4c Orange Brown, Bluish (360). Mint N.H., deep rich color and proof-like impression on deeply blued paper, wide margins for this difficult issue with perfs well clear of design on all sides

VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 4-CENT ON BLUISH PAPER. THIS IS THE FIRST MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THIS RARITY WE HAVE OFFERED SINCE KEEPING COMPUTERIZED RECORDS.

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.

According to Johl (Vol. 1, page 175), the only source of the 4c and 8c Bluish stamps was the archives of the Post Office Department. Approximately 80 of each were traded for rare stamps missing from the archives. Given the failed experimental nature of the paper mixture, it is no surprise that virtually all copies are off-center to some extent.

With 1998 P.F. and 2004 P.S.E. certificates (F-VF 75; SMQ $23,000.00 as 70, $43,000.00 as 75). This is the highest grade awarded by P.S.E. to any 4c Bluish Paper and the only Mint N.H. copy certified so far. Given this stamp's rarity in Mint N.H. condition we feel that both Scott Catalogue and SMQ pricing are too low.

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