1918 Inverted Jenny
The Curtiss JN-4 biplane is the subject of the three first air mail stamps issued by the United States. The 24¢ red and blue with inverted center is probably the most famous American philatelic error and is known under the name of Inverted Jenny.
In the 1910s, the US Post Office test runs aerial mail transportation. Their efforts result in the inauguration of regular air mail service May 15th, 1918. Stamps are quickly engraved on May 4th, and printed on Friday, May 10th. Quick printing results in at least three misprinted sheets representing the plane upside down, which are found and promptly destroyed.
However, as in other instances in the past, other sheets of the two-colour stamps with inverted centers make it through despite vigilant efforts to prevent this, and collectors rush to try and track down the stamp. On May 14th, W. T. Robey sees the postmaster take out a complete sheet of 100 stamps with inverted centers, and, with pounding heart, hurries to purchase the sheet. Robey then contacts several stamp collectors and journalists regarding his incredible find, and also hides his sheet from visiting postal inspectors. He quickly sells the sheet to a dealer in Philadelphia, Eugene Klein, for $15 000. Mr. Klein immediately re-sells it to Colonel H. R. Green for $20 000. Based on advice from Klein, Colonel Green separates the sheet in order to sell the stamps for the highest possible price: a block of eight, several blocks of four, and the rest as singles. Colonel Green keeps many of them, and even mounts one in a locket for his wife. On May 18th, 2002, Mrs. Greens locket is sent to auction, but has no buyer. The philatelic press reports however, that a private sale is subsequently conducted for an undisclosed amount. In October 2005, a block of four Inverted Jennies» is sold to financier William H. Gross for the sum of $2 970 000. This is the famous block which he then exchanged for one copy of the 1868 Benjamin Franklin Z-Grill.
The Curtiss JN-4 biplane is the subject of the three first air mail stamps issued by the United States. The 24¢ red and blue with inverted center is probably the most famous American philatelic error and is known under the name of Inverted Jenny.
In the 1910s, the US Post Office test runs aerial mail transportation. Their efforts result in the inauguration of regular air mail service May 15th, 1918. Stamps are quickly engraved on May 4th, and printed on Friday, May 10th. Quick printing results in at least three misprinted sheets representing the plane upside down, which are found and promptly destroyed.
However, as in other instances in the past, other sheets of the two-colour stamps with inverted centers make it through despite vigilant efforts to prevent this, and collectors rush to try and track down the stamp. On May 14th, W. T. Robey sees the postmaster take out a complete sheet of 100 stamps with inverted centers, and, with pounding heart, hurries to purchase the sheet. Robey then contacts several stamp collectors and journalists regarding his incredible find, and also hides his sheet from visiting postal inspectors. He quickly sells the sheet to a dealer in Philadelphia, Eugene Klein, for $15 000. Mr. Klein immediately re-sells it to Colonel H. R. Green for $20 000. Based on advice from Klein, Colonel Green separates the sheet in order to sell the stamps for the highest possible price: a block of eight, several blocks of four, and the rest as singles. Colonel Green keeps many of them, and even mounts one in a locket for his wife. On May 18th, 2002, Mrs. Greens locket is sent to auction, but has no buyer. The philatelic press reports however, that a private sale is subsequently conducted for an undisclosed amount. In October 2005, a block of four Inverted Jennies» is sold to financier William H. Gross for the sum of $2 970 000. This is the famous block which he then exchanged for one copy of the 1868 Benjamin Franklin Z-Grill.
