Sale 1388 — The Boardwalk Collection of Outstanding United States Stamps–Part One–19th Century Issues
Sale Date — Wednesday-Thursday, 23-24 September, 2026
Category — 1847 Issue
5c Red Brown, Crack in "T" Variety (1 var). Plate crack from "T" of "Post" to top of design clearly visible, original gum, intermediate impression, full margins to ample at top and bottom, attractive shade
VERY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE WITH THE CRACK IN "T" PLATE FLAW.
The Crack in "T" plate flaw was first reported by Wade Saadi in the May 1994 Chronicle, where he identifies eleven copies.
Ex Weill Brothers stock. With copy of 1994 P.F. certificate for a pair. Scott lists but does not price this variety in unused condition. Scott value $6,000 as an ordinary stamp.
Certificate
1994 PF No. 0281162 View Cert
5c Brown, Double Transfer Ty. B (1-B). Position 90R, huge margins including part of adjoining stamp at bottom and sheet margin at right, original gum has been slightly redistributed after hinge removal, remarkably rich color and detailed early impression clearly showing the double transfers in the top and bottom framelines, small toned spots at lower left, small crease in bottom left margin
EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. THE 5-CENT 1847 issue DOUBLE TRANSFERS ARE extremely rare in unused condition. this may well be the finest.
The P.F. has certified two others in unused or original-gum condition from this position. They have also certified one each of Types A, C and D; the Type A is cut in at top and the Type D is in a very defective block.
With 1996 P.F. certificate. Scott value $50,000.
Certificate
1996 PF No. 0306280 View Cert
5c Red Brown (1). Unused, regummed over thins, large to full margins all around, intermediate impression, Very Fine appearance, with 1980 A.P.S. certificate
Certificate
1960 A.P.S. No. 39275 View Cert
5c Dark Brown (1a). Horizontal strip of three, original gum, lightly hinged, detailed early impression, rich Dark Brown shade on deeply blued paper, large margins to ample, right stamp small toned spot at top right
VERY FINE. A RARE AND DESIRABLE STRIP OF THREE OF THE 5-CENT 1847 DARK BROWN SHADE WITH AN EARLY IMPRESSION FROM FIRST PRINTING.
Ex McKinney. With 1969 and 2002 P.F. certificates. Unlisted as a strip of three in this shade in Scott. Scott does price a pair at $21,000, which is 40% greater than the catalogue value for a pair in the normal shade. Applying the same metric (even though this is much rarer than a pair) would result in a catalogue value of $35,000 for a strip in this shade.
5c Brown (1 var). Horizontal strip of three, unused (no gum), large margins to barely touched at top left, intermediate impression, light horizontal crease, small toned spots are barely noticeable
VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A SCARCE AND DESIRABLE UNUSED STRIP OF THREE OF THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE IN THE BROWN SHADE.
Ex Hansen. With 1991 P.F. certificate. Scott value $25,000 as a strip of three with original gum.
Certificate
1991 PF No. 0245128 View Cert
5c Grayish Brown (1a). Block of six, unused (no gum), large margins to clear including part of adjoining stamps at right, some faults including creases and rejoined tears, color affected by cleaning
VERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXTREMELY RARE AND IMPRESSIVE UNUSED BLOCK OF SIX OF THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE IN THE GRAYISH BROWN SHADE.
The 1847 Issue is much scarcer in unused condition than other issues, because the stamps were demonetized in 1851. They could be exchanged for the new issue, but once the exchange period ended, the stamps would have no postage value. Considering the purchasing power of five or ten cents in 1851, it is not surprising that the stamps were either used or exchanged, rather than left for future generations of collectors.
With 1975 and 2013 P.F. certificates. Scott value $76,000 as block of four and pair of No. 1a with original gum. Scott value $21,000 as six no gum singles.
5c Orange Brown (1b). Horizontal strip of four, original gum, lightly hinged, brilliant color, worn-plate impression (possibly a later printing from cleaned plate), large margins all around except at bottom left where small piece out, left stamp also small stain spots at bottom and thin spot, right stamp small pinhole below "E" of "FIVE", the strip with a few light vertical creases
STRIP OF THREE AT RIGHT WITH VERY FINE-EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE ORIGINAL-GUM STRIP OF FOUR OF THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE IN THE ORANGE BROWN SHADE.
With 1981 and 2026 P.F. certificates — the former as normal No. 1 Red Brown. This was clearly in error and is corrected by the 2026 P.F. certificate as Orange Brown No. 1b. Scott lists only a single in unused condition. Scott value $30,000 for the three stamps at right.
5c Orange Brown (1b). Unused (no gum), worn-plate impression, huge margins all around including part of adjoining stamp at bottom
EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE IN THE ORANGE BROWN SHADE, GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. — THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO AN UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THIS SHADE.
