2017 Rarities of the World continued...

FINE AND RARE SOUND EXAMPLE OF POSITION 7R1E -- THE SEVENTH STAMP IN THE RIGHT PANE OF PLATE ONE EARLY -- THIS IS THE ONLY ONE OF THE 1,000 POSITIONS USED TO PRINT IMPERFORATE ONE-CENT STAMPS THAT SHOWS THE COMPLETE DESIGN (TYPE I).

The published census compiled by Jerome S. Wagshal contains at least 98 unduplicated records of Scott 5. There are probably no more than ten examples existing outside of the Wagshal census population. Therefore, the 1c 1851 Type I is the rarest of all United States stamps issued regularly prior to the 1868 Grills.

According the the Wagshal Census, this stamp was discovered around 1998 by a stamp dealer in a large lot of U.S. stamp pages originating with a family in France.

Wagshal Census No. 5-CAN-29. With 1998 P.S.E. and P.F. certificates (Image)

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FINE AND RARE UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT TYPE Ib IMPERFORATE ISSUE.

Type Ib was produced only as an imperforate stamp. Six positions on Plate 1 Early furnished stamps qualifying as Type Ib -- Positions 3-6R and 8-9R -- distinguished by the complete design at top and nearly complete design at bottom. When first entered on the plate, these six positions (as well as 7R1E) had the complete design at top and bottom. However, unlike 7R, small portions of the bottoms of 3-6R and 8-9R were ironed out when the entries were made below them.

With clear 1977 P.F. certificate (Image)

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FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE SCARCE TYPE Ib FROM PLATE ONE EARLY, SHOWING THE COMPLETE DESIGNS AT TOP AND BOTTOM.

With 2006 P.F. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE AND CHOICE. A HANDSOME USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT TYPE Ia IMPERFORATE SHOWING THE CURL ON THE SHOULDER PLATE VARIETY.

Stamps printed from Plate 4 were issued in April, May and briefly in June 1857 before perforations were introduced. The relatively small number of imperforate Plate 4 stamps issued during this period explains the rarity and desirability of any of the imperforate stamp types produced from this plate (Ia, Ic, II, III and IIIa). The extremely rare Type Ia, showing the full design at bottom, was furnished only by 18 of the 200 subjects on Plate 4 (the remaining two bottom-row positions were sub-type Ic). The Curl on Shoulder variety resulted from a tiny thread adhering to the relief on the transfer roll.

With 2017 P.F. certificate. Sold for the benefit of the Smithsonian National Postal Museum. (Image)

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A FINE USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT TYPE Ia IMPERFORATE.

Stamps printed from Plate 4 were issued in April, May and briefly in June 1857 before perforations were introduced. The relatively small number of imperforate Plate 4 stamps issued during this period explains the rarity and desirability of any of the imperforate stamp types produced from this plate (Ia, Ic, II, III and IIIa). The extremely rare Type Ia, showing the full design at bottom, was furnished only by 18 of the 200 subjects on Plate 4 (the remaining two bottom-row positions were sub-type Ic).

With 1976 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. THIS IS ONE OF THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT IMPERFORATE TYPE III EXTANT. THE BREAKS IN OUTER LINES AT TOP AND BOTTOM -- THE DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC OF TYPE III -- ARE ESPECIALLY WIDE IN THIS LATE IMPRESSION.

Type III is defined by breaks in the outer lines at both top and bottom. Many Type III stamps have breaks that were created or enlarged by plate wear. Since the wear occurred over a period of time, a majority of stamps of this type (both unused and used) have small breaks in at least one line. The most notable exception is Position 99R2, which has the widest breaks of any Type III position, due to the short transfer during plate entry.

The stamp offered here should be considered significant for several reasons. The breaks at top and bottom are so wide that it actually approaches those of Position 99R2. This E Relief position (44L) had breaks in both lines when originally entered on the plate; however, later impressions show widened breaks, and, in this example, the breaks are extremely wide. The large margins at top and bottom also allow for easy identification of the type. All factors considered -- design, impression, margins and gum -- this stamp is easily one of the finest original-gum examples of the imperforate Type III.

Ex Lilly, Drucker and "Scarsdale." With 1988 and 2002 P.F. certificates (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 IMPERFORATE ONE-CENT TYPE IV.

With 1996 P.F. and 2005 P.S.E. certificates (OGph, XF-Superb 95; SMQ $3,500.00) (Image)

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VERY FINE. THE 3-CENT 1851 ORANGE BROWN IS DIFFICULT TO FIND IN THIS EXCEPTIONALLY CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM CONDITION.

With 2009 P.S.E. certificate. There are only three original-gum examples listed in the P.S.E. Population Report (graded 85, 85J and 95) (Image)

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FRESH AND VERY FINE. AN ATTRACTIVE AND RARE SOUND ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1856 ISSUE.

With the exception of some rare types of the 1c and 10c, such as Scott Nos. 5 and 16, the 5c stamp is the most difficult denomination to obtain with four margins in original-gum condition. The spacing between stamps was very narrow, leaving little margin for error when separating the stamps, which explains why so few examples are known with four margins.

Ex "Laila". With 1980 and 1997 P.F. certificates (Image)

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