Value of US Stamp Scott Cat. # C3: 1918 24c Air Curtiss Jenny. Page 11

Airmail, 1918, 24¢ carmine rose & blue, center inverted (C3a), position 89, bright, fresh and well centered, disturbed original gum, small thin spot and light crease, Very Fine appearance. Scott $450,000 ONE OF THE MOST HANDSOME EXAMPLES OF THIS RENOWNED U.S. ERROR EXTANT. Expertization: 1991 PF Certificate. Provenance: Maffeo.

Matthew Bennett International, Feb 2012, Sale 340, Lot 553

Airmail, 1918, 24¢ carmine rose & blue, “fast plane” (C3 var.), dramatic vignette shift with wing tip nearly touching outer frame line., quite well centered, bright and fresh, pristine never hinged o.g., Very Fine, an impressive example of this popular vignette shift. Estimate $400 – 500 Expertization: 1996 P.F. Certificate (selvage subsequently removed).

Matthew Bennett International, Feb 2012, Sale 340, Lot 552

Airmail, 1918, 24¢ carmine rose & blue, “grounded plane” variety (C3 var.), left wheel of the plane resting fully on the “C” of “CENTS”, well centered with unusually large margins and flawless, never hinged original gum, post office fresh and Very Fine. Scott value $140 ++ A TRULY EXCEPTIONAL EXAMPLE OF THIS HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER VARIETY. Expertization: 2010 PF Certificate.

Matthew Bennett International, Feb 2012, Sale 340, Lot 551

Airmail, 1918, 24¢ carmine rose & blue, grounded plane (C3 var.), deep rich colors, o.g., lightly hinged, about Fine. Estimate value $2,000 – 3,000 AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF THIS RARE AND POPULAR VARIETY WITH UNUSUALLY EXTREME SHIFTING. Expertization: 1986 P.F. and 2006 P.S.E. Certificates. The grounded plane stamps come from portions of three sheets, the qualifying factor being that the wheels of the plane break through the top of “cents”. In this stamp, the wheels well down into “cents”.

Matthew Bennett International, Feb 2012, Sale 340, Lot 550

U.S.; Airpost, 1918, 24¢ Carmine Rose & Blue, “Fast Plane Variety”, #C3. L.h., large copy, Extremely Fine. Scott $65+. Estimate price $100-120.

Harmer-Schau Auction Galleries, Feb 2012, Sale 92, Lot 1253

U.S.; Airpost, 1918, 24¢ Carmine Rose & Blue, Top Arrow Block of 4, #C3. N.h., fresh and Fine. Scott $560. Estimate value $150-170.

Harmer-Schau Auction Galleries, Feb 2012, Sale 92, Lot 1254

U.S.; Airpost, 1918, 24¢ Carmine Rose & Blue, Centerline Block of 4, #C3. 2 o.g. (h.r.), 2 n.h., centered, Fine to Very Fine. Scott $410. Estimate value $130-150.

Harmer-Schau Auction Galleries, Feb 2012, Sale 92, Lot 1255

U.S.; Airpost, 1918, 24¢ Carmine Rose & Blue, Plate Block of 12, #C3. N.h. #s 8493, 8492, gum skips, “high plane”, Fine. Scott $1,900. Estimate price $400-500.

Harmer-Schau Auction Galleries, Feb 2012, Sale 92, Lot 1256

U.S.; Airpost, 1918, 24¢ Carmine Rose & Blue on First Flight, #C3. New York May 15, 1918 cancel in violet to Alfred Gartner, Washington, D.C., fresh and Fine. Scott $750. Estimate price $200-250.

Harmer-Schau Auction Galleries, Feb 2012, Sale 92, Lot 1257

Airmail, 1918, 24¢ carmine rose & blue (Scott C3), top plate block of 12, o.g., 10 stamps never hinged, top center 2 stamps very lightly hinged, impressive example with sensational rich colors, Scott catalog value for 10 N.H singles and 2 lightly hinged singles is $1,530.00, more than a lightly hinged plate block/12 catalogs, Very Fine. Scott $1,200 Estimate $750 – 1,000.

Daniel Kelleher Auctions, Jan 2012, Sale 628, Lot 672

Airmail, 1918, 24¢ carmine rose & blue (Scott C3), top margin pair with plate number, o.g., never hinged, pristine Post Office fresh colors, handsome multiple, each stamp with large margins, Extremely Fine, 2011 P.F. certificate. Scott $280 Estimate $200 – 300.

Daniel Kelleher Auctions, Jan 2012, Sale 628, Lot 671

Airmail, 1918, 24¢ carmine rose & blue (Scott C3), eye catching “Grounded Plane” variety with the wheels just cutting into “Cents”, o.g., never hinged, small natural gum skip of no consequence, one of the most desirable vignette shifts on our first Airmail stamp, a true grounded plane, Fine, grounded plane examples are quite rare. Estimate price $2,000 – 3,000.

Daniel Kelleher Auctions, Oct 2011, Sale 626, Lot 551

24c Carmine Rose & Blue, Center Inverted (Scott C3a). Position 31, disturbed original gum, rich colors, choice centering for this difficult issue, tiny thin in top right portion of vignette below “TA” of “POSTAGE”, tiny corner perforation thin at bottom right VERY FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE FAMOUS 1918 24-CENT INVERTED “JENNY”. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST EASILY RECOGNIZABLE STAMPS IN ALL OF PHILATELY. According to Jenny by George Amick (Amos Press, 1986), the original sheet of 100 Inverted “Jenny” stamps was purchased for $24 by William T. Robey at the New York Avenue Branch Post Office window in Washington D.C., on May 14, 1918, one day after the stamp was first placed on sale at the main post office. On May 20, Robey sold his sheet for $15,000 to Eugene Klein, a Philadelphia stamp dealer. Klein had already arranged to sell the sheet to Col. Edward H. R. Green for $20,000. Colonel Green instructed Klein to divide the Inverted “Jenny” sheet into singles and blocks, and to sell all but a few key position blocks. Ex Grunin and Newport. With 2007 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Oct 2011, Sale 1014, Lot 2149

24c Carmine Rose & Blue, 1918 Air Post (Scott C3). Mint N.H., beautifully balanced margins, fresh and bright, Extremely Fine Gem, P.S.E. encapsulated (Superb 98, SMQ price $1,250.00)

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Oct 2011, Sale 1014, Lot 2139

24c Carmine Rose & Blue, 1918 Air Post (Scott C3). Double “TOP”, arrow and double plate nos. 8493/8492 block of twelve, bright colors, Fine-Very Fine

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Oct 2011, Sale 1014, Lot 2148