Census of 3c Blue Green, Special Printing (Scott 169)

Notes:

Originally second stamp in strip of four
The imprint strips have often been described as coming from the Earl of Crawford collection. This is incorrect, and we are guilty of perpetuating the myth. Because they were handled by Nassau Stamp Co. (John A. Klemann), many philatelic writers assumed the strips were part of the vast Earl of Crawford collection, which Nassau bought in 1915. However, around 1918, Nassau bought a group of 1875 Special Printings from the widow of Charles F. Steel, a National and Continental Bank Note Co. employee, who died in 1904. Both Elliott Perry and Philip H. Ward, Jr., documented the Steel provenance for the five known copies of the Franklin Carrier Reprint, Perf 12 on white paper, Scott LO4, as well as the Scott 167-177 strips of four and all of the imperforate 1875 Special Printing strips of five (Ward, Mekeel’s, October 26, 1951).
Klemann sold some of the Steel singles and pairs to Col. Edward H. R. Green and Benjamin K. Miller. Ward apparently bought the strips of Scott 167-177 and kept them until his death in 1963. After the Weills bought the entire Ward inventory, they sold the strips to Benjamin D. Phillips in 1964 (documented in the Phillips inventory). The Weills bought the entire Phillips collection in 1968 for $4.07 million, and they divided the strips to sell to different collectors.

Provenance:

Charles F. Steel Collection, as set of strips of four
Nassau Stamp Company Collection, as set of strips of four, purchased around 1918 from Steel's widow
Philip H. Ward Collection, as set of strips of four
Weill Brothers Collection, purchase of Ward stock, as set of strips of four, purchased in approximately 1963
Benjamin D. Phillips Collection, private purchase from Weill Brothers, as set of strips of four, purchased from the Weills in 1964
Weill Brothers Collection, as set of strips of four, purchased from Benjamin Phillips in 1968
4/28/1981, Siegel Auction Galleries, 1981 Raritites of the World, Sale 579, Lot 209, Realized $79,750, as set of singles
4/14/2009, Alan B. Whitman Collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, The Alan B. Whitman Collection, Part Two: 1870-1901 Issues, Sale 968A, Lot 204, Realized $29,900, as single

Certificates: