30c Gray Black (165). Original gum, lightly hinged, charcoal gray shade, fine impression on fresh paper

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENT 1873 CONTINENTAL PRINTING. A SUPERB STAMP IN EVERY RESPECT.

When it comes to naming the most elusive Bank Note stamps in choice original-gum condition, the 30c 1873 is often overlooked. However, go to any serious collection and look for this stamp, and most of the time it is missing or represented by something that compromises quality. The 30c 1870 is frequently found filling the space for Scott 165. The 30c Continental is extremely rare in any original-gum condition that approaches this example. Blocks have always been rare — for example, Caspary did not have one; Lilly had one well-centered block of four and an off-center block of six — which means that singles could not be harvested from multiples. We hope that collectors who still have a tendency to overlook the 30c Continental will be awakened to its rarity in Extremely Fine original-gum condition by our comments and recent realizations.

With 2000 P.F. certificate

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