1c Blue, Ty. Ia (6). Position 97L4 with Curl on Shoulder plate variety, mostly ample margins to clear at bottom right, deep rich Plate 4 color, light town circular datestamp

VERY FINE AND CHOICE. A HANDSOME USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT TYPE Ia IMPERFORATE SHOWING THE CURL ON THE SHOULDER PLATE VARIETY.

Stamps printed from Plate 4 were issued in April, May and briefly in June 1857 before perforations were introduced. The relatively small number of imperforate Plate 4 stamps issued during this period explains the rarity and desirability of any of the imperforate stamp types produced from this plate (Ia, Ic, II, III and IIIa). The extremely rare Type Ia, showing the full design at bottom, was furnished only by 18 of the 200 subjects on Plate 4 (the remaining two bottom-row positions were sub-type Ic). The Curl on Shoulder variety resulted from a tiny thread adhering to the relief on the transfer roll.

With 2017 P.F. certificate. Sold for the benefit of the Smithsonian National Postal Museum.

Image Magnifier / Download

Power Search for Comparables