Special Jubilee Auction #203 - Euro (€)

RUSSIA - MINT NUMBER ONE

1857 10k Brown and blue, plate II, imperforate, with excellent colours, showing exceptionally large and even margins, unused and with full original gum (except for the hinge area), a fine example of this rare and legendary stamp. (Mi. 1, Standard 1 ?62?000 for (*), Liapin 1, ?85?000 for (*)=*, Zverev & Gilmanov 1II, ?150?000 for (*)

Expertise: The Philatelic Foundation of New York (PF) in 2016; The Royal Philatelic Society of London (RPSL) in 2014, both using VSC6000 equipment; and Jeffrey H. Luber, Forensic Document Examiner (Diplomate, American Board of Forensic Document Examiners), using VSC2000 and Stereomicroscopy in 2011.

Note: Special attention was directed to the white-yellow gum on the back. All three made a determination that the gum on the back was original. PF said, ?Using side lighting the gum was viewed at several levels of magnifications. The consistency of the cracking matched gum on stamps of that age. Regumming was not evident? and concluded that ?it was original gum.? RPSL stated that it was not regummed and that the gum remaining ?is original to the stamp?
LUBER stated that there was ?no visible trace of moisture activated gum on the front or front edges of the stamp? (traces of which are generally found on regummed stamps)

This lot is sold solely on the basis of the Philatelic Foundation and Royal Philatelic Society certificates only and is not subject to reclamations.

Estimate: ? 20'000 - ? 30'000