With 2002 P.F. (as Brown Orange) and 2008 P.S.E. certificate (as Orange Brown, NG, XF-Superb 95). This is the highest grade awarded to an unused example of this shade and it is the only example to achieve this grade. Only one stamp with gum is graded, at VF 80.
5c Brown Orange (1d). Mint N.H., large margins to clear, lovely bright color, cleaned-plate impression, large margins to clear at top, gum toning spot on back
VERY FINE. AN IMMENSELY RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE IN THE RARE BROWN ORANGE SHADE. WE ARE AWARE OF ONLY ONE OTHER MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THIS SHADE.
Of the five major listed shade varieties of the 5c 1847 Issue, other than the enormously rare Red Orange shade, the Brown Orange shade is the most challenging to find with original gum. This is underscored by the fact that the Scott Catalogue does not even price an example with original gum. This remarkable stamp is Mint N.H. — in itself a rarity among any and all shades of the 5c 1847 Issue. In fact, this is one of only four Mint N.H. examples of the 5c 1847 Issue, in any shade, we have ever offered in our auctions.
Ex Saadi. With 2010 P.F. certificate. Unpriced in Scott with original gum.
Certificate
2010 PF No. 488396 View Cert
10c Black (2). Positions 66/76/86L, vertical strip of three, original gum, large margins all around, bottom left corner torn off and hinged into place, bottom stamp with additional small sealed tear at left, the top pair is sound
TOP PAIR IS EXTREMELY FINE AND BOTTOM STAMP HAS VERY FINE APPEARANCE—THE TOP PAIR IS SOUND AND WITH FOUR LARGE MARGINS. A TREMENDOUSLY RARE VERTICAL STRIP OF THREE OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE WITH ORIGINAL GUM. ONE OF GREAT MULTIPLES IN CLASSIC UNITED STATES PHILATELY, WHICH HAS BEEN A KEY ELEMENT OF THE COLLECTIONS PREVIOUSLY FORMED BY SIR NICHOLAS WATERHOUSE AND BENJAMIN D. PHILLIPS.
The 1847 Issue is much scarcer in unused condition than other issues, because the stamps were demonetized in 1851. They could be exchanged for the new issue, but once the exchange period ended, the stamps would have no postage value. Considering the purchasing power of ten cents in 1851, it is not surprising that the stamps were either used or exchanged, rather than left for future generations of collectors.
Unused multiples larger than a pair are extremely rare. Only three unused blocks are recorded, including the original-gum "Bible Block" of six (ex Gibson, Ward, Ishikawa and Gross, last offered in Sale 1188, lot 14), an original-gum block of four (ex Col. Green, Klein, Dr. Kapiloff, Zoellner and Mirsky, last offered in Sale 1023, lot 2030) and an unused block of four without gum contained in the Hirzel collection at the Swiss PTT Museum. An original-gum strip of four is also known (Sale 1289, lot 535) and a strip of three was offered in our 1977 Rarities sale (we do not know if that strip is still intact).
Ex Sir Nicholas Waterhouse (H. R. Harmer, June 27-30, 1955); Waterhouse exhibited this strip at TIPEX in 1936. Purchased by the Weills in the 1955 Waterhouse sale; they obtained the certificate and then placed the strip with Benjamin D. Phillips. The Phillips collection was sold privately to the Weills in 1968. Also from our 1975, 1979 and 1981 Rarities sales.
With 1955 and 2026 P.F. certificates. Scott value $125,000 for a strip of three, but the sound Extremely Fine pair has a Scott value of $90,000, and our conservative estimate for this major First General Issue multiple is based on the pair alone.
10c Black, Double Transfer Ty. B (2-B). Position 31R, original gum, typically of Rawdon, Wright, Hatch and Edson the gum is thinly applied, but it covers virtually the entire surface (described on accompanying certificate as "part original gum"), double transfer in "Post Office", "U.S." and top right frameline, large margins to full at bottom, accompanying certificate describes a "small repair on the back on the bottom"
VERY FINE APPEARANCE. THE ONLY RECORDED UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE WITH DOUBLE TRANSFER TYPE B. a major rarity of classic united states philately.
Two unused examples of the Ty. A double transfer are recorded. This is the only recorded unused example showing the desirable Ty. B double transfer, which is most prominent in "Post Office" at top.
Ex Waterhouse, Fekete, and from our 1987 Rarities sale. With 1986 P.F. certificate. The Type B, C, D and E Double Transfers are unpriced in Scott in unused condition; the Type A Double Transfer is valued at $52,500 (Scott value for an ordinary Scott No. 2 with original gum is $37,500).
Certificate
1986 PF No. 0155138 View Cert