5c Brown, Ty. II (30A). Block of six with imprint and plate no. 2 selvage at left, original gum, h.r. where some perf separations sensibly reinforced, center stamps unusual plate wash from improper wiping of the plate during production, a few faults including small piece out at bottom of top left stamp, few thin spots and light gum soaks

FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE BLOCK OF SIX WITH IMPRINT AND PLATE NUMBER OF THE 1860 5-CENT BROWN TYPE II. VERY FEW LARGE MULTIPLES ARE KNOWN.

The 5c Brown Type II is far rarer in multiples than the Orange Brown. Unlike the 1861 Orange Brown, the earlier printing in Brown was not left in Southern post offices when the issue was demonetized in August 1861. Prior to the discovery of the block of 20 in the Frelinghuysen collection, the largest recorded multiple was a block of nine (3 x 3, ex Klein) with the same portion of the imprint and plate number. A horizontal block of six is also known (creased thru bottom three stamps) as are approximately a half-dozen blocks of four.

Scott Retail as block of four and pair with no premium for the imprint and plate number position.

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