The William H. Gross Collection: United States 1847 First Issue - October 27-29, 2020

This is turning into quite a year to acquire great stamps if you happen to have a few million in the sock drawer.

Seriously though, this auction is amazing to browse through. Wow.

https://stampauctionnetwork.com/Y/Y1228.cfm

Note: I just realized that every lot has a reserve on it. This was not the case in the previous Gross sales to the best of my knowledge.

*** Moved by Staff to a more appropriate forum. ***

I just saw this hit the Siegel website. This sale absolutely blows my mind. I am currently sitting at my computer with the top of my head missing, just smoke coming out.

Over the last 15 or 20 years, I have 'tried' to attain some decent 1847 material. I remember those gems that I missed at auction. I was bidding heavy, but I just couldn't shake the other guy. Now I know why. I am now seeing many, many 1847's that I have lusted over, bid heavily on, and didn't get, all in the Gross 1847 sale. It was the proverbial bottle rocket (me, and my measly bank account) going up against a Saturn V (William Gross, and his MILLIONS). Now that they are all here, right in front of me again (taunting me, dare I say) I realize that there is no way I can get them all. I have a 2nd chance, just not at all of them. There are stamps and covers, from beginning to end of the sale, all of which call to me, and I will probably have to drop out after the first few dozen lots. I will jump on those that I can, but at some point I will simply run out of money.

I DO have a few lottery tickets for the drawing tonight, though.....

ETA: CANNOT wait to get the catalog!!! This one is a keeper!

I saw this today, and the material is just amazing. Such an incredible collection of material.

I thought it was interesting that the Rush cover (lot 552 - strip of 6 10¢ stamps to Paris) is estimated at $400,000 to $500,000. The cover was featured in its own single-lot hardbound catalog back in 2006 where Gross paid $1,200,000 plus the buyer premium.

Estimates are part of the auction marketing. It is a ploy for irrational exuberance.

Stamp collectors irrational????? Never..........

The estimate back in 2006 was $1,000,000 to $1,500,000. I think this reflects a change in the market rather than a "ploy for irrational exuberance"

Many of the estimates actually seem kind of low (particularly on #2 multiples) to me. The quantity of material though may just limit prices as "how much money is there to go around?" I certainly can't bid even minimally on everything I want :-) !!!

AND, if WMLangs stuff is as anticipated (on either side of this one) - that is a lot of high end stuff to be consumed. Is there a market to still exceed these estimates the way recent auctions have been doing????

Langs material is vastly a non overlap here. Gross is extreme depth without quality concerns. Langs is extreme breadth with questionable items.

Well, since lot #502 is going to be such a deal ($800K off, how many bidders do you think there will be at or near the estimate? :-)

I pulled out and briefly flipped through the prior 3 Gross sales, and all of the lots I saw had the "reserve" symbol by them. I don't think this is new to this sale.

I am going to have to spend some time studying this sale. Magnificent material.

The hardcopy catalog is a beauty, probably the closest the public will come to seeing a book on Gross' 1847 collection.

I just got my copy of the catalog in the mail. I thought the discussion of printing impression (early / intermediate / worn-plate / cleaned plate) and colors (p. 58-9) was well worth reading.

This.