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HB-139 EP-178 30¢ J. Gault Choice

Currency:USD Category:Everything Else / Other Start Price:NA Estimated At:4,000.00 - 6,000.00 USD
HB-139 EP-178 30¢ J. Gault Choice
HB-139 EP-178 30¢ J. Gault Choice <p> About New About as close to uncirculated as any piece of Encased Postage is ever likely to be found. The case is virtually untouched, with no signs of wear or marks, and it has a perfectly tight, unmarred original seal all the way around. The mica is as near to flawless as any we have ever seen, and the orange 30¢ stamp is very bright and beautifully centered. This is an unquestionably authentic example of the second highest denomination of Encased Postage. In our sale last May, we offered a 30¢ Ayers Cathartic Pills grading Extra Fine with a craze mark in the mica. It realized $3250. This piece is considerably nicer, ranking with the very finest known examples of its denomination. This cataloger has seen no finer 30-cent piece in 30 years of handling Encased Postage. In this cataloger's 1980 fixed-price list of Encased, 190 different pieces were offered, including a complete Merchant Set and a Black Jack. There were only two 30¢ pieces offered, including an EP-178 that graded Very Fine. That piece had been priced at $4250, and it received multiple orders in 1980. This one is its vast superior and, twenty-one years later, it will likely realize less. Our point is, encased-postage collecting has been in the doldrums for twenty-plus years. Astute buyers should not pass up the opportunity to acquire truly great pieces like this now, before this specialty takes off. Important notice: We expect to be auctioning lots at the rate of 200-250 per hour. Sometimes eBay Premier live bid software cannot keep up with that pace, so we strongly recommend that you place a realistic proxy bid now as insurance to avoid disappointment. Also please note that all Heritage/CAA lots purchased through eBay Premier carry a 20% Buyer's Premium.