1c green and black, Center and "Canal Zone" Inverted, nicely centered with fresh colors, usual tropicalized original gum, light h.r. and small adhesion, v.f. Only 22 mint examples exist from the original sheet of 100, as 78 were used on mail before the error was discovered by a local philatelist named Elmer Ohlson, with 2002 PFC, ex-Helme, Sagar, * Catalog #22g Catalog Value $3,750 | Price Realized $1,800.00 |
 | Lot #2529 UNITED STATES POSSESSIONS Canal Zone 1907 2c carmine red and black, Center Inverted and "Canal Zone" reading up, used, bright color, small tear and minor creasing, otherwise fine, with 2004 Philatelic Foundation Certificate. This is one of Canal Zone's greatest rarities, Only nine copies are recorded, all used, including one on cover, all of which are faulty to some degree. Apparently only one sheet was printed and went undetected until first reported in 1911, ex-Sagar, O Catalog #23g Catalog Value $6,000 | Price Realized $4,000.00 |
 | Lot #2530 UNITED STATES POSSESSIONS Canal Zone 1909 1c dark green and black, Center Inverted and "Canal Zone" reading down, a magnificent used example of one of the most famous of all of the Canal Zone errors, only four copies (all used), exist (the first example of this error was discovered in 1932 (23 years after issue) by George W. Wirth, who removed it from a postcard sent by a gentleman to his sister. The second example (with clipped perforations at left) was found in the 1950s. A third (badly defective) copy turned up in 1969). The example offered here, the last of the four known, was discovered in 1979 and is by far the best centered of the four. It is on bright paper, with deep rich color, with violet Cristobal cds. The perforations at right are scissor separated, typical of the handmade booklet panes, which is also a trait of the other three examples, making it likely that the error sheet was produced in this way. A faint crease, not mentioned on the accompanying 2004 PFC, does not detract from this most attractive example of this world class inverted center rarity, ex-Helme, Sagar, O Catalog #31a Catalog Value $22,500 | Price Realized $19,000.00 |
 | Lot #2531 UNITED STATES POSSESSIONS Canal Zone 1912 6c vermilion and black, Center Inverted, small h.r., fine, with photocopy of 1970 APS certificate, * Catalog #39e Catalog Value $650 | Price Realized $270.00 |
