6c Red Orange, Bluish (362). Mint N.H., vibrant color on deeply blued paper, perfectly centered with wide and balanced margins, hint of oxidation on framelines not noted on certificate

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS PHENOMENAL MINT NEVER-HINGED STAMP HAS BEEN GRADED SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E.—THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED AND THE ONLY EXAMPLE TO ACHIEVE THIS DIFFICULT GRADE.

During the early stages of production of the 1908-09 Washington-Franklin stamps, the Bureau tried to solve the problem of paper shrinkage that caused off-center perforations and resulted in a large number of unusable sheets. Armstrong notes that up to twenty percent of sheets had to be discarded. The first such experiments resulted in the Bluish Paper stamps (Scott 357-366). Rag cloth was added to the wood pulp mixture, but this did not have the desired effect and the experiment was discontinued.

With 2008 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98). Apart from the 1c and 2c, this is the highest grade awarded to any Mint N.H. Bluish paper issue, and it is the only example to achieve this grade. The next highest grade awarded is one at 90.

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