Sale 1144 — Smithsonian National Postal Museum Benefit Auction
Sale Date — Tuesday, 13 December, 2016
Category — 5c 1856 Issue (Scott 12)
5c Red Brown (12). Position 50R1, large margins to barely touched including part imprint at right, deep rich color, neat grid cancel, Fine, a rare example of the 5c 1856 Issue with part imprint, we record only thirteen copies with part of the imprint, ex Newbury, with 1985 P.F. certificate
5c Red Brown (12). Horizontal strip of three, A Relief from the top row of the plate, large margins all around including part sheet margin at left, this is either Positions 1-3L1 or 1-3R1, deep rich color, unobtrusive New Orleans circular datestamp cancels, right stamp small corner crease at bottom rightEXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. A BEAUTIFUL STRIP OF THREE OF THE IMPERFORATE 5-CENT 1856 ISSUE, FROM THE TOP ROW OF THE PLATE AND WITH A SHEET MARGIN.
Unlike all other denominations of the issue, the 5c 1856 Issue has never been plated. There are not enough plating marks or large multiples to assist in such a plating. The strip offered here, with part sheet margin and guide dots at top which only appear on the top row of the sheet, is an important multiple because it can only come from one of two places on the plate and could assist in a plating study.
Ex Newbury. With 2002 P.F. certificate
5c Red Brown (12). Block of four from the top two rows of the plate, three large margins, clear to ample at right, cancelled by strikes of Wilmington Del. datestamps, part of red cancel at top, bottom stamps light horizontal crease, top stamps and bottom left stamp with repaired tear, top right stamp small corner creasesFINE APPEARANCE. AN INCREDIBLY RARE BLOCK OF THE 5-CENT 1856 IMPERFORATE. ONLY FIVE INTACT USED BLOCKS ARE KNOWN OFF COVER.
In addition to this block, four others are known -- two with manuscript cancel (originating from the block of eleven and offered in our Curtis Collection sale) -- one with grid cancels, and one cancelled at Richmond. The two other blocks have smaller margins than the block offered here.
Ex Mayer. With 1998 P.F. certificate