12c Black (17). Original gum, lightly hinged, huge margins all around, bright shade and detailed impression on crisp and bright paper, a few tiny toned spots on gum which are so trivial they are not even mentioned on accompanying certificate

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A GORGEOUS ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 12-CENT 1851 ISSUE. AN EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT STAMP TO FIND WITH SUCH WIDE MARGINS AND IN SOUND ORIGINAL-GUM CONDITION.

The 12c 1851 plate was laid down with very little room between stamps -- just barely one millimeter, to be exact. For this reason, collectors have a difficult time finding stamps with large margins all around. The original-gum example offered here, with its unusually wide margins on all sides, is a true condition rarity.

With 1994 P.F. certificate

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