Very Rare 1c 1851 Strip

Here is an item I examined yesterday. At first glance it may not appear to be anything substantial and the left two stamps are faulty (the center copy has a very heavy vertical crease). But this happens to be a great item. Who (Winston Sinclair is not allowed to respond!) can tell us why this is so special?

The two right stamps are type Ib, scott 5A

I stand corrected. The far right stamp is Type 1 (scott 5) and possibly a 7R1E double transfer?

Brian

From the guide dots and the complete top designs, could they be 5-6-7R1E?

The far left stamp looks like a type III.

Ugh - I don't know the plates very well so I don't know if this combo is possible. I see: 8, 5, 5 (double transfer)

Not an 8. I need to quit before I embarrass myself!

Brian

I'm also thinking its a strip of 5-6-7R1E. If only the left two are faulty, it would seem the right stamp, (scott 5) is sound? That's an awesome strip!

Matt

I just spent the last hour looking through Neinken's 1c book (digitized by the USPCS) and agree - these are 5-6-7R1E. Is this strip documented anywhere or is it a new find?

Definitely 5-6-7R1E. Does not appear in Wagshal's 2001 census. The method of cancellation looks very much like that employed on a strip on cover from Benton, TN, shown in Wagshal 2001 as 084-COV.

...other indicators:
Position 5 - the double transfer showing as extra lines under the "NE CEN"
Position 7 - the double transfer showing in the shading on the right side of the portrait (into the white frame space) and the "O" in Postage at the top.

Several of you are correct. This is Position 5-6-7R1E, which is Scott Type 1b,1b and 1 (5A,5A,5) which I believe is the rarest combo strip possible. Current Scott value is $200,000. It is the most valuable item by Scott value I have ever expertized (although I handled the unique #164 several times, I did not have anything to do with expertizing it!). This strip is, as far as I know, new to the market. I have no idea where it has been in the past.

The history of this strip would be fascinating to know, Bill. The knowledge that there are discoveries like this still to be made gives me a vicarious thrill, I must admit.

I think it proves, as you said, that there are still discoveries to be made. The submitter only said "this may need to be plated", so I think he suspected it is a decent item, but I do not think he had any idea that he had a sound #5!

If plating was requested I have a feeling that the owner might have had an inkling of what they had. After all it is the holy grail to the 1 cent specialists.

I appreciate that it is very rare, but that is one ugly strip. Seriously defective with a really ugly cancel. All the value is in the sound 5, so it might bring $35,000. Still a great find, but..............

I don't think there are very many sound #5s out of those that are recorded and virtually all of the value is in that stamp. But I absolutely agree with you. The general overall appearance is poor. Still, I think the owner is going to be thrilled.....

Yea, the beauty in this one is the rarity! If I'm mounting say, $10.00 items in a book, ugly doesn't make the cut. The one above would have it's own special place!

Sorry, but rarity does not equal beauty, at least to me.