50c Light Violet (477). Right plate no. 7040 block of six, single small hinge remnant on top right stamp, others Mint N.H., vivid color in distinctive 50c 1917 shade, well-centered with only the perfs at the bottom close to but clear of the design, fresh and intact

VERY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING PLATE NUMBER BLOCK OF THE 50-CENT 1917 PERF 10 UNWATERMARKED FRANKLIN ISSUE. ONLY SEVEN PLATE BLOCKS OF SCOTT 477 ARE RECORDED, OF WHICH SIX ARE AVAILABLE TO COLLECTORS.

The 50c on unwatermarked paper with 10-gauge perforations was available in post-office stocks for a very brief period in 1917, because it was released shortly before the introduction of the new Perf 11 series. Its predecessors -- the 50c Perf 12 on single and double-line watermarked paper (Scott 421 and 422), and the Perf 10 on single-line watermarked paper (Scott 440) -- were available for much longer periods of time.

Lewis Kaufman records seven plate number blocks of Scott 477, including Top 4040, Top 4049, Top 4057 (Miller collection, The New York Public Library), Bottom 7057, Bottom 7057, Right 7040 (offered here) and Right 7057. When this plate block was offered in a 1988 Superb Auctions sale (the "Stearns-Dockweiler" collection), the selvage was slightly wider; it was reduced by about 2mm to remove some soiling at lower right, which does not materially affect the plate block and is not noted on the accompanying 2015 P.F. certificate.

With 2015 P.F. certificate

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