50c Carmine Lake (J58). Wide top imprint and plate no. 5527 block of six, original gum, lightly hinged, deep intense color

FINE. THIS IS ONE OF TWO RECORDED PLATE BLOCKS OF THE 1914 50-CENT POSTAGE DUE, SCOTT J58, AND THE ONLY ONE IN PRIVATE HANDS. IT HAS NOT BEEN ON THE MARKET IN MORE THAN 40 YEARS.

There are very few United States 20th Century regularly-issued stamps of which only one or two plate blocks are known. Even the scarce early Bureau Issue high values are represented by more than one or two plate blocks, and those invariably catalogue in excess of the Scott value assigned to the 50c 1914 Postage Due (J58). One explanation for the low Scott value is that the plate block offered here -- the only one outside of an institution (the other is in the Miller collection at The New York Public Library) -- has not been traded in the marketplace since it was last offered in a Jacques C. Schiff Jr. auction more than 40 years ago.

The current Scott value of $100,000.00 has a relatively small premium over the $75,000.00 total value of six singles of this rare Postage Due. Therefore, the current Scott value could very well be conservative.

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