38-E2 Essay for the 30¢ Stamp of 1860, Incomplete Design

Extremely Rare, Only Two Known

This is the listing copy. Black on India paper, stamp size as is the case for both known examples.

This essay reflects an intermediate stage in the engraving of the die, whereby shading lines had not yet been added to the interior of the curlicue ornaments at the bottom of the design. An additional characteristic of this essay, not mentioned in Scott: ray-like lines projecting from the lower shields intrude into the white space forming the lower border.

Razor sharp impression, a joy to explore under magnification.