Costs of US Stamp Scott Cat. # 294: 1c 1901 Pan American Exposition: Fast Lake Navigation. Page 6

1c Pan-American, Center Inverted (Scott 294a). Choice centering for this difficult issue, deep rich colors and proof-like impressions, neat machine cancel VERY FINE AND CHOICE. THIS IS ONE OF ONLY SIX SOUND USED EXAMPLES OF THE ONE-CENT PAN-AMERICAN INVERT, AND OF THE SIX THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST-CENTERED COPIES. A WORLD-CLASS RARITY. The 1c Pan-American Inverts were found in at least four different post offices around the country, soon after release of the issue in May 1901. According to the revised Johl-King book (p.7) “The first known copies of this error were discovered at Bessemer, Alabama, by the Carrell Jewelry Company on some circulars just prior to mailing them. When they realized the find they had made they lost no time in removing the stamps from the circulars and thus saved them to philately.” The 1c Pan-American Invert in used condition is considerably scarcer than unused. Our updated census, available at our website at http://siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/294a/294a.pdf , records 48 used examples plus three on cover, for a total of 51 copies. Of these, only six off-cover copies can be confirmed as sound. An additional three need to be examined for condition as they have not been seen since 1953, 1960 and 1979, and have never been certified. 39 off-cover stamps plus one on cover have faults ranging from corner creases to repairs. Only four of the six sound copies have perfs clear of the design on all four sides. Census No. 294a-CAN-02. With 1997 P.F. certificate.

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2012, Sale 1027, Lot 169

1901, 1¢ Pan-American (294), top margin imprint & plate no. block of six, well centered with gorgeous color and never hinged original gum, fresh and Very Fine. Scott price $475 Expertization: 2008 PF Certificate. Provenance: Fogelson.

Matthew Bennett International, Sep 2012, Sale 346, Lot 775

1901, 1¢ Pan-American (294), wonderfully fresh and absolutely perfectly centered with pristine, never hinged original gum; a choice, positively Superb Gem. SMQ $1,350. Scott $45 Expertization: 2008 PSE Certificate graded Superb 98.

Matthew Bennett International, Sep 2012, Sale 346, Lot 774

1901, 1¢ Pan-American, center inverted (294a), choice centering for the 1¢ invert, with fresh, strong colors; disturbed original gum with slight black album offset, tiny natural paper inclusion to the lower left of the vignette, still Extremely Fine and quite handsome. Scott price $12,500 Expertization: 2006 PF Certificate.

Matthew Bennett International, Sep 2012, Sale 346, Lot 776

1901, 1¢ Pan-American, center inverted (Scott 294a), rich color, nicely centered, tied by neat strike of “Bessemer Ala. Aug 2 1901” duplex c.d.s. on small cover addressed to Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Hendrick in Bessemer; stamp with a tiny, completely unnoticeable repair at lower right, otherwise Very Fine. Estimate 100,000 – 150,000 A WORLD CLASS INVERTED CENTER RARITY, THE EARLIEST OF ONLY THREE RECORDED COVERS BEARING THE ONE-CENT PAN-AMERICAN INVERT. Expertization: 1999 PF Certificate. Provenance: Seybold, Atwood, Weill Bros., Skinner, “Aristocrat”. Exhibited at the Collectors Club of New York as one of the ten most important items in U.S. Philately. The display was titled, “Aristocrats of Philately”. The three recorded covers are: 1. August 2, 1901, Bessemer, Alabama local use — The example offered here — Bessemer was where the initial discovery of the 1¢ Invert was made. Featured on the front cover of the “Aristocrat” Collection catalogue, Matthew Bennett International Sale 316, May 22, 2007. 2. August 24, 1901 Oakland, California to Paris, France bearing a 1¢ Invert and a normal 4¢ paying the 5¢ rate 3. January 9, 1903, St. Louis philatelic usage with normal 1¢, mailed long after the invert had been recognized. According to the 1937 revised Johl-King book (p. 7), “The first known copies of this error were discovered at Bessemer, Alabama, by the Carrel Jewelry Company on some circulars just prior to mailing them. When they realized the find they had made they lost no time in removing the stamps from the circulars and thus saved them for Philately.” It is not known if the Carrel Jewelry Company had purchased the entire sheet, or whether this stamp originates from another source within Bessemer.

