The Scarsdale Collection, Part Five: Used United States 1847-69 Issues continued...

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THE 1857 12-CENT FROM PLATE ONE IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT ISSUES TO OBTAIN IN SUCH SUPERB CONDITION.

Any multiple of the 1857 12c Black from Plate 1 will demonstrate the narrow layout of this plate, which produced Scott 17 (imperforate) and 36 (perforated). Even when the perforations are aligned between stamps, they still punch out part of the outer frameline. Plate 3, which produced Scott 36b, remedied this problem by allowing more space for perforations.

With 2003 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail with no premium for the stitch watermark (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE 1860 24-CENT GRAL LILAC. A DIFFICULT STAMP TO FINE WITH THE QUALITIES OF THE EXAMPLE OFFERED HERE -- CHOICE CENTERING, BRIGHT COLOR AND A COLORED CANCEL.

With 1986 and 2001 P.F. certificates (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A GORGEOUS USED EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENT 1860 ISSUE. AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT STAMP TO FIND IN SUCH SUPERB USED CONDITION.

The 30c 1860 challenges collectors for several reasons. First, the subjects were closely spaced together on the plate, leaving almost no room for perforations and little opportunity to create stamps with perforations clear of the design on all four sides. Second, the 30c and 90c 1860 were only in circulation for a brief period before the series was demonetized in the Fall of 1861. Third, this high-denomination stamp was issued for use on transatlantic mail, and postal clerks were careful to thoroughly cancel the stamps to prevent cleaning and re-use. Therefore, 30c 1860 stamps in sound, well-centered and lightly-cancelled condition defy all circumstances and are extremely rare.

Ex Renne and Yost. With 1980, 1995 and 2002 P.F. certificates (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB USED EXAMPLE OF THE SHORT-LIVED 90-CENT 1860 -- THE FIRST UNITED STATES 90-CENT ISSUE.

The 90c stamp was issued in 1860, along with the 24c and 30c values, all of which were needed to prepay high international letter rates established by various postal treaties. The basic 24c and 30c rates to England, France and Germany created a large volume of mail franked with those values. However, the 90c saw much more limited use, partly due to the rates in effect, but more because of the American Civil War. When supplies of current postage stamps were declared invalid in the South and ultimately demonetized by the Federal government, the 90c had been in use for only one year. For this reason, genuinely cancelled copies and covers bearing the 90c are extremely rare. Approximately 180 used examples have been certified as genuine by the Philatelic Foundation, of which approximately one-quarter are sound. Of these sound examples, many are off-center.

With 1997 P.S.E. and 1998 and 2006 P.F. certificates (Image)