10¢ Green Type II, III (32, 33), 22 stamps comprising three blocks of six and two vertical pairs, one 10¢ is Position 31R1 showing double transfer, used with vertical pair of 1¢ Blue, Type V (24) from Plate 5, tied by multiple strikes of "Washington City D.C. May 4, 1858" circular datestamp on large "Treasury Department, Official Business, First Comptroller" imprint cover to St. Petersburg, Russia, signature of William Medill, First Comptroller, "Boston Br. Pkt. 5 May" circular datestamp on back--carried on the Cunarder Canada from Boston on that date, arriving Liverpool May 17--the stamps paid six-times the 37¢ Prussian Closed Mail rate as confirmed by the red crayon "84/6" credit, red "AACHEN 18/5 FRANCO" (May 18) framed datestamp, Prussian blue manuscript "f18" silbergroschen rate marking indicates postage paid beyond German-Austrian Postal Union, St. Petersburg receiving backstamp (May 12, Gregorian calendar)

Fine appearance; some stamps with faults including trimmed perfs or creasing, one 1¢ with small scrape, cover with several skillfully pressed out creases and repaired right edge, these are inconsequential faults on such an artifact, which is otherwise intact and unusually fresh.

A unique and spectacular classic United States franking. This is arguably one of the greatest 10¢ 1857 Issue covers in existence.

Ex Philip G. Rust. Illustrated in Neinken, United States Ten Cent Stamps of 1855-1859 (p. 178) and Rose, The First United States Perforated Stamps--The 1857 Issue (p. 55). With Stanley B. Ashbrook's notes and signature on back. With 1996 P.F. certificate noting only the trimmed perforations and small faults on stamps.

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