New Orleans La., Feb 26. Bold red cds and matching "Steam" straightline on blue 1852 folded letter datelined "Memphis Feby 21st 1852" from the Buchanan Carroll & Co. correspondence to New Orleans La. bearing 3¢ dull red (11A) lower right corner margin single, cancelled by black circular grid, pencil "Valuable" endorsement, manuscript "1852" at lower left, Very Fine.
Estimate; $300 - 400.

The New Orleans Post Office created a system for handling valuable mail before the Federal system of registering letters went into effect in 1855. Under the New Orleans system, the commercial community marked valuable outgoing letters "Valuable". All incoming value mail was segregated from ordinary mail and recorded by the Chief Clerk, who then delivered printed notices to the addressees that such mail had arrived. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400