12c Black (17). Position 81L1, original gum, large margins to full including part of adjoining stamp at right and huge left sheet margin, crisp impression, shows an interesting plate scratch in left margin

EXTREMELY FINE. A STUNNING ORIGINAL-GUM SHEET-MARGIN EXAMPLE OF THE 12-CENT 1851 ISSUE.

As James Allen recently determined (see Chronicle 244), the early state of the 12c Plate 1 did not have an imprint. This stamp comes from the first position of the ninth row, where there was no imprint even in the late state of the plate. However, judging from the sheet margin, at one time it might well have been attached to the "key" original-gum block pictured in the article (Figure 3, Positions 61-62/71-72L1E).

With 2015 P.F. certificate (VF-XF 85 XQ). The "XQ" in the grade is used for stamps of extraordinary quality.

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