10c Green, Type IV (16). Positions 54-56/64-66L1, block of six containing a contiguous block of Type IV at left and combination of Types II over III at right--the Type IV block contains three varieties of recutting, including recut bottom line (Positions 54-55L), recut top line and ovals (Position 65L) and recut top and bottom lines (Position 64L), the only double recut on the plate--large even margins all around, sharp impression and rich color, cancelled by light strikes of bright red "Cleveland O.” circular datestamp leaving an unimpeded view of the recut lines in all four Type IV stamps, short sealed tears and faint vertical crease in left vertical pair do not affect the beautiful appearance of this rare block

EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXTRAORDINARY AND BEAUTIFUL MULTIPLE CONTAINING THE ONLY FOUR TYPE IV POSITIONS ON THE 10-CENT 1855 PLATE THAT FORM A BLOCK. ONLY ONE OTHER BLOCK CONTAINING THESE POSITIONS IS RECORDED, BUT THIS FAMOUS BLOCK IS SUPERIOR IN TERMS OF CONDITION AND APPEARANCE.

The 10c Green imperforate stamp was issued in mid-1855, the second denomination of its kind after the 1847 Issue. The need for 10c stamps was revived in 1855 when Congress created a new prepaid "over 3,000 miles” rate for letters to and from the West Coast. They also gave the postmaster general discretionary power to require prepayment by stamps.

The 10c stamps were printed by Toppan, Carpenter, Casilear & Co. from steel plates of 200 subjects, divided into panes of 100. 10c Type IV stamps are defined by recut outer curved lines at the top or bottom of the design, or both in one position (64L). Recutting was done on only seven scattered positions in the left pane and one position in the right pane. Therefore, only 4% of the stamps from Plate 1 are Type IV.

The diagram below shows the arrangement of the types on the plate. There are only four Type IV positions that form a contiguous block. There are no unused multiples containing all four in block format. Only two used blocks are recorded: the block offered here and a block of 16 from our 1993 Rarities sale (ex Hind and Bechtel). The other block, while larger, has heavier cancels struck in black and minor faults.

Ex Sir Nicolas Waterhouse (Puttick & Simpson sale, Nov. 11-14, 1924, lot 345), Robert S. Emerson, Saul Newbury, Louis Grunin, Walter C. Klein and John R. Boker, Jr.

With 1964 P.F. certificate

Image Magnifier / Download

Power Search for Comparables