What Is So Special About This 1c 1857 Stamp

I saw this 1c 1857 go on ebay for over $800 yesterday. It looks like a type 2, but perforations are clearly not gauge 15.5, but look more like perf 12. Is there some sort of experimental issue, or what is this?


https://www.ebay.com/itm/nystamps-U...p-cvip-panel

Looking at the bidding it may be a case of someone not wanting to sell it for cheap. The one person who was leading with $46 had an autobid at a max of $800 when a last second bid of $810 was put in. The last second bidder has very few bids, but almost half of them with this seller. If not, I feel sorry for the person who paid $810 for it.

It looks like a stamp that has been poorly reperfed to me. The holes are in and out and on different angles.

It might turn out to be a great buy! Scott lists a Type II #7 with an "unofficial" perf 12 1/2 with a catalog value of $8,000 used. Wish I had seen it.

I would still say the perfs are fake. They do not line up.

Not saying I don't agree with you Rick, but the listing photo is taken from an angle below and to the side of the stamp. Trying to adjust for this I came up with these top-to-bottom and side-to-side comparisons.




They don't appear as far off after adjusting. I realize this is an academic discussion as we'll never have a better look at this unless someone else on the forum was the buyer and posts it!

I am more looking at the in and out of each row by themselves. The row of holes should line up.

Thanks Caper123 - now that makes sense, as to at least one someone is hoping it turns out to be. I hope for their sake it is!

-Matt

These "unofficial" perf 12 1/2 stamps are known as "Chicago perfs," and the CDS on this stamp looks like it could be from Chicago. This is no doubt why the final price was so high. A good deal has been written about these stamps in the USPCS Chronicle. I haven't refreshed my memory, but to my recollection the type of perforator used would have made it possible or even likely to have uneven rows. Perhaps sinclair, who recently scored an example on cover, or txstamp would like to weigh in.

https://goscf.com/t/63022#584515

No time right now but refer to the link.

I hope that it was Winston, who usually gets it right!!

It certainly appears to be a Chicago perf.

Could be.

https://siegelauctions.com/lot_grd....nwwin=qgb7zk

I know who the winner is but his last name is not Sinclair. If I had seen the stamp I may not have won anyway. It isn't the best example out there. I can believe that it is genuine but I'm not going to spend any time proving it either way. The wacky perfs on the left could be completely genuine. To expertize the stamp, haveing a plate position would be/could be very helpful.

This is the second 1c Chicago perf that has sold on ebay since I bought my Lake View Water Cure cover. The other stamp sold for over $2000. I was the third place bidder on that one and the winner of this stamp came in second.

Edit: I should add that this would be the second stamp that I know of that has sold since I bought my cover.

In the Siegel top example, I find the perfs overall very strange. Top row is surprisingly even and consistent vs. the other 3 sides. Perf tips at top are also very squared off. Bottom looks nothing like the top.

https://siegelauctions.com/lots.php...-1224-lot-54

Addressing your question about Siegel lot 54, sale 1224, one observation is it appears to have the same (Chicago) PAID cancel as the one on Winston's cover.

Also with the H comb perforator one gets more irregularity vertically than horizontally.

It looks like this one may have been discovered after Wilson's census was done.