Lot 1042
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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 $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.
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| Realized $8,500 |
