90c Blue (39). Used on piece of blue cover with horizontal pair and single of 3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26), 10c Green, Ty. V (35) and 12c Black, Plate 1 (36), all stamps tied by Boston large "Paid" grid, each slightly overlapping, piece shows part of address and red London transit datestamp, few trivial faults

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS THE LARGEST RECORDED PIECE BEARING THE 90-CENT 1860 ISSUE. AN EXCELLENT ALTERNATIVE TO A FULL COVER.

The highest value of the 1851-60 series -- the 90c stamp with a portrait of the youthful George Washington in military uniform -- was issued in 1860 (earliest recorded use is September 11). Its use was limited by the high denomination and the stamp's relatively short life, due to the demonetization of all United States stamps in August 1861, a measure designed to preclude the sale of stamps originating in rebel states' post offices.

There are just six recorded complete covers with the 90c 1860: 1) Sep. 11, 1860, to Augustine Heard & Co., Shanghai, single franking for double rate, ex Gibson, Hindes and Kapiloff; 2) Nov. 3, 1860, to Barcelona, Spain, ex Caspary, Rust and Kapiloff; 3) Nov. 9, 1860, to Augustine Heard & Co., Shanghai, ex Needham, Paliafito, Ishikawa, Myers; 4) Jan. 8, 1861, single used on legal-size cover from Cincinnati, ex Filstrup, Grunin; 5) Jul. 16, 1861, to Edwin Howland, Cape of Good Hope, used with 1c pair, 3c, 10c and 30c for four-times 33c rate, ex Jacobs, Newbury, Ishikawa; and 6) Jan. 26, 1861, to Mackellop Stewart & Co., Calcutta, India, used with 12c and 30c, ex Armitage.

The total postage present on this piece is $1.21. We believe an additional 1c stamp was originally on the cover, making a $1.22 quadruple 33c rate, probably to Edwin Howland at the Cape of Good Hope (see cover number 5 above).

Signed and dated by Ashbrook (Dec. 19, 1955). With 1956 P.F. certificate. Ex Krug, Haas and Rose.

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