Dag Hammarskjöld 4-cent Commemorative Postage Stamp Sheet (Scott #1203/1204)

This item is a partial sheet of United States commemorative postage stamps issued in 1962, honoring Dag Hammarskjöld, the second Secretary-General of the United Nations. Each stamp features a 4-cent denomination and depicts a portrait of Hammarskjöld with hands clasped in thought, set against a background showing the United Nations headquarters in New York. The color palette consists of black and brown ink on an off-white/cream paper base with a yellow tinted background. The stamps are perforated on all sides, following the standard 11-gauge perforation style of the era. This specific issue is historically significant due to a major inverted-color printing error (Scott #1204), where the yellow background was accidentally printed upside down. However, the Post Office intentionally mass-produced the error to prevent speculation, making both the normal and 'invert' versions common today. The condition of the stamps shown appears to be mint with full original gum, though they are stored in a plastic sleeve. There are no visible signs of foxing, creases, or heavy toning, though the centering varies slightly across the individual units on the sheet. The engraving quality is high, reflecting the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing's standards for the early 1960s. These stamps measure approximately 1.5 x 1 inches each.