A superb example of the 5c stamp from the 1907 Jamestown Exposition issue has sold at the top of Robert A Siegel Auction Galleries' July 16-17 United States Stamps auction in New York.
 It is very rare to find an example of the 5c Jamestown stamp in such excellent condition, with only one other example graded higher than this |
The stamp was originally valued at just $310, however it is extremely rare to find an example in such good condition, sparking a bidding war that took the final price to $9,500 - a 2,964% increase on estimate.
The Jamestown Exposition issue was created to mark the 1907 world's fair, which commemorated the 300th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown in the Virginia Colony.
There were three stamps issued: a 1c stamp portraying Captain John Smith, a 2c showing the founding of Jamestown, and the 5c stamp bearing an image of Pocahontas.
The 5c stamp at auction sold complete with a 2012 PSE certificate that shows its grading of Superb 98. A mint, never-hinged example with perfect centring and wide margins, there is only one other stamp in a higher grade and one other that shares the Superb 98 score.
Another example of the 5c stamp, graded VF-XF 85, sold for $300 in the auction.
Also selling well was a full die proof set from the 1901 Pan American Exposition issue, which sold for $8,500, making a 146.3% increase on the $3,450 estimate.
Ranging from 1c-10c, the set is a printer's presentation album, which were specifically made for potential customers or dignitaries. Most of these have been broken up over the years, making intact albums very rare.
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