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10c Black (2). Block of four, Positions 74-75/84-85R1, original gum, three stamps have large to huge margins, including parts of adjoining stamps at top, right margin cut just into frameline and tiny portion of background of top right stamp, fresh and bright paper with the exception of very faint toning in bottom left margin caused by uneven application of gum (characteristic of the issue and described on most recent certificate as "faint toned spot in bottom left margin"), short scissors-cut in margin between bottom stamps, faint corner crease at bottom right

VERY FINE AND REMARKABLY CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF THE FIRST UNITED STATES GENERAL ISSUE. ONLY TWO UNUSED BLOCKS OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE ARE AVAILABLE TO COLLECTORS. ONE OF THE RAREST AND MOST IMPORTANT MULTIPLES IN CLASSIC PHILATELY.

The 1847 Issue is much scarcer in unused condition than other issues, because the stamps were demonetized in 1851. They could be exchanged for the new issue, but once the exchange period ended, the stamps would have no postage value. Considering the purchasing power of ten cents in 1851, it is not surprising that the stamps were either used or exchanged, rather than left for future generations of collectors.

Only three unused blocks of the 10c 1847 stamp are recorded:

1) Block of six (largest known), original gum, ex Gibson, Ward and Ishikawa, currently in the William H. Gross Collection

2) Block of four, original gum, ex Green, Klein, Kapiloff and Zoellner, the block offered here

3) Block of four, without gum, contained in the Hirzel Collection at the Swiss PTT Museum

The elusiveness of 10c 1847 unused blocks is shown in the fact that none was contained in the great classic collections formed by Slater, West, Caspary, Moody, Lilly or Grunin.

Ex Edward H. R. Green, Klein, Kapiloff and Zoellner. With 1970 and 1998 P.F. certificates

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