Robert A Siegel will conduct its sale 1197 of “United States Stamps” on March 14-15, 2019. This auction will present to collectors’ attention a broad array of choice material, including the "Adriatic" Collection of the 1869 Pictorial Issue, superb graded singles and the Brian DeBroff Set of Panama-Pacific Issue. One of the highlights of this sale is 90c Blue First Design stamp that is the second rarest stamp of the 1861 first designs and colours. This is definitely an extremely beautiful and valuable philatelic item.
The philatelists consider that only 22 examples of 90c Blue First Design, including one copy in the New York Public Library collection and another copy certified as a privately-perforated No. 62a. Only eight examples are available with original gum. Of these eight, only three are sound. The example offered here, with a tiny thin spot, has one of the least noticeable faults of the remaining five original-gum stamps. The auction house described this lot as follows: “Original gum, choice centering with well-balanced margins, deep shade and proof-like impression, slightly rounded corner at top left not mentioned on either accompanying certificate, tiny thin spot at top center”.
With 1955 and 2001 P.F. certificates, 90c Blue First Design stamp is expected to fetch $50,000.
