Encased Postage Stamps
Exceedingly Rare Twelve Cent Brown's Bronchial Troches

The First We Have Offered Rarity-9 (Only 2 to 4 Known)
EP-140, HB-66, S-35, Reed-BT12. Twelve Cents. BROWN’S BRONCHIAL TROCHES. Plain Frame. Partial Silvering. About New.
Rated as Rarity-9 (2 to 4 known) according to Fred Reed. An amazing rarity. One of Two Known and confirmed the Finest Known Existent. This is the only example of a Twelve Cent, “Brown's Bronchial Troches” Encased Postage Stamp which we have offered. The Hodder-Bowers reference states that there are "Fewer than ten." This cataloger could only trace where the Stack's John J. Ford, Jr. Collection sale, of June 2004 contained only one single example, being Lot 418, which sold for $4,600 at that time, we have seen no others. Only that example and our current offering are confirmed to exist.

Most of the reverse case and legends are coated with original Silvering. The bold black George Washington stamp is fresh and impressive, well centered just a hair to the right. The mica is crystal clear and choice having one small natural lamination stress near the top rim edge. The case is golden-chestnut in color where not coated by the original Silvering. The obverse moons and rim frame hold some satiny luster. There is slight hint of circulation on this very distinctive major rarity. Both this current example and the 2004 Ford Collection piece were graded “About Uncirculated.” Of the two specimens known, we feel that the original Silvering presented here should qualify it to be crowned Finest Known.