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 #2075 United States 1875 Special Printing 1875 1c ultramarine, unused without gum as issued, scissors-separated at right and bottom, intact perforations at left and top, beautifully centered, bright color and proof-like impression, well centered, v.f. example of this rare Special Printing, only 50 (!) recorded, signed E.Stern, with 1966 and 2008 PFCs, ex-Lilly, Klein, Perry Hanson (Siegel Auctions, Oct 2008, $10,000 hammer), (*) Catalog #167 Catalog Value $14,000 | Price Realized $6,500.00 |
 | Lot #2076 United States 1875 Special Printing 1875 2c dark brown, unused without gum as issued, part sheet margin at top, scissors-separated as usual, but intact perforations on all sides, deep rich color, usual centering, fine example of this Special Printing, only 62 examples recorded, mostly with scissors-trimmed perfs on at least one side, many have perforations into the design, with 1975 and 2005 PFCs, ex-Charlton Henry and Laila collections, (*) Catalog #168 Catalog Value $6,000 | Price Realized $3,500.00 |
 | Lot #2077 United States 1875 Special Printing 1875 6c dull rose, unused without gum as issued, brilliant color, scissors-separated as usual but leaving completely intact perforations on three sides, exceptionally well centered, with removed soiling (not mentioned on accompanying 1983 PFC), otherwise v.f. example of this rare Special Printing, only 38 (!) recorded, with 2024 PSE certificate, (*) Catalog #170 Catalog Value $20,000 | Unsold |
 | Lot #2078 United States 1875 Special Printing 1875 7c reddish vermillion, unused without gum as issued, with completely intact perforations on all sides, well centered for issue, rare Special Printing, less than 80 recorded, most with scissors-trimmed perforations or faulty, fine, with 1983 PFC and 2008 PSE certificate, graded "F 70" (SMQ $7,250) (*) Catalog #171 | Price Realized $3,500.00 |
 | Lot #2079 United States 1875 Special Printing 1875 10c pale brown, unused without gum as issued, rich color and detailed impression, virtually intact perforations on all sides, wide margins, fresh and v.f., completely sound example of this rare Special Printing, only 38 recorded, with 1947 and 2008 PFCs, (*) Catalog #172 Catalog Value $19,000 | Unsold |
 | Lot #2080 United States 1875 Special Printing 1875 12c dark violet, unused without gum as issued, rich color on bright paper, scissors-separated at bottom only, leaving perforations largely intact and complete on the other three sides, well centered, tiny tear at lower left and a nibbed perf. at top, otherwise v.f., one of the finest examples of this 12c Special Printing (Siegel Census contains only 64 copies, including one in the Miller collection owned by The New York Public Library, leaving 63 available to collectors, many of which are scissors-separated, or faulty), with clear 1986 PFC and 2024 PSE certificate, (*) Catalog #173 Catalog Value $5,500 | Price Realized $2,400.00 |
 | Lot #2081 United States 1875 Special Printing 1875 15c bright orange, unused without gum as issued, rich color on bright paper, well centered, balanced margins on all sides, scissors-separated, perforations mostly intact on two sides, v.f., one of the finest examples of this 15c Special Printing, only 43 recorded, (mostly scissors-separated, or faulty), with 1992 PSE certificate, also 1991 and 1998 PFCs, ex-Weisman, Floyd and Curtiss collections (Siegel Auctions, Nov 2013, $8,000 hammer) (*) Catalog #174 Catalog Value $19,000 | Price Realized $7,500.00 |
 | Lot #2082 United States 1875 Special Printing 1875 24c dull purple, unused without gum as issued, mostly intact perforations, fresh and fine example of this 24c Special Printing, approximately 100 recorded, with 1957 and 2008 PFCs, (*) Catalog #175 Catalog Value $3,500 | Price Realized $2,800.00 |
 | Lot #2083 United States 1875 Special Printing 1875 30c greenish black, unused without gum as issued, fresh color on bright paper, reperforated at left, intact perforations on remaining three sides, well centered, v.f. appearing 30c Special Printing, only 50 examples recorded, of which fewer than 10 have perforations on all sides, with 1957 APS certificate and 2013 PFC, (*) Catalog #176 Catalog Value $12,500 | Price Realized $5,500.00 |
 | Lot #2084 United States 1875 Special Printing 1875 90c violet carmine, unused without gum as issued, scissors-separated, mostly at bottom, with intact perforations on the remaining three sides, bright color, minute thin spot at upper right, not mentioned on the accompanying 2008 PFC, fine appearance of this rare 90c Special Printing, approximately 50 recorded, mostly scissors-separated or with faults, ex-Perry Hanson (Siegel Auctions, Oct.2008, $9,000 hammer), (*) Catalog #177 Catalog Value $18,000 | Price Realized $6,000.00 |
 | Lot #2085 United States 1875 Special Printing 1875 2c carmine vermilion, unused without gum as issued, bright color and fine impression, completely intact perforations all around, without any traces of scissors-separations, with 1978 PFC which mentions "a pin hole" (virtually impossible to find). A fine appearing example of this rare 2c carmine vermilion Continental Special Printing, ex-Lutwak, Zoellner and Paliafito collections (Siegel census records 24 examples of Scott 180, including one in the Miller collection owned by The New York Public Library, which leaves 23 available to collectors. About 14 are centered strongly to one side or corner, and several have clipped perforations or faults), (*) Catalog #180 Catalog Value $70,000 | Price Realized $23,000.00 |
