5c Dark Blue, Perf 10 at Top (557c). Deep rich color and proof-like impression, wide margins, bold strikes of oval registry cancels

FINE. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 1922 5-CENT ROOSEVELT PERFORATED 10 AT TOP. ONLY FIVE REGULARLY-CANCELLED COPIES ARE RECORDED, ONE OF WHICH IS ON COVER.

At a certain point during production one of the perforating wheels became defective. In the course of repairs part of one perforation wheel was inadvertently changed from Perf 11 to Perf 10. Based on the physical evidence of surviving copies, this was the nineteenth row of pins on the wheel.

Many examples of the Perf 10 on One Side rarities show transitional perfs from 10 to 11 or from 11 to 10. This is because the out-of-gauge perforation pins would frequently cross the span of more than one stamp, depending on where the wheel contacted the sheet.

The Perf 10 on One Side varieties span both the 1917 Washington-Franklin and 1922-23 Issues. It is interesting to note that, apart from the 2c, there is no duplication of denomination between the issues. This would seem to indicate that the improperly repaired wheel was in use for only a short period of time, as there was little overlap in production of the issues. Based on dates of issue of the basic stamps, this probably occurred early in 1923.

Our census of Scott 557c, available at our website at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/557c/557c.pdf , contains a total of 13 used singles, four in a used block and one on cover, for a total of 18. None is known unused. Only four singles and the cover are known with regular cancels -- the others are precancelled. The stamp on the cover and one of the singles have faults, leaving only three sound regularly-cancelled in existence.

Census No. 557c-CAN-01. Ex Twigg-Smith. With 1971, 1992 and 2001 P.F. certificates. Scott Catalogue does not distinguish between precancelled and regularly-cancelled (as they do with other rarities such as Scott 596).

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