24c Gray Lilac (37).
Vertical block of 20 with full original gum, rich color and remarkably
bright and fresh, well-centered for a large multiple, small manuscript note
on back shows thru slightly on upper right pair, faint bend in fourth row,
one stamp in same row has small thin spotFINE-VERY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING 24-CENT 1860 BLOCK--ONE OF THE LARGEST AND ARGUABLY THE FINEST MULTIPLE EXTANT.
Ex Caspary and Klein (where it realized $26,400 versus $14,500 Scott value in 1989). Scott Retail for four blocks and two pairs (Image)
24c Gray Lilac (37).
Beautifully centered, deep shade, red grid cancel, Extremely Fine,
ex Sheriff, with 1980 P.F. certificate
(Image)
24c Gray Lilac (37). Block
of four, extraordinarily precise centering, dark shade and fine impression,
grid cancels, one stamp has tiny thin speckEXTREMELY FINE. BLOCKS OF THE 24-CENT 1860 ARE CONSIDERABLY RARER USED THAN UNUSED.
Ex Emerson and Neinken (Image)
30c Orange (38).
Horizontal block of 21, full original gum, bright color and exceptionally
fresh, perfs slightly in, some reinforcements, small tears in a few bottom
stamps and fourth stamp in top row is nickedA FINE AND SPECTACULARLY LARGE MULTIPLE. THE LARGEST RECORDED UNUSED BLOCK OF THE 30-CENT 1860 ISSUE.
Ex Caspary and Bechtel. Scott Retail as three blocks, four pairs and single (Image)
30c Orange (38).
Beautifully centered, bright color, clear strike of red "(Boston) Br.
Pkt. (Paid)" exchange office datestamp, Extremely Fine Gem, a superb
example (Image)
30c Orange (38). Perfectly
centered, perfs clear of design all around, tied by brilliant red
"Boston Br. Pkt. Paid Aug. 22" circular datestamp on 1860 blue folded
letter to Hong Kong, ms. "6/6" British due marking indicates
six-times 5c prepaid rate, British and Hong Kong backstamps, tiny bleached
specksEXTREMELY FINE GEM STAMP AND VERY RARE USE. MAGNIFICENT QUALITY AND MOST UNUSUAL WITH THE 30-CENT 1860 STAMP TIED BY THE RED FOREIGN EXCHANGE OFFICE DATESTAMP.
Illustrated in Brookman Vol. I (p. 260). Ex Grunin. Signed Ashbrook (Image)
30c Orange (38). Vertical
pair, extraordinarily well-centered, vivid color, tied by red grids and
"New York Paid 18 Apr. 14" credit datestamp on light blue folded cover from
the Payen correspondence to Lyon, France, red "P.D." in frame,
transit backstampsEXTREMELY FINE GEM PAIR AND A BEAUTIFUL QUADRUPLE-RATE COVER TO FRANCE. PROBABLY THE FINEST PAIR OF 30-CENT 1860 STAMPS USED ON COVER.
Ex Caspary and Grunin (where it realized $13,200 in 1987) (Image)
90c Blue (39). Block of
four, full original gum, well-centered, deep shade and very fresh,
horizontal perfs in right pair have a peculiar doubling of holes causing
nibbed appearanceVERY FINE AND RARE BLOCK OF THE SHORT-LIVED 90-CENT 1860 - THE FIRST UNITED STATES 90-CENT ISSUE.
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.
Illustrated in Brookman Vol. I (p. 264). Ex West and Bechtel (Image)
90c Blue (39). Deep rich
color, cancelled by part strike of "New Haven Con. Jun. 21, 1861"
year-dated circular datestamp--most of year date visible--bright and
freshFINE STAMP AND ONE OF THE FEW EXAMPLES OF THE SHORT-LIVED 90-CENT 1860 CANCELLED BY A YEAR-DATED TOWN DATESTAMP.
The basic 24c and 30c rates to England, France and Germany created a large volume of mail franked with those values of the 1857-61 series. However, the 90c saw much more limited use, partly due to the rates in effect, but more because of the American Civil War. 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. For this reason, genuinely cancelled copies and covers bearing the 90c are extremely rare. Approximately 180 used examples have been certified by The Philatelic Foundation, of which one-quarter are sound. Very few are cancelled by the town datestamp.
With 1986 P.F. certificate. 1861 year date premium unpriced in Scott--value for ordinary cancel (Image)