US Stamps Price Scott Catalogue #70: 24c 1861 George Washington National Bank Note. Page 24

24c Red Lilac (Scott 70). Rich color, cancelled by full clear strike of red “Supplementary Mail” Ty. A handstamp, tiny corner crease at top right, Very Fine strike of this desirable cancel

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2009, Sale 976, Lot 1340

24c Steel Blue (Scott 70b). Wide, balanced margins, lovely color in the true Steel Blue shade, neat strikes of red grid cancel, Extremely Fine, with 2001 P.F. and 2009 P.S.E. certificates (VF-XF 85, SMQ price $1,700.00), evidently graded purely on centering, without any bonus points for the light red cancel

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2009, Sale 976, Lot 1343

24c Brown Lilac (Scott 70a). Brilliant color, cancelled by New York Foreign Mail Geometric cancel, Extremely Fine, with 1988 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2009, Sale 976, Lot 1342

24c Red Lilac (Scott 70). Nearly precise centering and with choice margins clear of the design all around, deep rich color, light black grid cancel, Extremely Fine, truly a premium used example, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90, SMQ value $1,000.00)

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jun 2009, Sale 975, Lot 1267

24c Red Lilac (Scott 70). Deep rich color and proof-like impression, well-struck grid cancel, well-proportioned margins, fresh and Extremely Fine, with 2004 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90, SMQ price $1,000.00)

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jun 2009, Sale 975, Lot 1266

24c Red Lilac (Scott 70). Perfectly centered with wide margins, bright color and detailed impression nicely contrasted by red cancel EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1861 24-CENT RED LILAC ISSUE AND ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE WITH THE RED CANCEL. THIS STAMP HAS BEEN AWARDED THE GRADE OF XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. — THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO DATE. With 1987 and 2006 P.F. certificates. With 2007 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95, SMQ value $3,600.00). Only six other examples share this grade to date

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jun 2009, Sale 973, Lot 79

24c Violet, Thin Paper (70c). Brilliant color nicely complemented by red New York grid cancel, gorgeous centering with wide and balanced margins EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS STUNNING EXAMPLE OF THE 1861 24-CENT VIOLET ON THIN PAPER HAS BEEN GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E., WHICH IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO DATE. The 24c 1861 exists in four basic shades of Violet: Dark Violet (August 1861 trial printing, formerly Scott 60), Violet on Thin Paper (August-September 1861 regular issue, Scott 70c — the shade offered here), Pale Gray Violet (1861 regular issue, Scott 70d) and Blackish Violet (ca. 1863 printing, Scott 78c). With 2009 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95, SMQ price $16,400.00). This is the highest grade awarded to date and only two others have achieved this grade. As another indication of rarity, SMQ does not even price this above the grade of 95.

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jun 2009, Sale 973, Lot 81

24c Red Lilac (70). Original gum, lightly hinged, rich color and sharp proof-like impression, gorgeous centering with well-proportioned margins EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL STAMP IN TERMS OF COLOR, IMPRESSION, CENTERING, AND FRESHNESS OF PAPER AND GUM. With a growing awareness by collectors that 1861 Issues (5c and up) are exceedingly scarce in well-centered, original-gum condition, we would expect this stamp to draw keen competition. Although one finds the 24c unused without gum in this grade, original-gum examples are often poorly centered or faulty. Only on rare occasions has our firm offered a 24c Red Lilac of this quality. The 1861-62 Red Lilac shade is actually one of the scarcest of the 24c color varieties to find in sound well-centered original-gum condition, despite its lower Scott catalogue value relative to the other shades. With 2000 P.F. certificate.

