2c Carmine, Booklet Pane of Six (301c). Position D with plate no. 1585 in tab at upper right, radiant color, wide margins, neat strikes of New York oval registry cancels, few minor perf separations sensibly reinforced at lower left

VERY FINE. ONLY FIVE INTACT USED PANES OF THE 2-CENT 1902 ISSUE ARE RECORDED. ONE OF THE GREAT RARITIES OF BOOKLET COLLECTING.

According to Johl, the proofs of this stamp were considered masterpieces, but when the stamp was issued in red using the wet paper printing method it was widely criticized. Washington's nose was excessively red and the details of the design were lost. The New York Times wrote that "if not labelled Washington it could be taken for Adams, Madison or Monroe". Faced with such criticism the Post Office Department rushed a replacement stamp into use -- the 2c Shield issue (Scott 319 and 320) -- less than nine months later.

Illustrated below are the five intact panes with tabs. Our full census of Scott 301c in used condition is available at our website at http://siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/301c/301c.pdf and includes these five intact panes plus three without tabs (two of which are on cover).

The last used example we offered was in our Twigg-Smith sale in 2001.

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