4c Pan-American, Center Inverted is to be sold by Robert A Siegel auction house at its next sale that will take place on November 14-16. The sale will also offer a lot of interesting philatelic material including numerous inverts, rare compound and other perforation varieties. An outstanding fresh-original gum example of 4c Pan-American, Center Inverted with fine centering is offered by Siegel with a starting price of $85,000.
The 4c Pan-American Invert was a special printing and not regularly issued. The gum on the majority of examples of this rare philatelic item without "Specimen" overprint is disturbed because the stamps were removed from mounting paper. But the stamp offered here, which was kept in a safe deposit box for more than 70 years (sharing space with the Inverted Jenny Position 49), is exceedingly fresh. Here how the auction house described this lot: “Original gum which is free from any disturbance, rich colors, pulled perf at top, short perf and small sealed tear at bottom.”
The stamp portrays an electric automobile, known at the time as the "Electric Vehicle Service". The image of this vintage vehicle was taken from the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad brochure. In the background of the stamp there is the dome of the Capitol and one of the men who seated at the front was Samuel B. Hege, B&O's passenger agent, so this stamp actually depicts a living person in violation of the law thus making this rare philatelic item even more interesting for collectors.
