1c Blue, Ty. IIIa (22). Positions 34-37/44-47/54-57R4, block of twelve, unused (no gum), rich color, unusually choice centering for this difficult issue with every position clearly showing a break in the outer frameline at top, few perf separations sensibly reinforced (mostly in top row), top stamps with faint horizontal crease

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN INCALCULABLY RARE BLOCK OF TWELVE OF THE 1857 ONE-CENT TYPE IIIA FROM PLATE 4. THERE IS PERHAPS ONE OTHER AREA ON THE PLATE THAT WOULD YIELD A MULTIPLE OF THIS SIZE CONSISTING OF ONLY TYPE IIIA STAMPS.

Type IIIA stamps are defined as having the outer line broken at either top or bottom (but not both). Several positions which started out as Type IIIA became Type III as the plate wore away. Position 45 in this multiple is just such a position, meaning that to obtain a block of this size with all Type IIIA stamps it would have to come from an early impression. The only other position where a block of this size could also exist would also have to be from an early impression, and would include the stamps just to the right of this multiple (a block of fifteen is therefore technically possible but does not exist).

A review using Power Search found only one other block containing all Type IIIA stamps, which is a block of four offered in our 1978 Rarities sale. The block offered here comes to the market for the first time since our 1981 Rarities sale. Scott Retail as two blocks of four and two pairs with gum $37,500.00 Scott Retail as no gum singles does not even approach an adequate catalogue value but we quote it nevertheless

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