Sale 1003 — Specialized U.S. Collections, Air Post, Foreign Stamps & Covers
Sale Date — Wednesday-Friday, 15-17 December, 2010
Category — United States Postage Due Issues (Blocks and Plate Blocks, Scott J20-J49a)
10c Deep Claret (J35). Mint N.H. bottom imprint and plate no. 72 block of six, deep rich color on bright paper, well-balanced margins throughoutVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED PLATE BLOCK OF THE 10-CENT 1894 UNWATERMARKED BUREAU POSTAGE DUE ISSUE. VERY FEW ARE KNOWN.
The first Bureau printings of all stamps were made in 1894 on unwatermarked paper, which was soon replaced with USPS-watermarked stock. Many denominations on unwatermarked paper were issued in extremely small quantities. The Bureau's first efforts at producing stamps were marred by perforating and gumming problems, which further limits the supply of stamps available to collectors in higher grades of condition. Finally, the popular collecting of imprint and plate number strips of three drastically reduced the number of plate blocks of six, which is the standard for collectors today.
With 2005 P.F. certificate. Scott Catalogue does not list this plate block in Mint N.H. condition. Scott Retail as singles
