Confederacy, 1862, 5¢ Blue. Horiz. pair, four large margins, tiny bit of gum staining in left margin, affixed on cover from the Louisiana Relief Committee to Mobile, the pair was affixed in New Orleans and smuggled out of New Orleans and placed in the mails at Mobile and tied by "Mobile, Ala./Nov. 2, 1863" double circle postmarks, the cover with the unmistakable "(La. Com.)" endorsement on the upper left of the envelope, reverse shows some penciled numerical columns, but hidden underneath them is a partially faded and difficult to read pen notation at center that is likely the censor marking of Provost Marshal Jules Denis, flap missing, Extremely Fine and rare, featured in Oct. 2009 ASDA Magazine (Pictured in Monroe Book, pg. 57). Scott No. 4  Estimate $3,000 - 4,000. In May 1863, General Nathaniel P. Banks ordered the deportation of all New Orleans citizens who had refused to take the oath of allegiance to the United States. Approximately 700 families moved to Mobile, Alabama, some with only the clothes on their backs. On May 31, 1863, a group of expatriate New Orleans citizens in Mobile organized a Louisiana Relief Committee to alleviate the suffering of poor citizens who remained in Union-occupied New Orleans. They arranged for shipments of food and clothing to New Orleans, and helped citizens leave New Orleans for the Confederacy. The Committee also assumed the job of handling their mail between New Orleans and Mobile by smuggling letters in small vessels along the Mississippi Sound. Covers so transmitted are very coveted by Confederate philatelists as there are fewer than twenty known. The addressee is "T.H. Higinbotham, Esq., Mobile", which makes this usage an overpaid drop letter (proper rate was 2 cents). Apparently, the Committee paid the postage on such letters as a favor to the senders. Many are found with the proper 2¢ Mobile to Mobile local drop rate, but there are also a number like this cover that bore the standard rate of 10¢ between towns. The stamps likely originated in New Orleans to pay the proper 10¢ rate from New Orleans to Mobile. Covers bearing 5¢ lithographs are quite scarce, as the common Confederate stamps in circulation in late 1863 were the 10¢ engraved issues. First sergeant Higinbotham survived the war and surrendered to Union forces at Citronelle, Alabama, on May 4, 1865, and was shortly thereafter paroled at Meridian, Mississippi. The Louisiana Relief Committee ceased operations in early September 1864. $0 (Image)

Confederacy, 1862, 5¢ Blue. Four clear margins except just shaving tip of ornament at right, tied by blue" Columbia, S.C." cds on ladies cover from Ruth L. Nesbitt to her husband, Captain Thomas Nesbitt, 9th Regiment, 3rd Brigade, Georgia State Troops at Newton, Georgia, cover with red piping on front and back edges, reverse showing matching red engraved monogram initials "RLN" of Mrs. Nesbitt on back flap, Very Fine and attractive, ex-Tate (Pictured in Monroe Book, pg. 80). Scott No. 4  Estimate $300 - 400. There was a great shortage of envelopes in the Confederacy and printed personalized, high quality envelopes were almost non-existent. Blockade runners did import a limited quantity of high quality envelopes but printing services to personalize the envelopes were difficult to obtain. $0 (Image)

Confederacy, 1862, 5¢ Blue. Stone 2, o.g. with small h.r., large even margins, deep rich color, Extremely Fine. Scott No. 4  $225. $0 (Image)

Confederacy, 1862, 5¢ Blue. Horizontal pair, o.g., lightly hinged, large even margins, some light tone spots mostly at right, otherwise Very Fine. Scott No. 4  $625. $0 (Image)

Confederacy, 1862, 5¢ Blue. Block of 4, o.g., never hinged, bottom stamps showing plate guide mark at lower left, full even margins, bright vibrant color and remarkably fresh, Very Fine, a beautiful multiple. Scott No. 4  $1,300 for hinged. $0 (Image)

Confederacy, 1862, 5¢ Blue. block of 4 showing unusual spacing and narrow gutter between right vertical pair, o.g., never hinged, four ample to large margins and strong color, small thin spots affecting top pair, Very Fine, a wonderful position piece. Scott No. 4  $1,300 as o.g. $0 (Image)

Confederacy, 1862, 5¢ Blue. Block of 30, large margins to just touching at bottom right and left center, very fresh with rich color, light creases mostly in margins between stamps and thins in top and bottom corner stamps at right, otherwise Very Fine, a remarkable large multiple. Scott No. 4  $6,750 for singles. $0 (Image)

Confederacy, 1862, 5¢ Blue. Tight margins, used with 1862, 5¢ light blue, De La Rue printing, both tied by blue "Petersburg Va." cds on homemade oatmeal cover addressed to "Mrs. Anne P. Hopkins, Hampden Sidney P.O., Prince Edward County, Va."; couple stain spots, F.-V.F. Scott No. 4+6  Estimate $300 - 400. This letter was from Abner C. Hopkins, who was commissioned in the 2nd Virginia Infantry and served as Chaplain of the Stonewall Brigade. He married Anne P. Atkinson. $0 (Image)

Confederacy, 1862, 5¢ Blue. Horiz. pair (four nice margins), tied by "Campobella, S.C." postmark tying on long literate folded letter to Montgomery, Ala., mainly family chat, Extremely Fine and attractive, Scarce town cancel. Scott No. 4  Estimate $300 - 400. $0 (Image)

Confederacy, 1862, 5¢ Blue. Stone 3, horizontal pair (Pos. 16-17), four margins (minor defects), lightly pen cancelled on cover to "Gap Civil, N.C., C.S.A." with matching manuscript "Mt. Airy, N.C./Aug 29" postmark; small cover tear at top, Very Fine; with 1980 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 4  Estimate $200 - 300. $0 (Image)

Confederacy, 1862, 5¢ Blue. Margins to just touching at bottom, used in combination with 1862, 5¢ light blue, De La Rue printing (small fault), both tied by "Abbeville, C.H., S.C., Jan 16" cds on fresh homemade cover to Augusta, Ga., Very Fine and attractive. Scott No. 4+6  Estimate $200 - 300. $0 (Image)

Confederacy, 1862, 5¢ Blue. Four even margins, tied by red "Camden, S.C./12 May" double circle postmark on buff cover to "Capt. William M. Shannon, 'The Kirkwoods' So. Ca. Cavalry" at Richmond Va., Very Fine. Scott No. 4  Estimate $200 - 300. $0 (Image)

Confederacy, 1862, 5¢ Blue. Four mostly large margins, tied by bold "Mobile, Ala./May 13 1862" double circle datestamp on fresh homemade cover to Marrion, Ala.; reduced a bit at left, Very Fine and choice; reverse with Ashbrook note, "Early Color on Hard Paper". Scott No. 4  Estimate $150 - 200. $0 (Image)