Lot
56 
1857, 1¢ blue, type III, position 99R2, perfs to just in at top, wide break evident at bottom, large part o.g., margins at left & bottom slightly abraded from removal of toning, F.-V.F.; with 2017 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 21 Estimate $15,000 - 20,000.
ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES OF THE PERFORATED 1857 1¢ TYPE III FROM POSITION 99R2. THIS IS THE ONLY UNUSED SINGLE AVAILABLE TO COLLECTORS.
Plate 2 was made in late 1855, and consists of 198 stamps that are Type II, one position that is Type III (99R2) and one that is Type IIIA (100R2). The only other recorded unused perforate 1857 1¢ type III from position 99R2 is contained in a block of nine (ex-Caspary, Lilly, Grunin, Ishikawa, Zoellner, currently in Gross collection). This is the only recorded unused single recorded.
The original entry of position 99 was out of place due to a misplaced guide dot used to lay out position 89R, with the original transfer of 99R extending a full ¾ of a millimeter below the other nine stamps in this bottom row. To correct this error, the original entry was erased. A fresh entry was made, but a full transfer of the B relief was not possible at the top, without running into the misplaced 89R entry. As a result, the fresh entry of 99R was short transferred at top in order to position the transfer correctly. For some reason, the bottom was also short transferred. The reason that 99R2 is the finest example of Type III is because the very short transfer at top and at bottom yields wide breaks (see pages 183-184 of Neinken).
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