Confederacy, Mars Bluff, S.C., 1861, 5¢ black, provisional handstamps on orange entire addressed to Mr. Thomas E. Gregg, Atlantic House, Beafort N.C., entered mails with partial "Florence S.C. Jul 30" cds and matching oval "Paid" handstamp; large cover opening tears; accompanied by six additional covers from this same correspondence, five mailed from Mars Bluff with two orange examples with the "Paid 5" struck in similar fashion without charge box notation that could be an implied indication of provisional use, the other four covers all have pencil charge box notations to the account of E. Porcher used from Mars Bluff (3) and Florence, Fine and interesting correspondence group, Listed but unpriced in Scott.; with 2009 C.S.A. certificate. C.S.A. Catalog No. MAR-SC-E01. Scott No. 145XU1  Estimate $1,000 - 1,500. THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE MARS BLUFF 5¢ PROVISIONAL ENTIRE. The Mars Bluff provisional was prepared by handstamping envelopes with "Paid" and "5" markings that were also uses as stampless markings. It is consider a provisional use only when unused, under a postally used general issue, or mailed from another town. This Mars Bluff provisional was discussed in detail in the Confederate Philatelist, July-Aug 1986 (whole #232), pp. 97-101. $0 (Image)