Lot 311 (C) New Brunswick #1 3d Red Crown & Heraldic Flowers, 1851-1860 Pence Issue, A VG Used Single With #8 Numeral Grid Cancel For Chatham, RF#5 Corresponding To Very Scarce, Four Margins, 3 Full, 1 Close, But Small Thin & 2 Tears

A VG used single of the 3d red Crown & Heraldic Flowers from the 1851-1860 Pence Issue with #8 numeral grid cancel for Chatham, RF#5 corresponding to very scarce, four margins, 3 full, 1 close, but small thin & 2 tears. A fine to very fine appearing example of this stamp, which alas has two tears and two small thins. It has three large margins and one clear, but close margin. There is a black #8 grid cancel for Chatham, which is rated in Unitrade as very scarce.

Unitrade values this at $350, for fine used, and 2022 Scott Classic assigns a $150 premium for the cancel. Our estimate of the value for the condition offered is $210. The stamp offered here grades 70 as follows:

Centering/Margins: 51/70

Paper Freshness: 5/5

Colour: 5/5

Impression: 3/5

Absence of Visible Paper Flaws: 5/5

Perforations:

Cancellation: 10/10

Adjustment for mentioned faults: -20 points. The pence issues are notorious for condition problems. First of all the paper used was very soft and fragile: it tears very easily, creases easily and thins very, very easily. As a result, very few stamps have survived without at least one of these three faults. Many have been repaired or rebacked to conceal these faults. The genuine paper should have a somewhat rough surface under magnification, and will often show very fine mesh. If it is smooth, lacks any bluish undertone and shows no mesh at all, even when held to backlight, it very likely has been rebacked. The second major condition issue with these is small to no margins. This is because the printing plates for these were laid down by hand, by just 2 or three individuals. Spacing between the impressions was often no more than 1 mm, to even less, and occasionally slightly more, so that margins are rarely more than 1/2 mm wide. So, quite often a stamp will appear to have fewer than 4 margins, even when it does. Full margins on all sides is XF to superb. VF stamps will have 4 margins of 1/2 mm width.

This is a consignment lot. Accordingly, a 15% buyer's premium will be added to the hammer price.