Matthew Bennett International, Sep 2012, Sale 345, Lot 293

1901, 1¢ Pan-American, center inverted (294a), wonderfully bright and fresh and quite well centered for this; original gum, F.-V.F. Scott price $12,500 AN ATTRACTIVE, COMPLETELY SOUND MINT EXAMPLE OF THIS FAMOUS INVERT. Expertization: 1989 PSE and 2006 PF Certificates. Provenance: Little. The 1¢ Pan-American with its center inverted turned up at four different post offices across the country. It is widely believed that between 600 and 700 copies were sold.

Matthew Bennett International, Sep 2012, Sale 345, Lot 292

1901, 1¢ Pan-American (Scott 294), two bottom margin blocks of 40, o.g., never hinged, post office fresh; perforation separations, Very Good to Fine. Scott $3,600. Estimate $750 – 1,000. (Image 2)

Daniel Kelleher Auctions, Aug 2012, Sale 631, Lot 1033

1901, 1¢ Pan-American (Scott 294), bottom right plate block of 8, o.g., never hinged, outstanding rich color, a nicely centered plate in immaculate mint condition, the right 2 stamps (not part of the plate block) with gum skips at right caused by short gumming during the printing process, Fine to Very Fine. Scott $565. Estimate $300 – 400.

Daniel Kelleher Auctions, Aug 2012, Sale 631, Lot 1034

1901, 1¢ Pan-American (Scott 294), bottom left plate block of 10, o.g., never hinged, extremely fresh multiple with wonderfully rich color, Post Office fresh and choice, Fine. Scott $1,190. Estimate price $300 – 400.

Daniel Kelleher Auctions, Aug 2012, Sale 631, Lot 1035

1901, 1¢ Pan-American (Scott 294), bottom plate block of 20, o.g., never hinged, spectacular multiple with the deepest and richest color imaginable, a choice plate strip that contains two plate blocks, a choice plate number and imprint block of six, along with a scarce plate numbers, arrow and imprint block of ten, extraordinary quality, Very Fine. Scott $1,755. Estimate price $1,000 – 1,500.

Daniel Kelleher Auctions, Aug 2012, Sale 631, Lot 1036

1901, 1¢ Pan-American, center inverted (Scott 294a), slightly disturbed o.g., desirable example of this rarity, nicely centered with spectacular color, a most impressive stamp; couple trivial thin spots, otherwise Very Fine. Scott $12,500. Estimate value $6,000 – 8,000.

Daniel Kelleher Auctions, Aug 2012, Sale 631, Lot 1390

U.S.; General Issues, 1901, 1¢ Pan-American, #294. N.h., rich color, Grade 95 Extremely Fine to Superb, PSE (2008) cert. Scott Stamp Values $325. Estimate $140-160.

Harmer-Schau Auction Galleries, Aug 2012, Sale 94, Lot 1449

1901, 1¢ Pan-American (Scott 294), top right corner margin block of 16, o.g., all but two are never hinged, two stamps with hinge reinforcing; perf separations, Fine to Very Fine. Scott $720. Estimate price $200 – 300. (Image 1)

Daniel Kelleher Auctions, Jun 2012, Sale 630, Lot 1680

1c Pan-American, Center Inverted (Scott 294a). Original gum, lightly hinged, deep rich colors and proof-like impressions, almost perfectly centered with wide and balanced margins EXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB LIGHTLY-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT PAN-AMERICAN INVERT WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED XF 90 BY P.S.E. THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO DATE. The 1c Pan-American Inverts were found in at least four different post offices around the country, soon after release of the issue in May 1901. With 2012 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, XF 90, SMQ $27,500.00). This is the highest grade awarded to date and only four others share this grade.

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jun 2012, Sale 1025, Lot 207

1c Pan-American, Center Inverted (Scott 294a). Original gum, fresh colors, centered to top right, narrow thin spot FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT PAN-AMERICAN INVERT. The 1c Pan-American Inverts were found in at least four different post offices around the country, soon after release of the issue in May 1901.

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jun 2012, Sale 1025, Lot 209