Fabulous #9 1851 1c Type IV Plated Lot

James T McCusker auction with a large lot of type IV stamps. All plated by Skinner. Lot #476

https://stampauctionnetwork.com//MK/mk36524.cfm#60

See the lot at this address:
http://www.jamesmccusker.com/pubauc...emnum=805772

I was hoping I'd be the only one to notice

I assume the auctioneer means Hubert Skinner. If so, I don't know why I never saw these. Hubert showed me his 1c stamps in his Elbe album many times, but I never saw his platings. I knew he had 3c platings, but I did not know that he had a 1c plating. I think he formed and likely exhibited these in the late 50s and 60s, if I'm not mistaken. Most of this prior to the Neinken book coming out. Ashbrook, of course, had Plate 1L well documented in his earlier book.

I like this lot very much. Would be lots of fun. However I have never bid on a lot like this. I always worry that it's picked through leaving mainly non sound stamps or sound stamps with manuscript cancels only. I saw a type 2 4R1L, a few DTs, but no inverted transfers. Few stamps from Right pane top row . No 7R1L. (Unless I missed it)

I like lot very much as really great start to a complete plate 1L... but I don't have much experience in good price versus bad price for something like this. Estimate is 3000-4000$ From auctioneer . Sounds about right???? I don't know

For large lots like this (same stamp), one good rule of thumb is to calculate the average price per stamp that you are willing to pay. Multiply times the number of stamps, and that's your bid. Of course, then you decide if there are any items that appear as though they skew the price upwards (or downwards) and adjust the total accordingly.

Of course if its easier for you, calculate catalog value - and pay a percentage. They estimate cat at 20,000$. So the estimate of 3000-4000 is 15-20% of catalog, roughly. That percentage doesn't seem crazy, assuming lots of off-quality stamps, and no grade 98J's to skew it upwards.

I just did search at Siegel and noted only 2 sales of complete plate 1L reconstruction. One went for 9500, the other a disappointing 3000$?. Prior to these, Siegel hadn't offered a complete recon of plate 1L for 15 years.

I guess I didn't realize how few collectors have finished the pane??? It probably gets expensive. Do many start and just never finish? By the way, the 9500$ sale I believe was the plating by Ashbrook/neinken

Most people start and never finish. Myself included. A left-over lot of mine, in addition to a lot of other stamps, also had my 1L plating extras in it. No way to tell how much the plating contributed to that lot value, since there was a ton of other stuff in the lot of much higher value. The seller just threw most of my off-quality stuff in one giant monster lot. I still have no idea who bought it.

There are patient, determined people who do finish platings. In addition to plate 1L, I knew someone who completed plate 2, so that he could use it as a reference to do plate 3 work. A plate 2 reference plating is your best friend for plating plate 3 stamps.

So, it just depends on how patient, motivated, and well-funded that you are over time. Most platings tend to have off-quality stamps - bought cheaply. 3-4 margin stamps with a fault are good cheap reference copies. Platings with fewer pen cancels sell for more. Original Ashbrook platings sell for a lot more (as you might expect).

In my first life as a general US collector I completed a Plate 1 Late replating--only took 20 years. I returned to the hobby to specialize in this stamp in late 2014 and am now 19 positions shy of completion (5 in left pane, 14 in right pane). This time around I am being more selective as to quality.

ETA: I wonder why the the stamp plated as 12L1L (in a pair at the bottom of the fifth stockpage of the Skinner lot) is marked as Type II?

dudley - I'm impressed with your accomplishments on plate 1L. Congrats.

Regarding the Ty II notation .. clearly wrong for that pair.

I've started an attempt to plate 1L, but with the expectation it will take a long time. I'm waiting for cheap (almost all ebay) stamps that have enough margins or clarity to plate. So far, I've gotten only about 12 positions finished but only paid on average about $15/stamp.

This lot is definitely fabulous in my eye. I won't be bidding due to lack of discretionary funds, but still like to drool over ones like this.

lukusw - good luck with your plating. Glad to hear you are going at it.

To rgstamp's question about pricing, at the ebay price lukusw mentions, at $15/stamp, a full plating would be 200 x 15 = $3,000 in that quality.

I will say that a lot of people do prefer to do their own platings themselves. Its a fun long-term exercise. That probably also depresses prices for full platings. An exhibitor might want a full plating, to show as part of a 1c exhibit, but someone doing a plate reconstruction on their own, might not be interested, as its like buying the crossword puzzle already solved.

I agree that a complete plate reconstruction would be a tough sale as a whole since the victory in completing the plate is through the search and build hunt. Most all plates have a position or 10 that are much more desirable to the 1 cent collectors and most wouldn't purchase a lot like that to obtain the few key pieces.

I've taken a long path collecting imprint copies. Since this isnt something I put a ton of effort into when I do finally get around to looking the pickings are very slim.

same thing happens when people try to sell a complete or near complete set of the plates for that one cheap early GB stamp (Sc. #33)

I am reading this thread, and feeling very stupid. Can someone please explain what "plating" is to me?

"Plating refers to the reconstruction of a pane or "sheet" of postage stamps printed from a single plate by using individual stamps and overlapping strips and blocks of stamps." (Wikipedia)

There must be plating marks or flaws on the stamps to allow plating of an individual stamp to the exact position on the plate.

When you see the code 14R2.... it means the stamp is plated to the 14th position of the right pane (of 100 stamps) from plate 2.

However Scott #9 always comes from plate 1 late (not early)... so this thread discussing the reconstruction of plate 1 late (right and left pane of 100 stamps each). A complete reconstruction of the entire plate requires 200 stamps.

Basically we are taking one single stamp in Scott catalog... in this case #9... and subcategorizing into 200 distinct stamps by position they were produced on the plate... each of these 200 stamps can consistently be identified based on tiny flaws or plate marks.

It's like trying to complete a puzzle. It's also a sickness!