1c Blue, Ty. II, Plate 1 Late (7 var). Position 4R1L, original gum, lightly hinged, large even margins, rich color on bright paper

EXTREMELY FINE AND EXCEEDINGLY RARE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT TYPE II FROM PLATE 1 LATE. THIS IS THE ONLY SOUND FOUR-MARGIN ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE WE HAVE SOLD SINCE KEEPING COMPUTERIZED RECORDS.

Position 4R was a Type Ib position on Plate 1 Early. When Plate 1 was reworked by re-entering subjects from the transfer roll and strengthening the tops and bottoms of 199 of the 200 positions, only 4R1L was left without any form of recut. 4R became Type II because some of the design at the bottom was burnished away. However, 4R on Plate 1 Late still shows the complete design at top, and has a strong double transfer from re-entries made when the plate was reworked. Examples of 4R1L are very scarce, and unused copies are rare. This original-gum example is an important rarity for the 1851 Issue specialist. A review of our auction records with Power Search produced a small number of used examples. Only one other original-gum 4R1L turned up, but it is cut into the design at right. An unused pair (no gum) with positions 4R-5R1L was sold in our Hampshire sale (Sale 983). There must be others outside the present scope of our database, but clearly this is an extremely rare item.

With 1988 and 2009 P.F. certificates (VF-XF 85)

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