Scott #6 Type IA Sold On Ebay?

I see this sold for $2,976.00 listed as a "US Type Ia Sc #6 1851-57 1c MINT H", is this seller part of the cartel? Or just a dreamer?


http://www.ebay.com/itm/US-Type-Ia-...047675.l2557




Are those perf holes on the top? could it be a trimmed 40? Or just a proof?

Cartel

trimmed reprint scott #40, trimmed proof, or trimmed plate 12 Scott 18.

The secret mark (present on proofs, reprint, and plate 12) gives it away, along with trimming at top, and bright color. Secret mark never present on imperforate plate 1 Scott 5 or 6.

I think this same stamp has been auctioned on ebay before as a Scott 5, not 6. If I remember it seems to sell always between 2 and 3 grand. I don't think anyone is actually that dumb to buy it. I think its just shilled up and bounced back and forth between unethical dealers. Scary stuff on ebay.

I can't imagine that it is a trimmed 18, even trimmed it seems to have too much margin all around to be a regularly issued stamp.

Trimmed proof from reprint plate. In addition to the secret mark in the medallion oval, the relief dot at LL is an indicator. collect04 is not just part of the cartel, he IS the (one-person) cartel.

I suppose I should have looked at the bids on it. Winning bidder 60% activity with this seller and almost no bid history.

Typical/usual cartel name,address and bid history.

Its like me playing monopoly with myself... ridiculous...

A funny aspect of this is the stamp doesn't even come close to looking like a #6. The type is all wrong. If one were really trying to pass it off as something, it would be #5, Type I. I guess we'll wait for the next listing for that one.

If you do a search of the US classic forum there was a previous post about a seller (Cartel, could be the same) passing off a proof as a 5 but unfortunately only the link to the auction was posted so the thread is not useful anymore.