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1851, 12p Black, Laid (3; SG 4). Large margins to slightly cut in, part of adjoining stamp at right, tied by well-struck blue target cancel on double-rate folded cover to New York City, matching "Hamilton C.W. DE 8, 1853" circular datestamp, red "Canada Paid 10cts" two-line handstamp with amount changed to "20" in magenta, part of address cut out, faint horizontal file fold well clear of stamp and markings

FINE AND RARE. ONLY TWO OR THREE 1851 12-PENCE BLACK STAMPS ARE KNOWN TIED TO THEIR ORIGINAL COVERS.

The 1851 12-pence stamp was issued for prepayment of the basic letter rate to Newfoundland, Bermuda and the West Indies, but its value - stated in pence rather than "one shilling" to avoid confusion - also corresponded to the double 6p rate to the United States and certain other countries. However, its use was very limited, and most of the printing was destroyed, with only 1,450 stamps sold.

In his Encyclopedia of Rare and Famous Stamps, L. N. Williams estimates that five covers have survived. The two best known are the tied usage from Montreal, which realized $230,000 in our 1996 sale of the K.L. Collection, and an untied usage from Hamilton (see Boggs, p. 137). Of the known covers, only two or three are well-tied by a cancel.

Ex Col. Green and Seybold. With 1984 P.F. certificate

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