10¢ Green, Types III/I (15/13), Positions 88-90R/98-100R1, top stamps Type III, bottom stamps Type I, large margins to clear all around including bottom right corner sheet margins, tied by bold strikes of "San Francisco Cal. 21 Apr." circular datestamp on blue linen-lined envelope to Bersenbruck, Hanover, Germany, sender's directive "Per Prussian Closed Mail", manuscript magenta "60" at top was applied in San Francisco to indicate double 30¢ Prussian Closed Mail rate, partly readable red New York 14¢ credit datestamp struck on block, red "AACHEN 3/6 FRANCO" (June 3) framed datestamp--based on the dated markings, this was carried from San Francisco to Panama on the Pacific Mail Steamship Co. Sonora, departing April 21, 1856, and arriving May 5; the mail crossed the isthmus and was carried from Panama to New York on the U.S. Mail Steamship Co. George Law, departing May 7 and arriving May 16, too late for the May 14 Cunard sailing from New York, so it was sent to Boston for the May 21 departure of the Cunarder America, which arrived at Liverpool on June 1; from Great Britain it was sent to Aachen and entered the Prussian mail system--there are no backstamps

Very Fine; top stamps in block (Type III) slightly affected by envelope creasing caused by thick contents (which no longer accompany), and top right stamp small toned spot--utterly trivial flaws which actually serve to confirm the pristine nature of this recent discovery.

This is an extremely rare and breathtaking sheet-margin block of six of the 10¢ 1855 Issue from the bottom right corner of the right pane of Plate 1, containing three Type I positions--and its use on a cover from California to Germany is extraordinary. This cover was discovered in Europe in recent years and acquired by Mr. Gross in a 2011 auction in Europe.

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