Sale 1034 — The Merlin Collection of Superb United States Stamps
Sale Date — Wednesday-Thursday, 28-29 November, 2012
Category — 1c 1851-56 Issue (Scott 5-9)
1c Blue, Ty. I (5). Position 7R1E, huge margins to barely touched at bottom, including large sheet margin at top, with significant parts of adjoining stamps at sides (both of which are Type Ib (5A), enough of adjoining stamps show to see some of their type characteristics, cancelled by neat strike of red grid and matching "Darien (Ga.) Sep. 11" circular datestamp, gorgeous color and impressionEXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN EXTREMELY RARE SOUND FOUR-MARGIN EXAMPLE OF THE TYPE I, POSISITION 7R1E, WHICH IS THE ONLY ONE OF THE 1,000 POSITIONS USED TO PRINT IMPERFORATE ONE-CENT STAMPS THAT SHOWS THE COMPLETE DESIGN. ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE WITH THE RED COLORED CANCEL. THIS IS WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE FINEST IN EXISTENCE, AND IT IS ONE OF TWO GRADED XF 90 JUMBO BY P.S.E. -- THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED.
The published census compiled by Jerome S. Wagshal contains 90 unduplicated records of Scott 5. There has been one addition to the Wagshal census, and there are probably no more than ten examples existing outside of the census population. Therefore, the 1c 1851 Type I is the rarest of all United States stamps issued regularly prior to the 1868 Grills.
Because of the significance attached to the outer portions of the 1c 1851 design, rare types that have been carefully cut apart, so as not to impinge on any part of the design, are extremely desirable. The narrow spacing between stamps in the sheet and the users' indifference to the outlying ornamentation during separation are factors that contributed to the great rarity of four-margin copies. The example offered here comes from a strip of three of Positions 6-8R1E, offered in our 2007 Rarities sale, which was cut apart with a view towards preserving the margins of this stamp. Examples of Position 7R1E (Scott 5) with large right and bottom margins, where there was very little space between it and the adjoining stamps, are true rarities. In fact, using the census data, it is clear that this stamp is among the two or three finest sound off-cover examples known. The ex-Newbury strip on cover and the ex-Vogel single on cover are among the finest examples of Position 7R1E on cover.
Wagshal Census 5-MUL-66. P.S.E. encapsulated (XF 90 Jumbo; SMQ $430,000.00 as 90, unpriced in any higher grade). This is the highest grade awarded and one other shares it (cancelled in black).
