3c Blue, Re-Issue (125). Original gum, small h.r., choice centering, beautiful shade and proof-like impression, bright and fresh

VERY FINE. A RARE SOUND AND BEAUTIFULLY-CENTERED ORIGINAL-GUM 3-CENT 1869 RE-ISSUE.

Original sales figures show that among the 1869 Pictorial Re-Issues, the 3c and 90c stamps accounted for the smallest number of units sold (1,406 and 1,356, respectively). Overall, the 1869's were popular with stamp collectors, far outselling the 1851-60 and 1861-66 Re-Issue sets. However, the 90c stamp's high denomination and the availability of ordinary 3c stamps limited demand. Today, both are rare, and handling over the years has not been kind to most of the surviving examples. This is a rare sound original-gum copy.

Last offered in our 1978 Rarities of the World sale

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