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Apr 2009, Sale 972, Lot 3071

24c Brown Lilac (Scott 70a). Original gum, bright shade and detailed impression, expertly reperfed at right (not mentioned on accompanying certificates), Very Fine appearance, with 1995 and 2003 P.F. certificates

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Apr 2009, Sale 972, Lot 3072

UNITED STATES 1861-66 ISSUE 1861-66 24c brown lilac, nearly perfect centering, unused with full original gum, lightly hinged, fresh and v.f., with 1998 PFC

Cherrystone Auctions, Mar 2009, Sale 200903, Lot 71

24c Pale Gray Violet, Thin Paper (Scott 70d). Slightly disturbed original gum with some slight overall gum staining, radiant color, choice centering with wide margins for this difficult issue VERY FINE AND CHOICE APPEARANCE. THE 24-CENT 1861 ISSUE IN THE PALE GRAY VIOLET SHADE ON THIN PAPER IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT SHADES TO OBTAIN IN ORIGINAL-GUM AND CENTERED CONDITION. A GREAT RARITY OF THE ISSUE. A review of our computerized records shows we have only offered one original-gum example in the past twelve years, which was off-center and repaired. None was offered in major name-sales collections, including Caspary, Floyd, Weisman or Lyons. It may well be the rarest of the 1861 Issue shades to obtain with original gum. With 2006 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jan 2009, Sale 968, Lot 90

24c Violet, Thin Paper (70c). Original gum, lightly hinged, brilliant color and proof-like impression on bright paper, remarkably choice centering for this difficult issue EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS WITHOUT QUESTION THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 186124-CENT VIOLET ON THIN PAPER WE HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED. ONE OF THE RAREST ORIGINAL-GUM STAMPS IN SOUND, CENTERED AND ORIGINAL-GUM CONDITION. The 24c 1861 exists in four basic shades of Violet: Dark Violet (August 1861 trial printing, formerly Scott 60), Violet on Thin Paper (August-September 1861 regular issue, Scott 70c — the shade offered here), Pale Gray Violet (1861 regular issue, Scott 70d) and Blackish Violet (ca. 1863 printing, Scott 78c). All four are rare, especially in sound original-gum condition. We feel this is nearly as rare as the Blackish Violet, which has a catalogue value of $60,000.00. With 2006 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jan 2009, Sale 968, Lot 89

24c Red Lilac (Scott 70). Original gum, absolutely stunning deep rich color and sharp proof-like impression, choice centering with extra wide margin at right VERY FINE AND CHOICE. A BEAUTIFUL STAMP IN TERMS OF COLOR, IMPRESSION, CENTERING, FRESHNESS OF PAPER AND GUM. With 2001 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jan 2009, Sale 968, Lot 86

24c Brown Lilac (70a). Original gum, lightly hinged, deep rich color and proof-like impression on crisp paper, gorgeous centering with wide and balanced margins EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES OF THE 1861 24-CENT BROWN LILAC SHADE IN EXISTENCE. As noted in several of the descriptions of original-gum 1861’s in our past sales, these stamps are available in unused no-gum condition or low grades of original-gum condition, however, the combination of original gum and choice centering is so rare that Scott values can be very misleading. In the case of this 24c, the unusually deep Brown Lilac shade adds another dimension of rarity — perhaps comparable to the difference between a 5c Red Brown (75) and 5c Brown (76). Offered to the market for the first time since our 1995 Rarities sale. With 1993 P.F. certificate.

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jan 2009, Sale 968, Lot 87

24c Steel Blue (Scott 70b). Original gum, barest trace of hinging, remarkably deep rich color and proof-like impression in crisp paper, selvage at top, choice centering EXTREMELY FINE. A STUNNING ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1861 24-CENT STEEL BLUE. THE STEEL BLUE IS ONE OF THE MOST DISTINCTIVE AND COLLECTIBLE OF ALL 24-CENT SHADES, AND THIS IS SURELY ONE OF THE FINEST IN EXISTENCE. The Steel Blue is the most distinctive of all the shades. Unlike some of the others, it is rarely mistaken or misidentified, and as such has always been a favorite of collectors. Examples with original gum are rare, and those with Very Fine or Extremely Fine centering are of tremendous rarity, probably numbering no more than a dozen. With 1988 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jan 2009, Sale 968, Lot 88