US Stamp Price Scott # 8: 1c 1857 Benjamin Franklin. Page 10

1c Blue, Ty. III, Position 99R2 (Scott 8). Three huge margins incl. part of adjoining stamp at top, just in at right, bright color, neat strike of blue circular datestamp which leaves the characteristics of this distinctive position clearly visible, small corner crease at top right entirely outside of the design VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A DESIRABLE EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 1851 ONE-CENT IMPERFORATE TYPE III FROM POSITION 99R2. THIS POSITION IS THE BEST EXAMPLE OF THE TYPE III, WITH THE WIDEST BREAKS AT TOP AND BOTTOM. Type III is defined by breaks in the outer lines at both top and bottom. Many Type III stamps have breaks that were created or enlarged by plate wear. Since the wear occurred over a period of time, a majority of stamps of this type (both unused and used) have small breaks in at least one line. The most notable exception is Position 99R2. According to the Neinken book, “The 99R2 stamp is a fresh entry, that was short transferred both at top and bottom, over an original entry that had been erased… The reason that 99R2 is the finest example of Type III is because of its very short transfer at top and at bottom, giving us the wide breaks in these lines.” (p. 184). With 2002 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Oct 2008, Sale 963, Lot 161

1c Blue, Ty. III (Scott 8). Position 48L4, stitch watermark at top, large margins to just barely in at top left, deep rich color, neat strike of circular datestamp, Very Fine, with 2003 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Oct 2008, Sale 963, Lot 180

1c Blue, Ty. III (Scott 8). Position 67R4, ample margins to just barely in, neat town datestamp, dark Plate 4 shade, tiny vertical scissors-cut in top right margin, otherwise Very Fine, with 2006 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Oct 2008, Sale 963, Lot 181

1c Blue, Ty. III (Scott 8). Plate 4, huge breaks in top and bottom lines, large margins to just touched at right, cancelled by town datestamp, deep shade, trivial corner crease at bottom right, otherwise Very Fine, with 1979 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Oct 2008, Sale 963, Lot 182

1c Blue, Ty. III (Scott 8). Plate 4, large margins all around, rich color, detailed impression, blue town datestamp, clear breaks at both top and bottom EXTREMELY FINE. A HANDSOME 1851 ONE-CENT IMPERFORATE TYPE III CANCELLED BY A BLUE TOWN DATESTAMP. With 2004 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Oct 2008, Sale 963, Lot 178

1c Blue, Ty. III (Scott 8). Plate 4, huge margins at left and bottom, full at right and mostly ample at top, intense shade and proof-like impression, neat town datestamp and trace of red cancel VERY FINE. A HANDSOME USED EXAMPLE OF THE SCARCE 1851 ONE-CENT IMPERFORATE TYPE III. With 2002 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Oct 2008, Sale 963, Lot 179

1851, 1¢ blue, type III (8), position 44L4, large margins all around except just touched at upper left, type characteristics clearly visible with wide breaks at top and bottom, intense deep color and impression. O.g. Extremely Fine. Scott $20,000 CHOICE ORIGINAL EXAMPLES OF THE 1¢ 1851 TYPE THREE ARE AMONG THE RAREST MINT 19TH CENTURY STAMPS. Expertization: 1988 & 2002 P.F. Certificates.

Matthew Bennett International, May 2008, Sale 327, Lot 14

o 1851, 1¢ blue, type III (8), large to oversize margins with bits of adjacent stamps visible at top and right, light town cancels, fresh and Extremely Fine. Scott value $3,500 Expertization: 2004 P.F. Certificate.

Matthew Bennett International, Apr 2008, Sale 326, Lot 29

o 1851, 1¢ blue, type III (8), large margins showing nice breaks at top and bottom to just nipping the design at right, rich plate 4 color, light c.d.s. cancel, minute thin spot, Very Fine appearance. Scott price $3,250

Matthew Bennett International, Dec 2007, Sale 325, Lot 1392

o 1851, 1¢ blue, type III (8), large balanced margins except just touching scroll at top left, rich color with a strong impression, cancelled by light and unobtrusive town datestamp, Extremely Fine and choice. Scott value $3,500 A CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 1¢ TYPE III 1851 ISSUE. Expertization: 2000 P.F. Certificate.

Matthew Bennett International, Dec 2007, Sale 325, Lot 1391

o 1¢ blue, type III, position 99R2 (8), full to large margins all around with a bit of the adjacent stamp visible at top and, most importantly, well clear at the bottom, showing the extra wide break that distinguishes the 99R2 from all the other type IIIs; in addition, the relatively light town cancel allows the major double transfer of the entire right side of the design to be fully visible. Fresh and Extremely Fine, this is as fine a used example of the rare 99R2 as one is likely to encounter for sale. Scott price $12,500 Expertization: 1999 P.F. Certificate. All 1¢ scholars since Stanley Ashbrook have considered this position, the only type III not produced by plate 4, to be the finest example of the type. While many of the type IIIs produced by plate 4 have wide breaks at the top, being from reliefs B, D or F, which were intentionally shortened on that side, none have the wide break of the outer line at the bottom exhibited by position 99R2. So dramatic is the break, in fact, that Scott affords this position its own listing. The 99R2, being produced by only one of the 1,000 positions that produced the 1851 1¢ imperforates, is nearly as rare as the more well known (and much more expensive) type I, Scott #5, which was produced only by position 7R1E.

Matthew Bennett International, Dec 2007, Sale 324, Lot 1042

o 1851, 1¢ blue, type III (8), large and beautifully balanced margins, showing the break at bottom and a wide break at top, with rich plate 4 color and a neatly struck town cancel, Extremely Fine. Scott $3,250 Expertization: 1990 P.F. Certificate.

Matthew Bennett International, Jun 2007, Sale 319, Lot 1059

o 1851, 1¢ blue, type III, position 99R2 (8), deep rich color. Lightly cancelled. Small thin spot, diagonal crease. Fine appearance. Scott price $12,000 Expertization: 2005 P.F. Certificate.

Matthew Bennett International, Jun 2007, Sale 319, Lot 1060