5c Brown, First Design (57). Cancelled by neat strike of "Providence R.I. Jun. 22 ?? PM" circular datestamp, rich color, choice centering, faint horizontal crease, small margin thin at upper right

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS THE ONLY POSTALLY-USED EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1861 ISSUE FIRST DESIGN. ONLY 34 IN TOTAL ARE AVAILABLE TO COLLECTORS, OF WHICH 33 ARE UNUSED. APART FROM THE 10-CENT FIRST DESIGN (SCOTT 62B) AND THE 30-CENT OFFERED IN LOT 91, THIS IS THE ONLY OTHER DENOMINATION OF THE SERIES THAT CAN BE CONFIRMED AS POSTALLY USED. A PHENOMENAL RARITY.

In 1861 the contract for printing postage stamps was awarded to National Bank Note Company after Toppan Carpenter's contract expired on June 10, 1861. The designs were changed and the earlier stamps were demonetized, primarily as a means of depriving the seceding states of a form of currency.

National Bank Note Company apparently submitted gummed and perforated samples of their designs. Of the original submitted designs, the 24c and 30c were not altered in any way before approval and use. The original samples for these two denominations were printed in a different shade, and are currently listed in the Trial Color Proof section of Scott Catalogue. A quantity of the 10c First Design was printed and issued from this original plate, although they were likely printed after the normal stamp (Scott 68) was issued. The likely reason is that the original plate was brought into use to keep up with demand for the 10c stamps. Therefore, only the 10c, 24c and 30c plates as originally made were used to print issued stamps. The other denominations -- 1c, 3c, 5c, 12c and 90c -- Scott Nos. 55, 56, 57, 59 and 62 -- were never issued in their original designs. These are called "Premiere Gravures" or "First Designs" by students of the issue.

It is likely that a small supply of the "Premiere Gravures" and First Colors reached philatelic hands at an early stage. Several other First Designs are known cancelled -- a 12c is known with manuscript "New" written across the design -- but the placement and style of cancel means that they cannot conclusively be shown to have gone through the mails, and are likely experimental or control cancels. The exception is the stamp offered here, which has an identifiable town circular datestamp cancel and was probably mailed by a philatelist or stamp dealer. This is the only 5c with any form of cancellation. The 30c First Color is also known with a cork cancellation indicating it was sent through the mail (offered in lot 91 of this sale).

Our census of Scott No. 57 is available at our website at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/57/57.pdf . Census No. 57-CAN-10. Ex Wagshal. With 1951 and 2010 P.F. certificates

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