Cost of US Stamps Scott Catalogue #39: 90c 1860 George Washington. Page 13

90c Blue (Scott 39). Deep rich color on bright paper, neat strike of red New York grid cancel, sealed tear at top FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE USED EXAMPLE OF THE 90-CENT 1860 ISSUE. The 90c stamp was issued in 1860, along with the 24c and 30c values, all of which were needed to prepay high international letter rates established by various postal treaties. The basic 24c and 30c rates to England, France and Germany created a large volume of mail franked with those values. However, the 90c saw much more limited use, partly due to the rates in effect, but more because of the American Civil War. When supplies of current postage stamps were declared invalid in the South and ultimately demonetized by the Federal government, the 90c had been in use for only one year. For this reason, genuinely cancelled copies and covers bearing the 90c are extremely rare. Approximately 180 used examples have been certified as genuine by the Philatelic Foundation, of which approximately one-quarter are sound. With 2010 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2010, Sale 993, Lot 357

90c Blue (Scott 39). Unused (no gum), deep rich color, wide and balanced margins, fresh and Extremely Fine, a fabulous stamp for the collector who cares more about centering and margins than original gum

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2010, Sale 993, Lot 355

90c Blue (Scott 39). Rich color and proof-like impression, choice centering with well-balanced margins, clear strike of Philadelphia circular datestamp EXTREMELY FINE. A STUNNING USED EXAMPLE OF THE 90-CENT 1860 ISSUE. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT ISSUES IN CLASSIC UNITED STATES PHILATELY TO OBTAIN AS A USED STAMP IN SOUND AND CENTERED CONDITION. The 90c stamp was issued in 1860, along with the 24c and 30c values, all of which were needed to prepay high international letter rates established by various postal treaties. The basic 24c and 30c rates to England, France and Germany created a large volume of mail franked with those values. However, the 90c saw much more limited use, partly due to the rates in effect, but more because of the American Civil War. When supplies of current postage stamps were declared invalid in the South and ultimately demonetized by the Federal government, the 90c had been in use for only one year. For this reason, genuinely cancelled copies and covers bearing the 90c are extremely rare. Approximately 180 used examples have been certified as genuine by the Philatelic Foundation, of which approximately one-quarter are sound. Of these sound examples, many are off-center. Accompanied by three covers with 3c stamps bearing the same Philadelphia circular datestamp for comparison. Small red backstamp. With 1979 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2010, Sale 993, Lot 356

o 1860, 90¢ blue (39), nicely centered with intense color and bold red grid cancels, faint horizontal crease, fresh, Fine appearance. Scott price $10,000 Expertization: 1999 PSE Certificate.

Matthew Bennett International, Sep 2010, Sale 333, Lot 3418

1860, 90¢ blue (39), nearly perfectly centered, fresh and bright, large part original gum, few parfs replaced at lower left (not mentioned on accompanying certificate); Very Fine appearance. Scott value $3,250 Expertization: clear 1977 PF Certificate.

Matthew Bennett International, Sep 2010, Sale 333, Lot 3416

() 1860, 90¢ blue (39), well centered with outstanding color and contrast, small natural paper inclusion (not mentioned on accompanying certificate), regummed over small tear at lower left; fresh, Very Fine appearance. Scott $1,200 Expertization: 1996 PF Certificate.

Matthew Bennett International, Sep 2010, Sale 333, Lot 3417

1860, 90¢ blue (39), nearly perfectly centered with wide margins, bright paper and full, lightly hinged original gum, small, very faint tone spot in left margin (not mentioned on accompanying certificate), otherwise fresh and Extremely Fine. Scott value $3,250 Expertization: clear 2002 PF Certificate.

Matthew Bennett International, Sep 2010, Sale 333, Lot 3415

() 1860, 90¢ blue (39), beautifully centered with deep, rich color and fresh, bright paper, unused, Extremely Fine. Scott $1,200 Expertization: 2002 PSE Certificate.

