8c Trans-Mississippi, Vertical Pair, Imperforate Horizontally (289a). Original gum, lightly hinged, deep rich color, few natural gum creases as found on most examples of this rare error, which originated from one pane of 50

EXTREMELY FINE CENTERING AND VERY RARE. THIS IS THE ONLY MAJOR ERROR OF THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI ISSUE.

According to the Neil-Rosenthal book (pp. 115-118), one pane of 50 was discovered by Robert Watts, a stamp clerk at one of the sales windows at the Philadelphia General Post Office, who found it between the wrapping paper of a bundle of stamps. He sold it for double face value ($8.00) to Herman Lewis, a locksmith in Philadelphia. Lewis soon sold it to William S. F. Pierce, who broke it into three pieces: a vertical strip of ten with sheet margin and full arrow at right, a vertical block of 20 containing both plate blocks, and a vertical block of 20 with natural straight edge at left.

Ex "Laila". With 2000 P.F. certificate.

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