Sale 1096 — The Robert R. Hall Collection of Outstanding United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Thursday, 28-30 April, 2015
Category — 1861 First Designs and Colors (Scott 55-62B)
5c Brown, First Design (57). Unused (no gum), well-centered, rich color, tiny closed tear at bottom left (fourth perf hole from left)VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE 1861 5-CENT FIRST DESIGN, OF WHICH A MERE 36 COPIES ARE KNOWN.
Our census of Scott 57, available at our website at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/57/57.pdf , contains a total of 36 copies of this rarity. Of these, one is in The New York Public Library collection. Of the 35 thought to be available to collectors, two are cancelled, 18 have no gum, five have part original gum and ten have full (or nearly full) original gum. Eight of the full or part original gum stamps in private hands are sound or have tiny flaws, such as a corner perf crease. Of the no-gum copies, seven are sound or have a small toned spot, and the other eleven have faults of varying degrees. The stamp offered here has only a very minor small closed tear.
Census No. 57-UNC-11. Philatelic Foundation certificate 257252 no longer accompanies.