Matthew Bennett International, Sep 2010, Sale 331, Lot 387

90c Blue (Scott 39). Unused (no gum), beautiful rich color, choice centering, fresh and Extremely Fine, a stamp with great visual appeal, ex Senchuk, with 1978 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jun 2010, Sale 992, Lot 2106

90c Blue (Scott 39). Original gum, lightly hinged, well-centered with wide margins, deep rich color, fresh VERY FINE AND CHOICE. A HANDSOME ORIGINAL GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 90-CENT 1860 ISSUE. With 1992 and 2010 P.F. certificates (VF-XF 85)

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jun 2010, Sale 992, Lot 2105

90c Blue (Scott 39). Wide margins, repaired incl. partly rebacked and with small part of cancellation painted in, still Very Fine appearing and a rare stamp genuinely used, with copy of 1976 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jun 2010, Sale 992, Lot 2108

90c Blue (Scott 39). Unused (no gum), nicely centered with dark color, minor tear at bottom and trivial thin speck, Very Fine appearance

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jun 2010, Sale 992, Lot 2107

90c Blue (Scott 39). Pristine original gum in Mint Never-Hinged state, deep rich color, choice centering with wide and balanced margins EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A FANTASTICALLY RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 90-CENT 1860 ISSUE. THIS IS THE ONLY MINT NEVER-HINGED SINGLE OF THIS ISSUE WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED. The 90c stamp was issued in 1860, along with the 24c and 30c values, all of which were needed to prepay high international letter rates established by various postal treaties. When supplies of current postage stamps were declared invalid in the South and ultimately demonetized by the Federal government, the 90c had been in use for only one year. Stocks from northern post offices were returned and destroyed, and stocks in southern post offices, if not ultimately destroyed, were generally mishandled over the years. As the highest denomination of the series, the 90c 1860 has been coveted by collectors, and almost every known example has been proudly hinged into an album at least one time. This remarkable survivor escaped the Civil War and a lifetime of hinge-happy philatelists in unscathed Mint Never-Hinged condition. Ex Odeneal. With 1994 P.F. and 2007 P.S.E. certificates (VF-XF 85, unpriced in SMQ in Mint N.H. condition). Only two have been certified by P.S.E. in Mint N.H. condition (the other is graded 30 and so must be seriously defective).

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jun 2010, Sale 989, Lot 81

90c Blue (Scott 39). Original gum, lightly hinged, deep rich color and proof-like impression, wide margins VERY FINE AND CHOICE. A BEAUTIFUL LIGHTLY-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 90-CENT 1860 ISSUE. With 2009 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jun 2010, Sale 989, Lot 82

90c Blue (Scott 39). Choice centering with unusually wide margins for this difficult issue, deep rich color and proof-like impression, black grid and also part of red London circular datestamp EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A MAGNIFICENT USED EXAMPLE OF THE 90-CENT 1860 ISSUE. THIS IS EASILY ONE OF THE WIDEST-MARGINED EXAMPLES IN EXISTENCE. ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE WITH THE RED LONDON CIRCULAR DATESTAMP. The 90c stamp was issued in 1860, along with the 24c and 30c values, all of which were needed to prepay high international letter rates established by various postal treaties. The basic 24c and 30c rates to England, France and Germany created a large volume of mail franked with those values. However, the 90c saw much more limited use, partly due to the rates in effect, but more because of the American Civil War. When supplies of current postage stamps were declared invalid in the South and ultimately demonetized by the Federal government, the 90c had been in use for only one year. For this reason, genuinely cancelled copies and covers bearing the 90c are extremely rare. Approximately 180 used examples have been certified as genuine by the Philatelic Foundation, of which approximately one-quarter are sound. Of these sound examples, many are off-center. Ex Ishikawa. With 1993 and 2006 P.F. certificates

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jun 2010, Sale 989, Lot 83