Lot 167 o
1859, 12¢ black, plate III, perfectly centered with large well-balanced margins, proof-like color and impression on crisp white paper, nicely contrasted by face-free strike of red 3¢ integral credit datestamp, a stunning Superb gem, ex-Drucker, "Natalie Grace"; with 1982 P.F. and 2009 P.S.E. certificates, latter Graded (Superb 98, SMQ $6,750).Scott No. 36B $290.
THE FINEST USED EXAMPLE OF THE 12¢ 1857 ISSUE FROM PLATE 3, THE ONLY USED EXAMPLE GRADED SUPERB 98 BY THE P.S.E.
Plate 3 stamps (Scott 36B) are characterized primarily by uneven or broken outer framelines of the design. The subjects on Plate 1, which produced Scott Nos. 17 and 36, have even framelines that were extensively recut. With Plate 3, stamp spacing was increased horizontally to make room for the perforations. While one would expect that in the intervening period since Plate One, that much improvement was made in stamp production and quality, but that was not to be the case with Plate Three. The stamps are of relatively poor quality, missing part or all of many of the frame lines, are blurred in appearance, and were on poorer quality paper. Stamps from both plates with the centering and wide margins evident in this example are extraordinary.
Realized: $12,500