VERY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THIS 10-CENT 1861 ISSUE ESSAY. A GREAT RARITY.
There are only two vignette and frame essays listed in Scott for the 10c 1861 Issue (there is also a vignette-only essay). The other listed essay (68-E3) differs from the issued design only in the absence of a thin line at the top of the design -- without close comparison it looks the same as the issued design. This early progressive die essay is very desirable, as it shows dramatic design differences, including substantially incomplete engraving.