90c Blue (39). Gorgeous centering with wide margins all around, deep rich color and sharp impression, clear strike of black Philadelphia circular datestamp cancel, long and full perforations

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB USED EXAMPLE OF THE SHORT-LIVED 90-CENT 1860 -- THE FIRST UNITED STATES 90-CENT ISSUE.

The 90c stamp was issued in 1860, along with the 24c and 30c values, all of which were needed to prepay high international letter rates established by various postal treaties. The basic 24c and 30c rates to England, France and Germany created a large volume of mail franked with those values. However, the 90c saw much more limited use, partly due to the rates in effect, but more because of the American Civil War. When supplies of current postage stamps were declared invalid in the South and ultimately demonetized by the Federal government, the 90c had been in use for only one year. For this reason, genuinely cancelled copies and covers bearing the 90c are extremely rare. Approximately 180 used examples have been certified as genuine by the Philatelic Foundation, of which approximately one-quarter are sound. Of these sound examples, many are off-center.

Ex Hinrichs. With 1980, 1995 and 2004 P.F. certificates. With 2008 P.S.E. certificate (VF-XF 85; SMQ $13,800.00). Only one has graded higher to date.

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