24c Blackish Violet (78c). Intense color, neat strike of target cancel, three well-proportioned margins, extra wide margin at top

VERY FINE AND CHOICE. THE 24-CENT BLACKISH VIOLET IS THE MOST DIFFICULT STAMP OF THE 1861-66 SERIES TO OBTAIN -- EITHER UNUSED OR USED -- IN SOUND AND CENTERED CONDITION.

A thorough search through past auction catalogues will demonstrate how rare this stamp is in either used or unused condition. With regard to used stamps, this shade was lacking from the Ishikawa, Grunin, Klein, Caspary and Twigg-Smith collections. The Zoellner collection contained an original-gum single even though the rest of the series was obtained in used condition, because a suitable used stamp was never offered. The superb used single in our Sale 878 (lot 324, realized $22,000 hammer) was stolen from a Fedex courier and has not been recovered.

Our census of Scott 78c, available at our website at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/78c/78c.pdf , records a total of 36 used examples of this issue, of which only 31 have been certified as genuine by the Philatelic Foundation. We also record nine on cover plus three unused, for a total of 48 potential examples. Of the used off cover copies only ten are confirmed as sound.

Census No. 78c-CAN-05. Ex Hoffner. With 2002 P.F. certificate.

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