Plate 1L:
The final softening, reentry and very extensive recutting which led to the third state of Plate 1 took place in October, 1851, according to Dr. Chase. The plate was then used continuously until about March 1855, when it was permanently discarded due to excessive wear. The colors found on stamps from Plate 1L range from the late 1851 orange-brown shades, through all of those used in the years 1852 through the early part of 1855. The recutting of this plate was so extensive and heavy (with all stamps showing extensive recutting of the upper right diamond block which appears as gouging out of the entire upper part of it), that it is usually easy to identify stamps from Plate 1L. Approximately 61,695,000 stamps (308,475 impressions were printed from Plate 1L. Refer to Dr. Chase's book The 3¢ Stamp of the United States 1851-1857 Issue for the full story of Plate 1L.
Plate 1L - Earliest Use October 4, 1851; Used for 41 Months; 308,475 impressions/61,695,000 stamps/17.03% of issued; 200 Scott 11A:
Chase - Plate 1L:
Images are provided courtesy of Smithsonian's National Postal Museum