The Piedmont Collection of United States continued...

FRESH AND EXTREMELY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF THE VERY RARE 30-CENT PERF 10 WASHINGTON-FRANKLIN ON UNWATERMARKED PAPER.

In an article in Philatelic Opinions V published by the Philatelic Foundation, William T. Crowe, head of the Expert Committee, discusses the discovery of this rare stamp and how it might have been issued. The production of Scott 476A occurred during the period of transition from gauge-10 perfs to gauge 11. Bureau records do not list a 30c printing on unwatermarked paper that was perforated 10, but the existence of two certified panes--one bottom-right pane from Plate 6917 and one top-right pane from Plate 6911--is evidence that the combination of new unwatermarked paper and old 10-gauge perfs occurred, even if inadvertantly. Stamps from these two panes (200 total), two left sheet-margin blocks of four and a bottom plate no. 6914 single, none of which have any trace of watermark, are the only accepted examples of Scott 476A.

With 1984 and 1998 P.F. certificates (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST EXAMPLES OF THE 50-CENT PERF 10 FRANKLIN STAMP ON UNWATERMARKED PAPER IN EXISTENCE.

This 50c stamp was only in production for a very short period of time. It was actually released only three weeks prior to the beginning of the new Perf 11 series and was only used for a short period of time before being superseded by the new issue.

With 1987 and 2001 P.F. certificate (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB EXAMPLE OF THE $1.00 PERF 10 UNWATERMARKED FRANKLIN STAMP IN THE FINEST CONDITION ATTAINABLE.

This stamp was only used for less than six months before the Perf 11 stamps were produced. Due to its short production run and the only difference between this and the previous $1.00 stamp (Scott 460) being the watermark, many collectors and dealers of the day overlooked this stamp. It is especially scarce with such perfect centering.

With 1997 P.F. certificate (Image)