Sale 967 — Important and Superb United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Friday, 16-19 December, 2008
Category — 1857-60 Issue (Scott 18-39)
30c Orange (38). Vibrant color, exceptional centering for this difficult issue, face-free cancelEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A GORGEOUS USED EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENT 1860 ISSUE, WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED XF-SUPERB 95J BY P.S.E., THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO DATE AND THE ONLY EXAMPLE TO ACHIEVE THIS GRADE. AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT STAMP TO FIND IN SUCH SUPERB USED CONDITION.
The 30c 1860 challenges collectors for several reasons. First, the subjects were closely spaced together on the plate, leaving almost no room for perforations and little opportunity to create stamps with perforations clear of the design on all four sides. Second, the 30c and 90c 1860 were only in circulation for a brief period before the series was demonetized in the Fall of 1861. Third, this high-denomination stamp was issued for use on transatlantic mail, and postal clerks were careful to thoroughly cancel the stamps to prevent cleaning and re-use. Therefore, 30c 1860 stamps in sound, well-centered and lightly-cancelled condition defy all circumstances and are extremely rare.
With 2006 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95J; SMQ $5,200.00 as 95, $14,600.00 as 98). The only example to achieve this grade
