Cost of US Stamp Scott Catalogue 22: 1857 1c Benjamin Franklin. Page 14

1c Blue, Ty. IIIa (Scott 22). Position 41L4 with “enter, Casilier & Co. ANK NOTE” part imprint and “N” of plate number in selvage at left, crisp impression, neat manuscript “X” cancel VERY FINE. THIS IS BELIEVED TO BE THE ONLY PERFORATED 1857 ONE-CENT SHOWING PART OF THE PLATE 4 NUMBER AT LEFT. A GREAT RARITY. The Neinken book (p. 277) states that “No stamp, imperforate or perforated, showing the imprint and the plate number ‘4’ from the left pane has ever been recorded.” He also notes that apart from this stamp there are only two other perforated examples known from this same position, but that both show only a small part of the imprint. This is, therefore, the only perforated example which shows any part of the plate number. Ex Neinken and illustrated in his book (p. 278)

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Mar 2011, Sale 1006, Lot 1086

United States 1857-61 Issue 1857 1c blue, type IIIa, unused with lightly hinged original gum, usual centering for this tight margined issue, fine, with 2005 PFC

Cherrystone Auctions, Nov 2010, Sale 201011, Lot 41

1c Blue, Ty. IIIa (Scott 22). Plate 11, A Relief, horizontal strip of three, center stamp double transfer, choice centering, rich color, neat strikes of circular datestamp EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL HORIZONTAL STRIP OF THREE OF THE 1857 ONE-CENT PERFORATED TYPE IIIa FROM PLATE 11. The double transfer characteristics of the center stamp in this strip are illustrated in the Neinken book on p. 477, where he states that the exact position is unknown. Ex Ashbrook.

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Oct 2010, Sale 997, Lot 5230

1c Blue, Ty. IIIa (Scott 22). Plate 11, rich color, choice centering with well-balanced margins for this difficult issue, neat strike of circular datestamp, Extremely Fine, with 1988 P.F. and 2009 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90, SMQ price $1,400.00)

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Oct 2010, Sale 997, Lot 5228

1c Blue, Ty. IIIa (Scott 22). Plate 4, attractive centering and marvelous intense color, cancelled by New York grid duplex circular datestamp, Very Fine and choice

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Oct 2010, Sale 997, Lot 5229

1857, 1¢ blue, type IIIa, plate 11 (22 var.), relief “B” from the bottom row of the plate, centered well to the bottom and left with blind perfs at the bottom through the design; bright, fresh color with characteristic plate 11 “soft” impression and post office fresh, never hinged original gum, o.g., never hinged, about Fine. Scott price $2,750 A DESIRABLE POSITION PIECE FOR A SPECIALIST ATTEMPTING TO RECONSTRUCT THE VERY DIFFICULT PLATE 11. The extra wide right margin would show some portion of an adjacent stamp to the right if there was one. This would appear, therefore to be from position 100 of one of the two panes.

Matthew Bennett International, Sep 2010, Sale 333, Lot 3379

o 1857, 1¢ blue, type IIIa (22), position 27L4, nicely centered and exceptionally fresh with a neat, face-free grid cancel, Very Fine. Scott $550

Matthew Bennett International, Sep 2010, Sale 333, Lot 3380

o 1857, 1¢ blue, type IIIa (22), position 80R12 with nice break in bottom frameline, wonderfully bright and fresh with a light town cancel, F.-V.F. Scott price $575 Expertization: 1995 PF Certificate not identifying plate.

Matthew Bennett International, Sep 2010, Sale 333, Lot 3381

o 1857, 1¢ blue, type IIIa (22), plate 11, relief B, showing a wide break at top and complete frame line at bottom with perfs clear of design virtually all around, light town cancel, small, virtually invisible tear at bottom, a fresh and otherwise Extremely Fine. Scott $550 Expertization: 2009 PSE Certificate.

Matthew Bennett International, Sep 2010, Sale 333, Lot 3382

1857, 1¢ blue, type IIIa, plate 11 (22 var.), relief “B”, wide break at top, complete line at bottom, fresh and virtually perfectly centered with deep color and full original gum; a choice, Extremely Fine gem. SMQ value $6,000 for a plate 4 example. Scott $2,750 AN OUTSTANDING MINT EXAMPLE OF THE 1¢ PERFORATED TYPE IIIA, WITH ONLY TWO EXAMPLES GRADED HIGHER (BOTH 95’S). Expertization: 2002 PF and 2008 PSE Certificates, neither noting the plate, the latter graded XF 90. Due to the very tight spacing on the plate of the 1¢ 1857-1861 issue, it is an exceedingly rare occurrence to encounter a choice, fresh mint single such as this example with the perforations essentially clearing the design all around.

Matthew Bennett International, Sep 2010, Sale 332, Lot 2004

1c Blue, Ty. IIIa (Scott 22). Plate 11, choice centering, gorgeous deep shade with characteristic plate wash, grid cancel, Extremely Fine, with 2010 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90, SMQ value $1,450.00)

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jun 2010, Sale 992, Lot 2078

1c Blue, Ty. IIIa (Scott 22). Plate 4, remarkably well-centered, deep rich color, neat grid cancel, Extremely Fine, with 2007 P.F. certificate (VF-XF 85)

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jun 2010, Sale 992, Lot 2077

1c Blue, Ty. IIIa (22). Positions 34-37/44-47/54-57R4, block of twelve, unused (no gum), rich color, unusually choice centering for this difficult issue with every position clearly showing a break in the outer frameline at top, few perf separations sensibly reinforced (mostly in top row), top stamps with faint horizontal crease VERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN INCALCULABLY RARE BLOCK OF TWELVE OF THE 1857 ONE-CENT TYPE IIIA FROM PLATE 4. THERE IS PERHAPS ONE OTHER AREA ON THE PLATE THAT WOULD YIELD A MULTIPLE OF THIS SIZE CONSISTING OF ONLY TYPE IIIA STAMPS. Type IIIA stamps are defined as having the outer line broken at either top or bottom (but not both). Several positions which started out as Type IIIA became Type III as the plate wore away. Position 45 in this multiple is just such a position, meaning that to obtain a block of this size with all Type IIIA stamps it would have to come from an early impression. The only other position where a block of this size could also exist would also have to be from an early impression, and would include the stamps just to the right of this multiple (a block of fifteen is therefore technically possible but does not exist). A review using Power Search found only one other block containing all Type IIIA stamps, which is a block of four offered in our 1978 Rarities sale. The block offered here comes to the market for the first time since our 1981 Rarities sale. Scott Retail as two blocks of four and two pairs with gum $37,500.00 Scott Retail as no gum singles does not even approach an adequate catalogue value but we quote it nevertheless

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jun 2010, Sale 989, Lot 70

United States 1857-61 Issue 1857 1c blue, type IIIa, plate 11, black grid cancel, well centered with design clear of the perforations on all sides, deep rich color, fresh and v.f., with 2005 PFC

Cherrystone Auctions, Apr 2010, Sale 201004, Lot 60

United States 1857-61 Issue 1857 1c blue, type IIIa, used, well centered for this issue, bottom line scraped away to make the stamp resemble a type III, v.f. appearance, with 2008 PSE cert.

Cherrystone Auctions, Apr 2010, Sale 201004, Lot 61