Sale 1384 — 2026 Rarities of the World
Sale Date — Tuesday, 23 June, 2026
Category — Washington-Franklin and Later Issues
6c Red Orange, Bluish (362). Mint N.H., vivid color on deeply blued paper, perfectly centered with wide and balanced margins
EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A TRULY EXCEPTIONAL MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 6-CENT ON BLUISH PAPER, GRADED SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E. THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED AND ONE OF ONLY TWO EXAMPLES TO ACHIEVE THIS GRADE.
During the early stages of production of the 1908-09 Washington-Franklin stamps, the Bureau tried to solve the problem of paper shrinkage that caused off-center perforations and resulted in a large number of unusable sheets. Armstrong notes that up to twenty percent of sheets had to be discarded. The first such experiments resulted in the Bluish Paper stamps (Scott 357-366). Rag cloth was added to the wood pulp mixture, but this did not have the desired effect and the experiment was discontinued.
With copy of 2002 P.F. certificate for a plate block of six. With 2025 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98). Not counting the far more common 1c and 2c values, Superb 98 this is the highest grade awarded to any Mint N.H. Bluish paper stamp — both to 6c values (the other offered in Sale 1326, lot 4147, with a hint of frame oxidation and realized $57,500 hammer).
