Is This A Newspaper Punch Cancel?

Previous owner wrote "newspaper punch cancel" on the stamp holder. Is that an accurate description? It appears to have original gum. Does that make sense? Can someone explain how this might come to be? Thanks!

Wow! This looks like a terrible accident or really senseless vandalism! I know of no punch cancel like this, but not an expert.

There's a block of 4 of these for sale on HIP under the following description "US #240 50¢ slate blue, Block of 4 w/newspaper punched precancel, unused no gum". See them once in a while. Interesting, but "ugly" precancel in my opinion.

I have seen similar items before, but I have never heard a reason for the holes.

It does have some merit, albeit debatable. It does illustrate the mint-like depth of inking.

An block of six from Siegel estimated at $150 sold for $200:

https://siegelauctions.com/lot_grd....emailflag=on

Hmm, the link only showed me a singleton, unsold.

Aha! I see they are mentioned in the above sale, but I have a non pertinent image, just a block of differing stamps.

Interesting how Siegel judiciously uses the term "likely used" in both lot descriptions. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of authenticity of use.

I could find no records in the PF database for such an animal.

Can anyone recall seeing newspaper stamps cancelled in this manner? I cannot recall seeing any. Small punch cancels occasionally, but not anything like this pattern.

I also did a fair amount of searching and found nothing. Regular newspaper stamps were issued in 1885 and then in 1894. So in 1893 the 1885 issues should have still been available. Though perhaps they were in short supply? Who knows.

It is interesting that it seems to be only the 50c that exhibits this. The idea that it was a precancel of some kind makes sense with the original gum on my stamp. But as far as finding out why or how they were used - I've got nothing. I'll be transparent - I'm going to sell this stamp and I'll use some wording - maybe along the lines Siegel used. After all if they can - I can - but at this point the truth of these stamps is elusive.

Your listed stamp mentions 'original gum' and that seems to indicate that it was not used on newspaper bundle?

Did not the USPOD end up taking back unsold Columbian stock from POs and destroying them? Could it be some kind of remainder?
Don

Why bother? If they were going to be destroyed anyway, why not just count them and burn them?

I remember seeing this for sale (a block of 4? 6? 8?) about 30 or 35 years ago at auction. It was definitely in the 1980's since I was in the business at the time. Shreve's???? Lippert??? I think it was Shreve's, but can't swear to it. Anyway, whoever it was, they also described it as either a newspaper punch cancel, or as an 'experimental' cancel - they clearly didn't know, either. I've only seen it on the 50c Columbian and no other values. I suspect someone got hold of a sheet of the 50c and, for whatever reason, punched the sheet and it has been broken in the years since. These pop up every once in a while. I am yet to see a definitive explanation.

Siegel sold a block of six in 2014. The link is above. They seemed a bit noncommittal in their description.

Why doesn't someone contact Scott Trepel at Siegel and ask where that info came from.