1c-90c 1861 Issue, Panama-Pacific Small Die Proofs on Wove (63P2a/72P2a). Complete for the eight denominations that were available in 1861, including Nos. 63P2a, 56P2a, 57P2a, 68P2a, 59P2a, 78P2a, 71P2a and 72P2a, three are First Designs (the 3c, 5c and 12c), large margins, characteristic toning as always seen on these issues, most have tiny pinholes as often seen, 12c small translucency, 30c small toned spot at bottom

VERY FINE. A RARE SET OF PANAMA-PACIFIC SMALL DIE PROOFS COMPLETE FOR THE ORIGINAL EIGHT DENOMINATIONS OF THE 1861 ISSUE. ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE WITH THE 3-CENT, 5-CENT AND 12-CENT AS FIRST DESIGNS.

From February 20 to December 4, 1915, the Panama-Pacific Exposition was held in San Francisco, to commemorate Balboa's discovery of the Pacific Ocean and to celebrate the opening of one of mankind's greatest engineering achievements, the Panama Canal.

The Post Office Department decided to prepare a limited number of proof sets showing every United States stamp printed up to the time of the exposition. A total of 413 different designs were made. Only two sets were officially prepared, but it is widely recognized that between three and five of each were made. These included Officials, Newspapers and Periodicals, Philippines and other special use stamps.

The current owner acquired this set in a 1977 Kelleher sale, where they were incorrectly described as a set of First Design small die proofs. The First Designs are incredibly rare -- we have offered only one 3c (ex Sapperstein) in all of our computerized records, and we could not locate any others in our extensive digital library. We are unsure why the First Designs have catalogue values of $1,000.00 less than their Second Design counterparts -- this is likely due to a lack of examples trading hands. The Second Designs are also rare. We have not offered a 5c since keeping computerized records, and we have generally offered between one and three of the others since 1994.

A rare opportunity to acquire a set of Panama-Pacific small die proofs of the original eight denominations of the 1861 Issue.

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