1c Blue, Ty. IIIa (8A). Position 96R1E with huge bottom sheet margin, large margins all around, clear break at top, neatly cancelled by red grid and part of "New York" circular datestamp, gorgeous Plate 1 Early shade

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A MAGNIFICENT USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1851 ONE-CENT TYPE IIIa IMPERFORATE FROM PLATE ONE EARLY. THIS TYPE IS EXCEEDINGLY RARE WITH A SHEET MARGIN.

Looking at the distribution of types on Plate 1 Early (Neinken book, page 66), it is apparent that only three bottom-row positions can be Type IIIa (all others are Type II). Two are "swing" positions: Type II before the plate wore and Type IIIa after it wore enough to cause a break in the line (100L and 100R). Position 96R1E is a strong Type IIIa, and it comes from one of the five misplaced A Relief entries in the bottom row. Elsewhere around the perimeter of each pane, only six other positions offer the possibility of a Type IIIa sheet margin stamp (none in the top row). The stamp offered here, judged by statistical rarity and by its outstanding quality, is a marvelous example of the 1c 1851 Imperforate.

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