The Alan B. Whitman Collection of Outstanding United States Stamps continued...

VERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND SCARCE SOUND ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1857 10-CENT TYPE III.

The first perforated 10c stamps produced by Toppan, Carpenter from sheets printed from Plate 1 are notorious among collectors for their poor centering. They are also very scarce in original-gum condition because, unlike 10c Plate 2 stamps (Scott 35), there were no supplies on hand in 1861 when the issue was demonetized due to the outbreak of the Civil War.

With 1992 and 1993 P.F. certificates, the former as a pair. The other stamp in the pair was offered in our auction of the Scarsdale Collection in 2006. (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN ABSOLUTELY STUNNING MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1859 10-CENT TYPE V. THIS IS EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST IN EXISTENCE.

Despite the fact that unused copies are relatively plentiful, this stamp is still extremely difficult to find in Mint N.H. condition with such superior centering. The highest graded example is an 85, and we have only offered one other with comparable centering.

Ex Caspary (as part of a multiple) and Morris (as a single). With 1991 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail as hinged (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN ABSOLUTELY STUNNING ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE PERFORATED 12-CENT 1857 ISSUE FROM PLATE 3. THIS STAMP HAS BEEN AWARDED THE GRADE OF SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E. -- THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO DATE IN ANY CATEGORY. THE 2009 SCOTT SPECIALIZED HAS JUST ELEVATED THE PLATE 3 STAMP TO A MAJOR CATALOGUE NUMBER.

The most recent scholarship regarding the Toppan, Carpenter, Casilear & Co. plates used to print the 12c 1851-57 Issue is clearly articulated by James A. Allen in "The 1851 Imperforate (Scott U.S. #17): Plating Updated and Additional New Findings" (The 1851 Issue of United States Stamps: a Sesquicentennial Retrospective, U.S. Philatelic Classics Society). Traditionally, the 12c plates are identified as Plate 1 (from which all imperforate and some perforated stamps were printed), Plate 2 (evidently never used) and Plate 3 (which produced stamps that were only regularly issued with perforations). It is highly probable that Plate "3" was the first one made in 1851, but it was put aside and not used until 1859.

Plate 3 stamps (Scott 36B) are characterized primarily by uneven or broken outer framelines of the design. The subjects on Plate 1, which produced Scott Nos. 17 and 36, have even framelines that were extensively recut. Original-gum Plate 3 stamps with the centering and wide margins evident in this example are very scarce.

With 1988 and 1997 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (OGph, Superb 98). This is the highest grade awarded to Scott 36B in any category (Used, NG/RG/POG or OG). A note from master grader Dr. William Litle confirms that "This is the first 98 of any kind for 36b." (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. A REMARKABLY WIDE-MARGINED EXAMPLE OF THE 24-CENT 1860 ISSUE.

With 1986 and 1994 P.F. certificates (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. A STUNNING ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 24-CENT 1860 ISSUE IN THE GRAY SUB-SHADE. EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST WE HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED.

Collectors looking for Gem quality stamps (unused and used) from the 1857 perforated issue know that one of the most difficult denominations to obtain is the 24c value. The margins are often narrow, with the design almost always touched (if not in) at top or bottom. This is the finest original-gum example of the 24c Gray shade we have offered in years.

With 2000 P.F. certificate (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL LIGHTLY-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENT 1860 ISSUE. SCARCE WITH SUCH PRISTINE COLOR.

With 1987 and 2000 P.F. certificates (Image)

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VERY FINE. A RARE SOUND ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 30-CENT 1860 ISSUE.

This block clearly demonstrates why it is so difficult to find this issue with choice centering. The narrow space between subjects on the plate makes it almost impossible for the perforations to clear the design on all four sides.

As an indication of rarity, the last intact block we offered was in 2004, and the last block with centering comparable to the one offered here was sold in 2002.

With 2005 P.F. certificate. Scott Catalogue assigns a 45% premium for a block versus four singles, which we consider to be too low based on relative scarcity. (Image)

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VERY FINE AND CHOICE. AN ATTRACTIVE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 90-CENT 1860 ISSUE.

With 1990 P.F. certificate (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A GORGEOUS ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE SHORT-LIVED 90-CENT 1860 ISSUE IN THE FINEST CONDITION ATTAINABLE. MULTIPLES OF THIS ISSUE ARE EXTREMELY RARE.

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. 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. Most unused multiples probably come from supplies recovered from Southern post offices.

Ex Anderson. With 1980, 1992 and 2003 P.F. certificates. As an indication of rarity, the last block we offered was in our 1998 Zoellner sale. (Image)

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