Largest known U.S. revenue multiples in March 21-23 Dutch Country sale

By Charles Snee

Dutch Country Auctions will conduct a 1,671-lot sale of United States and worldwide stamps and covers March 21-23 at its office in Wilmington, Del. Each day’s session will begin at 10 a.m. Eastern Time.

Collectors of U.S. revenue stamps will want to look closely at the 47 lots of revenue multiples that will be up for bids, some of which are the largest known for the issue.

Russell Eggert, owner of Dutch Country Auctions, told Linn’s that the revenue multiples come from the same collection.

In its catalog for the sale, Dutch Country provides some important reminders regarding the revenue multiples:

“Revenue stamp multiples sell at a premium. Reconstruction of smaller multiples into larger ones is not uncommon. Minor faults obvious in photos may not be noted. Centering within multiples may vary, grading in description is for overall appearance.”

For further information, Dutch Country refers bidders to the Curtis Collection, an online resource that provides a detailed census of U.S. documentary, proprietary, future delivery, stock transfer and silver tax stamps.

“The First Three Documentary Issues and Proprietary Issues [Scott] RB1 through RB19 are multiples only. All others include singles as well as multiples,” according to the Curtis Collection website.

One of the largest known revenue multiples in the auction is a spectacular used block of 20 (five stamps across by four stamps down) of the imperforate 25¢ red Certificate stamp (Scott R44a).

Certificate stamps were used on a variety of taxable documents, including certificates of deposit.

Each stamp in the block bears a manuscript cancel dated Jan. 31, 1863. The block is pictured and listed as ID No. 1651 on the Curtis Collection website. According to the website, the block has been repaired.

In its catalog description of the block, Dutch Country notes the presence of horizontal creases through the stamps in the second and third rows.

A block of four of Scott R44a is valued at $500 in the Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps and Covers.

Dutch Country is offering this block of 20 of the imperforate 25¢ red Certificate stamp with an estimate of $800 to $1,000.

Another important revenue multiple featured in the sale is a used block of 16 of the partially perforated (imperforate horizontally) 60¢ orange Inland Exchange stamp (Scott R64b), which Dutch Country calls the “largest recorded multiple of this issue.”

The block of 16 is pictured in black and white and listed with ID No. 2392 on the Curtis Collection website.

According to Dutch Country, the block once resided in the collection of Morton D. Joyce (1900-89).

Joyce’s U.S. revenue collection was considered one of the finest ever assembled. Parts of the collection achieved significant recognition at the Fifth International Philatelic Exhibition in 1956.

Against a Scott U.S. Specialized catalog value of $600 for a block of four, Dutch Country lists this used block of 16 of the partially perforated 60¢ orange Inland Exchange stamp with an estimate of $1,000 to $1,200.

Additional important U.S. revenue multiples will be offered in future Dutch Country sales, Eggert said.

The catalog for the March 21-23 U.S. and worldwide sale can be viewed and is available for download on the Dutch Country website.

Information also is available from Dutch Country Auctions, 4115 Concord Pike, Wilmington, DE 19803.

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