5c Bright Blue, Special Printing (181). Without gum as issued, deep rich color on fresh bright paper, full and intact perfs all around, wide margins

VERY FINE AND CHOICE. ONE OF THE FINEST EXAMPLES OF THE 1875 5-CENT CONTINENTAL BANK NOTE COMPANY SPECIAL PRINTING ON HARD PAPER. THIS IS THE RAREST OF ALL SPECIAL PRINTINGS AND ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL UNITED STATES STAMPS. ONLY TEN EXAMPLES ARE RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS, INCLUDING ONE IN THE MILLER COLLECTION AT THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY.

Our census of Scott 181, available at our website at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/181 , contains only ten examples, including one in the Miller collection owned by The New York Public Library (number 10), leaving nine available to collectors. One (number 8) was certified in 1952 and needs to be reexamined for condition and identification. Another (number 6) has a confirmed fault. Two have perforations touching the design at bottom (numbers 1 and 5). One other has perforations partly scissors-separated but intact (number 3). This leaves only four sound and well-centered examples available to collectors with intact perforations: numbers 2, 4 (the stamp offered here), 7 and 9. This offering is a significant opportunity to add one of the rarest stamps in U.S. philately without compromising on condition.

Census no. 181-UNC-04. Ex "Laila". With 1983, 1990, 2002 and 2006 P.F. certificates (VF 80)

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