Lot 20
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1851, 1¢ blue, types I &Ib (5, 5A), positions 7-8R1E, horizontal pair, full margins to just touching at bottom and irregular at left, type characteristics plainly visible, bright plate 1 color and light grid cancels. Two pressed vertical creases position 7 (type I) and faint vertical bend position 8. Fresh Very Fine appearance.
Scott $145,000
ONE OF ONLY NINE RECORDED USED PAIRS CONTAINING POSITION 7R1E, THE ONLY POSITION THAT REPRODUCED THE COMPLETE ONE-CENT DESIGN AS INTENDED BY ITS DESIGNERS.
Expertization: 1965 P.F. and 2003 P.S.E. Certificates
Wagshal census No. 5-MUL-062.
The origin of the various types of the 1¢ 1851 arose from the last-minute discovery that the engraved design for the stamp was simply a bit too tall to fit onto the standard printing plate then being used by Toppan, Carpenter. Consequently, the plate maker had to erase a bit of the top, the bottom or both from each subject on the plate in order to make enough room for all 200 subjects. It was these erasures that created the types we know today. A solitary position, 7R1E, escaped the erasing process. Hence it became the only one, of a total of 1,000 positions on the five plates used to print the imperforate 1¢ 1851 stamps, to retain its entire design as originally envisioned. It is estimated only 100 or so have survived.
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| Realized $28,000 |
