Lot 272 (C) Canada SG#12i 3d Brown Red Beaver, 1858-1859 3rd Pence Issue, A Very Fine Used Single, Perfs Just Cut Into The Other Framelines, Overall Centering Balanced, Therefore Fine For This Issue, Please See Description Re. Perfs

A very fine used single of the 3d brown red Beaver from the 1858-1859 3rd Pence Issue, perfs just cut into the other framelines, overall centering balanced, therefore fine for this issue.

Unitrade values this at $600. The stamp offered here grades 70 as follows:

Centering/Margins: 30/60

Paper Freshness: 5/5

Colour: 5/5

Impression: 5/5

Absence of Visible Paper Flaws: 5/5

Perforations: 10/10

Cancellation: 10/10

One customer has expressed some doubts about the authenticity of the perfs on this. He points out that the date appears to be 1858, when the stamp was not issued until 1859. I measured the perfs and note that they appear to be 12 all around, when they should be 11.75, which does suggest the possibility of a fraudulently perforated late printing of #4. However, the paper is of medium thickness and is stout, the way it usually is on this issue, and less like the paper commonly seen on a #4. So, it may not be a genuine #12, but it might still be, particularly if the date in Unitrade turns out to not be correct, as it is based on the earliest recorded date.