U.S. City Despatch Post, New York N.Y., 3c Black on Green Unsurfaced (6LB4). Position 2L, large margins to huge at top, unused (no gum), detailed impression on distinctive colored-thru "Apple Green" paper

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. ONE OF THREE RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE UNITED STATES CITY DESPATCH POST STAMP ON GREEN UNSURFACED COLORED-THRU PAPER. ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL CARRIER ISSUES.

The unsurfaced colored-thru papers used for the first U.S. City Despatch Post stamps were Rosy Buff (4LB2), Light Blue (4LB3) and Green (4LB4). Approximately ten Rosy Buff stamps are known, all unused and most thinned, which are regarded as trial impressions on paper that was not regularly issued. The Light Blue paper was regularly issued and is the most common of the three (it is known used). The elusive Green paper -- the true 6LB4 -- is evidently genuine, although the Scott Catalogue footnote alludes to "some authorities" claiming it is a color changeling (possibly based on Elliott Perry's negative commentary in his 100 Years Ago, p. 25). Only three examples are known to us, each unused without gum: the stamp offered here, the ex Caspary and Lilly stamp offered in Sale 1150 (lot 1308), and the Extremely Fine stamp offered in our sale of the Hall Collection (Sale 830, lot 137). These are probably trial-color impressions, similar in status to the Rosy Buff.

With 1991 and 2007 P.F. certificates

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