Scott catalog numbers 649 and 650 were printed in 1928 to promote the International Civil Aeronautics Conference. The conference was organized to promote civil aviation and to honor the 25th anniversary of the Wright Brothers first flight.
Scott 649 depicts the Wright Brothers airplane. It was printed as a flat plate printing perforated 11 in the carmine rose shade. A total of 51 million were printed and there are no listed varieties. It is valued in the Scott grading guide as:
Used VF 80 $0.80, XF 90 $24.00, Superb 98 $320
OGph VF 80 $1.10, XF 90 $4.00, Superb 98 $22.50
OGnh VF 80 $1.75, XF 90 $10.00, Superb 98 $140.00
Scott 650 depicts an aircraft and globe. The stamp is a flat plate printing perforated 11 in the blue shade. The 5c denomination paid the price for airmail and international delivery. There were 10M copies printed and there is one listed variety. The variety is known as the Prairie Dog flaw. The flaw appears as an irregular mark on the globe just below the e in conference. The flaw is only found on stamps with a straight edge and so was probably not strongly collected. It is priced in Scott at $27.50 OGph but it is probably much rarer than the price indicates. I have never seen one. 650 is valued as follows in the 2011 Scott grading guide:
Used VF 80 $3.25 XF 90 $25, Superb 98 $375
OGph VF 80 $4.50 XF 90 $6.50, Superb 98 $30
OGnh VF 90 $7.25, XF 90 $17.50, Superb 98 $200
In checking the PSE population report, for 650 there are 43 copies OGnh that have graded 98 or higher making it a fairly common stamp in the highest grades (at least as these things go). However there are only 3 used stamps that grade 98 or higher. Thus the apparent anomaly of high grade used stamps being valued more than highly graded OGnh.
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March 24, 2011 at 10:33 pm |
Bruce: In this particular instance and, for that matter, in general, why would a used stamp have a higher value than a nh unused stamp? I’ve seen this in more modern stamps and have wondered why this would be the case.
March 24, 2011 at 10:58 pm |
Hi Robin,
It is certainly not the general rule but there are a fair number of collectors that specialize in used stamps and for some issues there is not a lot of used stock. One of the better known examples from the classic period is Scott #39, a 90c value. More were purchased by collectors than were used in the mail and the result is that a mint example with original gum sells for $3500 and a used example sells for $10,000. If you see a used 39 without a certificate, it is almost for sure a fake. In the case of the much more common stamps like 649, 650 collectors generally ignored them used and just collected NH. So there are many more really well centered NH stamps than there are well centered used. In the PSE population report, there are only 3 used stamps in the grades of extra-fine superb or higher and there are over 70 MNH!. Thus the price difference.