(Argentina) 1867, 2¢ black, E. Grill, Two Singles. Left stamp scissors separated, tied by geometric cancels to May 28, 1869 folded letter from Boston to Rosario, Argentina, red numeral "2" credit and partially clear London Paid transit, treated as double rate printed matter and rated as such, Very Fine and rare, the only reported example. Scott No. 87  Estimate $1,000 - 1,500. $0 (Image)

(Australia) 1863-67, 2¢ black. Single on two covers to Australia; one (73) in combination with 24¢ lilac (78) + 10¢ green, pair (68) paying the 45¢ British mail rate via Marseilles (1¢ overpayment) on 1864 cover to Kangaroo Flat, Victoria, other with F. grill (93) + 10¢ green, F. grill (96), two singles paying the 22¢ British mail rate via Southampton on 1869 cover from Weaverville, Cal. to New South Wales (1981 P.F. cert., stamps mis-identified); some stamp and cover flaws, Fine. Scott No. 73, 93  Estimate $750 - 1,000. $0 (Image)

(Austria) 1863, 2¢ black, Vertical Pair. In combination with 1863, 24¢ lilac (s.e. guideline at left), tied by quartered cork cancels on cover to Vienna, Austria, "Washington, D.C., Sep 3" cds and red "N. York Br. Pkt., 7 Paid, Sep 4" exchange cds additionally tying 2¢ pair, Colen transit and receiving backstamps, Very Fine, an attractive Prussian Closed Mail rate usage. Scott No. 73+78  Estimate $400 - 600. $0 (Image)

(Auxiliary Markings) 1863, 2¢ black, Horizontal Strip of Three. Tied by "New Orleans, La., Jul 26, '64" cds and target duplexes on cover to Johnson, Vt, forwarded with blue "Johnson, Vt., Aug 6" cds with matching "Forwarded" and "Due 3" in oval handstamps; repaired cover nick at lower left, otherwise Very Fine. Scott No. 73  Estimate $300 - 400. $0 (Image)

(Auxiliary Markings) 1863, 2¢ black, Vertical Bisect, Used As Part of 3¢ Rate. In pair with single on 1869 legal sized printed address cover to Baltimore, Md., tied by blue target handstamps with matching "Rohersville, Md., Apr 10 "cds, bisected stamp not accepted with "Due 1" in circle handstamp; cover file fold and single stamp trimmed at right, Fine; with 1989 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 73d+73  $2,000. $0 (Image)

(Auxiliary Markings) 1863, 2¢ black. Tied by blue cork with matching "White's Corners, N.Y., Jul 11" origin cds on double rate cover to Buffalo, under paid by 4¢ with "Due 8cts" for double deficiency, advertised with added manuscript "1/9" due and "Buffalo, N.Y. Aug 22,1864" cds on reverse, "Not Called For" half oval handstamp and blue Dead Letter Office cds, returned to owner with additional 3¢ due for forwarding totaling "12¢" due in manuscript; cover slits from opening at top, Fine, a very unusual underpaid, advertised and dead letter combination, with Richard Graham cover analysis. Scott No. 73  Estimate $300 - 400. $0 (Image)

(Auxiliary Markings) 1863, 2¢ black. Fine single tied by bold "Louisville, Ky., Aug 8, '65" cds and target duplex on local drop cover, additional blue "Adv, Aug 18, 1865" boxed date stamp and grid, blue dead letter cds, reverse with blue "Not Called For" in circle handstamp and matching "Louisville, Ky., Sep 23" balloon type cds, manuscript "summons" docketing, Very Fine and choice, an attractive dead letter usage. Scott No. 73  Estimate $200 - 300. $0 (Image)

(Auxiliary Markings) 1863, 2¢ black. Canceled and tied by cork handstamps on 1860, 1¢ Star Die entire to New Bedford, Mass., "Canton, Mass., Jul 17" origin cds and same day receiving backstamp, with additional "Adv Jul 26, 1865" boxed date stamp and "Due 2" in circle, Very Fine, a choice advertising and combination usage. Scott No. 73+U19  Estimate $200 - 300. $0 (Image)

(Auxiliary Markings) 1863, 2¢ black. In combination with 1861, 1¢ blue on small locally addressed cover, with blue "Held For Postage" in oval handstamp slightly under Blackjack, tied by "New York, Jan 3" cds and circle of wedges duplexes, red "New - York City, Jan 20" cds's on reverse; cover tears at top, Fine, an unusual usage. Scott No. 73+63  Estimate $150 - 200. $0 (Image)

(Auxiliary Markings) 1863, 2¢ black. In combination with 1861, 3¢ rose, tied by" Cairo, Ill., Apr 29, '64" cds and target duplexes on double rate cover short paid by 1¢, straight line "Due 6" handstamp crossed our and corrected manuscript "Due 2¢" rate for double the deficiency; small cover nick at top, F.-V.F. Scott No. 73  Estimate $100 - 150. $0 (Image)

