The Jay Hoffman Collection of United States Stamps continued...

EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 5-CENT RED BROWN.

This is one of the few used stamps in the Hoffman collection, because the opportunity to acquire a suitable original-gum copy never presented itself.

With 1999 and 2006 P.F. certificates (Image)

VERY FINE AND CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT BROWN 1857 ISSUE. AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT STAMP TO FIND IN SUCH PRISTINE CONDITION. THIS IS ONE OF THE FINEST EXAMPLES IN EXISTENCE.

Due to the narrow spacing between subjects on the first 5c 1856 plate, many of the stamps have the outer projections touched or cut into by the perforations. A review of our computerized records shows that we have offered only eight other original-gum examples of this stamp since 1994. Of these, perhaps two would rate the grade of Very Fine or Extremely Fine. The example offered here, with full original gum, deep rich color, full perforations and with balanced margins, is a true condition rarity.

Ex Scarsdale. With 1969 and 1997 P.F. certificates. Aside from this stamp, the last well-centered original-gum example we offered was in Sale 902 and realized $24,000 hammer. (Image)

VERY FINE AND CHOICE. THE 5-CENT ORANGE BROWN 1861 SHADE IS SCARCE IN THIS PREMIUM ORIGINAL-GUM CONDITION.

With 1986 P.F. and 2003 P.S.E. certificates (Image)

FINE. A DESIRABLE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT TYPE II BROWN 1860 SHADE.

With 2003 P.S.E. certificate (Image)

FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 PERFORATED 10-CENT TYPE I.

The scarcer types of the perforated 10c 1857 are rarely found with original gum. Although the perfs touch at right, this Type I stamp has a wide bottom margin which clearly shows the type characteristics.

With 2002 P.S.E. certificate (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. ONE OF THE FINEST KNOWN ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES OF THE 1857 10-CENT GREEN FROM PLATE 1. A SPECTACULAR STAMP IN TERMS OF CENTERING, COLOR, IMPRESSION AND GUM.

The first perforated 10c stamps produced by Toppan, Carpenter from sheets printed from Plate 1 are notorious among collectors for their poor centering. They are also very scarce in original-gum condition because, unlike 10c Plate 2 stamps (Scott 35), there were no supplies on hand in 1861 when the issue was demonetized due to the outbreak of the Civil War.

With 2002 P.F. certificate (Image)

FINE. A RARE SOUND UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 10-CENT TYPE IV. A GREAT RARITY OF THE ISSUE.

The 1857 10c Type IV stamps come from eight positions scattered throughout Plate 1 that have the top, bottom or both lines recut. Only 4% of all 10c Plate 1 stamps produced were Type IV's, and an even smaller percentage was issued with perforations.

With 1977 P.F. certificate (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 12-CENT 1857 ISSUE IN THE FINEST CONDITION ATTAINABLE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE EXAMPLE OF THE IMPRINT ON TOPPAN, CARPENTER, CASILEAR & COMPANY'S 12-CENT PLATE ONE.

Due to narrow spacing on the plate, most examples of this stamp (both used and unused) have perforations touching at least part of the outer frameline of the design. It is quite evident that this stamp does not fall into that category. There is a well-defined margin on each side, which is more typical of the later Plate 3 printing (Scott 36b) where the subjects were spread slightly farther apart on the plate. This stamp, with its fresh original gum, clear margins all around, bright shade and imprint, is truly superb in every sense of the word.

Unlike its Plate 3 counterpart, which survived in unused multiples when the issue was demonetized in 1861, very few examples of 12c stamps printed from Plate 1 show part of the Toppan, Carpenter, Casilear & Co. imprint. The Type I imprint was entered alongside Positions 40, 50, 60 and 70 on the right pane (and Positions 30/40/50/60 on the left pane). Plate 3 has a plate number, but no numbers were engraved on the two other 12c plates. We call the plate used to print stamps Plate 1, but the intriguing story behind these two plates will be found in James A. Allen's chapter, "The 1851 12c Imperforate (Scott U.S. #17): Plating Update and Additional New Findings," in The 1851 Issue of United States Stamps: a Sesquicentennial Retrospective. The stamp offered here comes from the position which would ordinarily show a plate number. The absence of a plate number was a significant point in Neinken's study of the 12c plates.

Ex Concord and "J & J". With 1995 and 2006 P.F. certificates (XF 90, SMQ $6,500.00). The SMQ value does not take into consideration the rarity of the stamp with imprint. (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 12-CENT 1857 ISSUE FROM PLATE 3.

Plate 3 stamps (Scott 36b) are characterized primarily by uneven or broken outer framelines of the design. The subjects on Plate 1, which produced Scott Nos. 17 and 36, have even framelines that were extensively recut. Original-gum Plate 3 stamps with the centering evident in this example are very scarce -- we offer about one a year in this condition.

With 1983 and 2005 P.F. certificates (Image)