Cherrystone Auction House will kick off the New Year with its January 8-9 sale. This auction will offer philatelists 1,678 lots, including additional offerings of the Heinz Gappe (H.G.I Company) inventory of Flight and Zeppelin covers of the world. One of the brightest and rarest philatelic items that will be presented at this sale is 1869 30c Ultramarine & Carmine Flags Inverted that was ranked #7 in the list of 100 Greatest American Stamps. The lot will be offered with the opening bid of $70,000.
The release of 1869 30c Ultramarine & Carmine Flags Inverted marked a significant change in U.S. stamp design. For the first time in American postal history, something other than portraits of national leaders was being pictured on a stamp. This was also the first U.S. stamp to be printed using two colors. According to Siegel`s census there are 47 1869 30c Ultramarine & Carmine Flags Inverted stamps, including 7 unused and 40 used specimens. Only 38 examples are available collectors, of which 13 are sound or potentially sound. The lot that is being offered by Cherrystone is one of the confirmed sound copies, nearly perfectly centered, with unobtrusive cancel. It is described by the auction house as having “segmented cork cancel, well centered, with wide margins all around, nice color and fresh”.
Another fine copy of 1869 30c Ultramarine & Carmine Flags Inverted has been recently offered by Siegel.
