The Curtis Collection: 1847-1901 Issues continued...

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1861 5-CENT ORANGE BROWN WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 JUMBO BY P.S.E. THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO THIS ISSUE IN ANY CONDITION.

With 1992 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (OGph, XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $8,500.00 as 95, unpriced in any higher grade). This is only Scott 30 awarded a 95J grade in any condition -- original gum, no gum or used (Image)

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VERY FINE AND CHOICE. AN EXTREMELY RARE SOUND ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT PERFORATED TYPE I ISSUE.

Type I characteristics are only found on the 20 stamps that comprise the bottom row of the plate. Due to narrow spacing on the plate and difficulties in aligning the perforating machine, stamps at the bottom of the plate usually have perforations cutting into the bottom portion of the design. This is a negative, because Type I is defined as having the design complete at bottom. The population of stamps available to collectors showing the type characteristics is extremely limited, especially when other factors such as gum and soundness are taken into consideration. A review using Power Search shows exactly how rare this stamp is in such superior condition. The only other sound, original-gum and centered example we have offered in the past 15 years, from the Alan Whitman collection, realized $75,000 in one of our sales in 2009.

With 1992 and 2003 P.F. certificates. (Image)

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FINE APPEARANCE. THE 1857 10-CENT TYPE IV IS ONE OF THE RAREST CLASSIC UNITED STATES ISSUES IN UNUSED CONDITION.

The 1857 10c Type IV stamps come from only eight positions scattered throughout Plate 1, that have the top, bottom, or in the case of Position 64L (the stamp offered here), both lines recut. 64L1 is the only position to show both lines recut and as such it is the best example of the type. Only 4% of all 10c Plate 1 stamps produced were Type IV's, and an even smaller percentage were issued with perforations. We have only offered three others with any gum whatsoever in the past 20 years, and none of these were Position 64L1.

With 1996 and 2011 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates. Scott Retail as no gum (Image)

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

The most recent scholarship regarding the Toppan, Carpenter, Casilear & Co. plates used to print the 12c 1851-57 Issue is clearly articulated by James A. Allen in "The 1851 Imperforate (Scott U.S. #17): Plating Updated and Additional New Findings" (The 1851 Issue of United States Stamps: a Sesquicentennial Retrospective, U.S. Philatelic Classics Society). Traditionally, the 12c plates are identified as Plate 1 (from which all imperforate and some perforated stamps were printed), Plate 2 (evidently never used) and Plate 3 (which produced stamps that were only regularly issued with perforations). It is highly probable that Plate 3 was the first one made in 1851, but it was put aside and not used until 1859.

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 and wide margins evident in this example are very scarce.

With 2007 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, XF-Superb 95; SMQ $3,100.00). Only one has graded higher (at 98) and only four others share this grade (Image)

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