2c Black, "Specimen" Ovpt. Ty. B (73S-B). Bottom imprint and plate no. 50 block of eight, original gum with a couple h.r., natural gum skip on top right stamp, some perf separations sensibly reinforced including selvage at bottom left reattached

THE UNIQUE PLATE BLOCK FROM PLATE 50 WITH "SPECIMEN" OVERPRINT. PLATE 50 IS THE MOST ELUSIVE PLATE USED TO PRINT THE BLACK JACK ISSUES AND THIS IS THE ONLY COMPLETE PLATE BLOCK, WITH OR WITHOUT "SPECIMEN" OVERPRINT. A WONDERFUL CLASSIC RARITY.

A total of seven plate numbers were used for the production of the 1863-68 Black Jack issues. Plate 50 is by far the rarest and is only known on Scott no. 73. A block of nine exists with part imprint and plate no. 50, last offered in our sale of the Faust collection in 2018 (Sale 1181, lot 1092). That is the only recorded non-"Specimen" block with Plate 50, though it is not a complete plate block. Therefore, the block offered here with "Specimen" Ty. A overprint is the only recorded complete plate block from Plate 50.

Ex Finkelburg. With 2009 P.F. certificate mentioning perf separations between positions 3-4 but not noting the bottom left selvage. Unlisted in Scott as a plate block.

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