3c Rose, Printed on Both Sides (65e). Back printed in same orientation as the front and with most of the design clearly printed, front of stamp with grid cancel

VERY FINE. A RARE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE 3-CENT 1861 ISSUE PRINTED ON BOTH SIDES. OUR CENSUS CONTAINS ONLY TWELVE USED AND THREE UNUSED COPIES. ONLY FOUR USED EXAMPLES ARE CONFIRMED AS SOUND. THIS IS FAR RARER THAN PREVIOUSLY ASSUMED.

Engraved stamps printed on both sides usually have a poor impression on one side and a second, complete impression on the other. They probably occurred when a sheet was printed without proper moistening, which prevented the paper from picking up the ink in the recessed lines of the engraved plate.

The 3c 1861 printed-on-both-sides stamps are known with the orientation of the back impression the same or inverted in relation to the design on the front, which indicates that more than one sheet was printed. The inverted impression on back is a result of the sheet being turned 180 degrees before it was put on the press the second time.

Our census of Scott 65 printed on both sides, available at our website at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/65e/65e.pdf , contains twelve used and three unused examples (including one in the Benjamin K. Miller Collection at the New York Public Library). As the census indicates, most of these are in poor condition. Short perfs and rounded corners are the most obvious flaws. The example offered here is exceptional for its sound condition.

Census No. 65e-CAN-02. With 1994 P.F. certificate

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