Professional Stamp Experts

PSE Set Registry

Printer Friendly

Nick Kirke Collection - Tied for The Number One Finest Set of All Time

1870 National Bank Notes without Grill (Used)

Registrant's Email Address: kirke@philatelist.cz

Owner's Comments:
Personally, my favourite United States regular issue stamps. Austere, simple and BIG. I loved them as a child when all I could afford were the low values. Boring? You must be joking - as with the watermarks and perforation variations on the Washington Franklins here is the perfect hunting ground for the philatelic sleuth - and you do not need to be an expert. It doesn't take long to recognise the later 1873 Continental Banknote 'secret marks' stamps by heart, to recognise a lower value grill, to identify hard paper from the later soft papers, and to recognise the different colours of the last re-engraved issue stamps. Years ago when grading was in it's infancy I bid on a used National 6c with no grill in a William Weiss auction. It was graded 100J. A quite glorious stamp. I won it at a tad over 3k. WW was so concerned I would not believe I had to go so high to win it that he send me a copy, name deleted, of the underbidder's bidsheet. My, I do miss his auctions. Always something of interest whatever one's fancy. One of bigger challenges remaining with U.S. stamps is to discover if there was EVER a definitive secret mark placed upon the Continental 1873 15c value, Sc163. Scott catalogue mentions shading in the upper left triangle but this is inconsistant and might be caused by mere plate wear. William R. Weiss in his 15c book, 'The United States 15c Stamp of 1870-1890' concludes that a difference in colour is the most reliable determinant - the lighter shades of yellow/orange are more likely to be from the earlier National Bank Note Company Issues with the darker shades from the later Continental Bank Note Company.

Nick Kirke Collection
Item	Scott No.	Issue Date	Denom	Color	PSE Grade	Pop*	Pop Higher*	J Pop Higher*	Condition	Owner's Comments
1c	145	1870	1c	Dark ultramarine	95	3	0	0	Used
2c	146	1870	2c	Red brown	98	7	1	0	Used
3c	147	1870	3c	Green	95	9	2	1	Used
6c	148	1870	6c	Carmine	100J	1	0	0	Used
7c	149	1871	7c	Vermilion	98J	2	1	0	Used
10c	150	1870	10c	Brown	98	1	2	2	Used
12c	151	1870	12c	Dull violet	95	5	1	0	Used
15c	152	1870	15c	Bright orange	95	2	1	0	Used
24c	153	1870	24c	Purple	95J	1	1	0	Used
30c	154	1870	30c	Black	98	1	0	0	Used
90c	155	1870	90c	Carmine	98	1	0	0	Used

* Pop (population) values are the number of stamps graded by Scott number and condition for each item listed.
Pop Higher values represent the number of stamps which are worth more points in the Registry, taking into account bonus points for Jumbos whereas 80J = 83, 85J = 88, 90J = 93, 95J = 97, 98J = 99, 100J = 102. J Pop Higher values are the number of Jumbos graded higher for each item listed.