Sale 1024 — The Natalee Grace Collection of Used Stamps of the United States, Part One: 1847-1868 Issues
Sale Date — Thursday, 7 June, 2012
Category — 1c 1851-56 Issue (Scott 5-9)

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF THE IMPERFORATE 1851 ONE-CENT TYPE Ia. A BEAUTIFUL STAMP IN EVERY RESPECT -- IT HAS BRIGHT PAPER, DEEP RICH COLOR, A PROOF-LIKE IMPRESSION, AND A BEAUTIFUL CANCELLATION WHICH ALLOWS THE TYPE CHARACTERISTICS TO BE CLEARLY SEEN. A STAMP FOR THE TRUE CONNOISSEUR.
Stamps printed from Plate 4 were issued in April, May and briefly in June 1857 before perforations were introduced. The relatively small number of imperforate Plate 4 stamps issued during this period explains the rarity and desirability of any of the imperforate stamp types produced from this plate (Ia, Ic, II, III and IIIa). The extremely rare Type Ia, showing the full design at bottom, was furnished only by 18 of the 200 subjects on Plate 4 (the remaining two bottom-row positions were sub-type Ic).
Perforated stamps were introduced in July 1857 (EDU for perforated stamps is July 26, 1857, and the EDU for perforated stamps from Plate 4 is Aug. 1). The rare imperforate Type Ia offered here was used during the last week before perforated stamps were introduced at post offices.
Ex Dr. Puliafito and offered to the market for the first time in over a decade. With 1996 P.F. and 2009 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90; SMQ $27,500.00).