12c Intense Black, First Design (59). Original gum, lightly hinged, intense shade and detailed impression on crisp paper, unusually choice centering, two insignificant partly nibbed perfs at bottom not mentioned on any certificate

EXTREMELY FINE. THIS IS WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE THREE FINEST OF THE FIFTEEN RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE 12-CENT 1861 ISSUE FIRST DESIGN. ONLY THREE SOUND EXAMPLES ARE AVAILABLE WITH UNDISTURBED ORIGINAL GUM.

The 12c is the rarest of the 1861 First Designs and Colors, with a total of 16 examples recorded, including one in the Miller collection at The New York Public Library. Our census of the 12c 1861 First Design (http://www.siegelauctions.com/enc/census/59.pdf ) contains six sound copies, including the Miller stamp. Of the five sound copies available to collectors, only four have original gum, including one with slightly disturbed original gum. The three available sound original-gum stamps are 59-OG-11 (offered here), 59-OG-15 (ex Zoellner) and 59-OG-10.

Census No. 59-OG-11. Ex Lessmann, Hewitt and Concord. With 1971, 1984 and 2006 P.F. certificates

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