2006 Rarities of the World continued...

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A SCARCE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1855 10-CENT TYPE II.

With 1989 P.F. certificate (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE TRIAL COLOR PLATE PROOF OF THE 10-CENT 1855 ISSUE. ONLY TWO ARE REPORTED TO EXIST.

The Finkelburg collection contained a 5c 1856 proof with similar penstrokes, which realized $6,500 hammer (Sale 816, September 1999). The Wagshal collection contains a single 10c 1855 Black trial proof with pen lines.

With 2005 P.F. certificate. Scott catalogue only lists this trial color proof as Type I. This should be given its own catalogue listing. (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE IMPERFORATE 10-CENT TYPE III 1855 ISSUE.

With 1994 P.F. certificate (Image)

VERY FINE-EXTREMELY FINE. AN ATTRACTIVE AND RARE STRIP OF FOUR OF THE 1855 IMPERFORATE 10-CENT TYPE III ON COVER TO MEXICO.

Ex White and Haas. (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE IMPERFORATE TYPE IV 10-CENT 1855 ISSUE FROM THE MISPLACED RELIEF POSITION -- THE ONLY RECUT POSITION ON THE RIGHT PANE OF THE PLATE. AS AN ADDED BONUS, THE STAMP IS CANCELLED ON FEBRUARY 29, A LEAP YEARDATE.

When the plate was being entered from the transfer roll (or rolls), three vertical rows were started with the B relief instead of the A relief. These were the first two rows of the left pane and the third row of the right pane. Only the first position in each vertical row is misplaced -- the rest of the sheet was laid out with the A Relief used for the top two rows. Position 3R1, one of the three misplaced relief positions on the plate, also bears the distinction of being one of the eight recut positions and the only position recut on the entire right pane of the plate. (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. A LOVELY USED EXAMPLE OF THE SCARCE 1855 10-CENT TYPE IV IMPERFORATE ISSUE.

Examples of the 10c 1855 Type IV are most desirable when the recut line (or lines) is not obscured by the cancel, as in this case. (Image)