UNITED STATES STAMPS AND POSTAL HISTORY continued...

This unique showpiece multiple is clearly one of the most important pieces from the 1857-61 issue. Lester Brookman states its significance best in his The United States Postage Stamps of the 19th Century, Volume 1 where he says: "This stamp (#34) can be had in block form although as such it is of the greatest rarity. Perhaps the most remarkable of all the blocks of the perforate Ten Cent stamps is a block of 10 stamps that contains all of the major varieties of the perforated stamps from Plate 1....In this block are 2 Type I, 1 Type II, 2 Type III and 5 Type IV stamps. The Type IV stamps in the block have all three varieties of the recutting since they show stamps recut at top only, stamps recut at bottom only and a stamp recut at both top and bottom. This remarkable block happens to be pen-cancelled and as such might not find favor with condition cranks, but to the specialist who understands and appreciates an item of this nature, this block is a real treasure...and is almost unquestionably a unique item."

The Scott Specialized catalog lists a 10c Ty. IV block of four but does not price it as both examples are contained within larger multiples. That other multiple is a block of twelve, however the Type IV stamps are at the bottom. It is pen cancelled, faulty and restored, making this the finer of the two. The 10c Ty. II, III and IV combination block of four catalogs $18,000.00, while a 10c Ty. I pair catalogs for $2,900.00 (Image)