Price of US Stamp Scott Cat. # E4: 1894 10c Special Delivery Messenger Running. Page 7

10c Dark Blue, Special Delivery (E4 var). Top imprint and plate no. 77 block of six, original gum, lightly hinged, intense shade and impression, tiny toned spot in center selvage not mentioned on accompanying certificate FINE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER BLOCK OF SIX OF THE 10-CENT 1894 UNWATERMARKED BUREAU SPECIAL DELIVERY ISSUE. VERY FEW PLATE BLOCKS ARE KNOWN, ESPECIALLY FROM THE DESIRABLE TOP PLATE POSITION. ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE IN THE DARK BLUE SHADE. Only one plate number was used for this issue — Plate 77. Our search of past auction catalogues and Power Search found only four others: 1) bottom position, centered to top right, offered in our 1999 Rarities sale, 2) bottom position, negligible natural gum wrinkles and some perf strengthening, ex Todd (Part One, lot 1090), 3) wide top position, rejoined perf separations between stamps in left vertical pair, offered in our 1966 Rarities, Todd (Part One, lot 1088) and the Wampler sale, and 4) wide top, minor perf strengthening, trivial red offset on back, bottom left corner perf off, ex Todd (Part One, lot 1089). With 1979 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Dec 2009, Sale 977, Lot 605

10c Blue, Special Delivery, Imperforate (E4a). Block of six, unused (no gum), huge margins all around, intense color and impression with plate wash between stamps, top pair light horizontal crease, others with light bends EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. AN IMPRESSIVE MULTIPLE OF THE IMPERFORATE 1894 UNWATERMARKED BUREAU SPECIAL DELIVERY ISSUE. None of the examples of E4 imperforate we located have gum. All copies of E5 imperforate in our records have original gum. From our 1986 Rarities sale. With 1977 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail as three pairs

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Dec 2009, Sale 977, Lot 606

10c Blue, Special Delivery, Imperforate (E4a). Horizontal pair, huge margins to full incl. significant portion of adjoining stamps at bottom, unusual albino impression of part of left stamps where not inked, also dry printing at bottom right, lightly cancelled VERY FINE. A REMARKABLE EXAMPLE OF THE IMPERFORATE 1894 UNWATERMARKED BUREAU SPECIAL DELIVERY ISSUE, WITH A PARTIALLY INKED IMPRESSION AND A CANCELLATION. THIS IS SURELY UNIQUE. With 1978 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail as unused

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Dec 2009, Sale 977, Lot 607

10c Blue, Special Delivery, Imperforate (Scott E4a). Horizontal pair with significant portions of six adjoining stamps, unusual albino impression showing a lack of ink on much of the piece outside of the bottom of the two stamps in the pair, back of piece with ms. color mixture notes in pencil, owner regarded this as an example of a poorly wiped plate, though it could also be make-ready or printer’s waste, nonetheless an unusual and interesting item

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Dec 2009, Sale 977, Lot 608

10c Blue, Special Delivery (Scott E4). Plate no. 77 at top, original gum, lightly hinged, deep rich color, fresh and Fine

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Dec 2009, Sale 977, Lot 601

10c Blue, Special Delivery (Scott E4). Block of four with plate no. 77 at top and selvage at right, tropicalized original gum, deep shade on bright paper, small margin thin at bottom right of pos. 4, otherwise Very Fine, a rare block with plate number, outside of the Whitpain collection we have not offered another block in any form in six years

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Dec 2009, Sale 977, Lot 602

10c Blue, Special Delivery (E4). Top imprint and plate no. 77 strip of three, outer stamps Mint N.H., deep rich color on bright paper VERY FINE IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER STRIP OF THE 10-CENT 1894 UNWATERMARKED SPECIAL DELIVERY ISSUE WITH TWO MINT N.H. STAMPS. Scott Retail as Mint N.H. and hinged singles

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Dec 2009, Sale 977, Lot 603

10c Blue, Special Delivery (Scott E4). Bottom imprint and plate no. strip 77 of three, deep shade on bright paper, wide margins VERY FINE IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER STRIP OF THE 10-CENT 1894 SPECIAL DELIVERY ISSUE. The 1894 unwatermarked issue in imprint and plate number multiples of any size is scarce

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Dec 2009, Sale 977, Lot 604

10c Blue, Special Delivery (Scott E4). Mint N.H., choice margins and wonderfully well-centered, rich color with clear impression, vertical line on back shows as thin in fluid but does not show paper fiber disturbance, possibly a deep natural gum skip, Extremely Fine appearance, with 2003 P.S.E. certificate stating “….never hinged, with a thin running vertically top to bottom.”

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2009, Sale 976, Lot 2262

10c Blue, Special Delivery (Scott E4). Mint N.H., deep rich color on bright white paper, wide margins, very fresh EXTREMELY FINE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1894 10-CENT UNWATERMARKED BUREAU SPECIAL DELIVERY ISSUE. With 1993 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2009, Sale 968B, Lot 770

10c Blue, Special Delivery (Scott E4). Original gum, lightly hinged, fresh and Very Fine, with 2009 P.S.E. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jun 2009, Sale 975, Lot 2144

10c Blue, Special Delivery (Scott E4). Original gum, single hinge mark, deep rich color and proof-like impression on bright paper, Very Fine, with 1999 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Apr 2009, Sale 972, Lot 3398

10c Blue, Special Delivery (Scott E4). Disturbed original gum, enormous Jumbo margins, choice color on fresh paper, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2006 P.F. as “redistributed original gum” and 2007 P.S.E. certificate as regummed — we disagree with the P.S.E. on this one (if it were regummed, the gum wouldn’t look disturbed like this)

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Dec 2008, Sale 967, Lot 5074

10c Blue, Special Delivery (Scott E4). Mint N.H., wide margins and particularly well-centered, intense color and clear impression EXTREMELY FINE. A PREMIUM MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE UNWATERMARKED 1894 SPECIAL DELIVERY ISSUE. With 2006 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90, SMQ $7,450.00)

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Dec 2008, Sale 967, Lot 5073

10c Blue, Special Delivery (Scott E4). Plate no. 77 at bottom, original gum, lightly hinged, deep rich color, Very Fine and choice, with 1988 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Oct 2008, Sale 963, Lot 1070