(Auxiliary Markings) 1863-67, 2¢ black, Auxilliary Markings. Collection of 43 covers; markings including various "Due" rate markings, "Advertised", Detroit, Mich. "Return to Writer" in oval, Nashville, Ten. "Have Your Letters Directed To Your Street & Number" in oval, Philadelphia, Pa. "Not Called For, No Such Person Can Be Found" straight line as well as other "Not Call For" markings from Hartford, Conn. and Chicago, Ill., Baltimore, Md. "Not Found" and "Return to Writer", New Orleans, La. boxed "Unclaimed", the scarce small "Received, Boston" circular date stamps, Salem, Mass. "Missent & Forwarded", New York City "Held For Postage", section of integral town postmarks, "Ann Arbor, Mich., Paid" circular handstamps, etc., some combination frankings; some flaws to be expected, F.-V.F. overall. Scott No. 73, 87, 93  Estimate $2,000 - 3,000. $0 (Image)

(Bootlegged Usages) 1863-67, 2¢ black. Group 20 covers each franked with single 2¢ and entering the mails in either New York or Boston; origins including Brazil, Cuba, El Salvador, France, Germany, Great Britain, Holland including one into the mails in New York with additional 1¢ blue to Boston, Mass., Puerto Rico, St. Thomas & Venezuela; few flaws, F.-V.F. Scott No. 73, 93  Estimate $750 - 1,000. $0 (Image)

(Brazil) 1863, 2¢ black. In combination with 1861, 3¢ rose, strip of three on 1866 cover to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, manuscript canceled with matching "Pleasant Valley, N.Y., July 24/66" origin postmark below, "By American Steamer" routing endorsement, receiving backstamps, with original enclosures, Very Fine, a rare 10¢ rate (1¢ overpayment) to Brazil by American steamer from N.Y.; with 2009 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 73+65  Estimate $750 - 1,000. $0 (Image)

(Canada) 1863-67, 2¢ black. 16 covers to Canada; mostly 10¢ rate covers including ten 2¢ black + 3¢ rose (65) two of each combinations, from origins including Buffalo, N.Y. (3, two with patent duplex cancels), Monson. Me. with straight line "Paid" cancels and red exchange mark, Philadelphia, Pa., Boston, Mass., etc., three franked with 2¢ black + three 3¢ rose (65) combinations (1¢ overpayment), including a De Lery Gold Mining Co. corner card cover, one with Buffalo patent cancels and the other from Greenwich, N.Y. with fancy star in circle cancels (ex Allen), a 6¢ pre-paid rate cover franked with 2¢ black, F. grill, 3 singles, two 2¢ rate covers, one unsealed circular rate cover, other franked with 2¢ black, E. grill paying the between specified adjacent offices rate from Buffalo, N.Y. to Port Robinson, C.W. with 1868 "Welland Rail Road" cds on reverse; few faults, F.-V.F. Scott No. 73, 87, 93  Estimate $750 - 1,000. $0 (Image)

(China) 1863, 2¢ black. In combination with 1861, 3¢ rose (natural s.e.) + 10¢ yellow green, horizontal strip of four (natural s.e. at right with tiny margin nick) on 1865 cover to Swatow, China, tied by targets handstamps with "Stratham N.H. Feb. 3" origin cds, red London transit tying strip and red crayon "24" credit, red Boston exchange and blue Hong Kong transit backstamps, "Overland via Southampton" routing endorsement at top, Very Fine and rare Black Jack usage to Swatow, fully paying the 45¢ British mail rate via Southampton; with 2009 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 73+65+68  Estimate $2,000 - 3,000. $0 (Image)

(China) 1863, 2¢ black. S.e. at right, in combination with 1861, 10¢ dark green, horizontal strip of 3 + 3¢ rose on small 1866 cover to Amoy China, canceled by target handstamps with matching "Sterling Valley, N.Y., Dec 1" origin cds, red "40" credit handstamp and matching New York exchange cds tying strip, red London transit and red crayon "1" (d) credit, routing notation at left and Hong Kong entry backstamp; stamps with a few nibbed perfs, 10¢ issue slightly overlapping cover at top, F.-V.F., an attractive 45¢ British mail rate to China via Southampton. Scott No. 73+65+68  Estimate $750 - 1,000. $0 (Image)

(Cuba) 1863, 2¢ black, Horizontal Pair. S.e. at right, in combination with 1861, 3¢ rose, pair (s.e. at left) tied by segmented cork cancels on 1865 cover to Trinidad, Cuba, red Boston, Mass. origin and "New York, Feb 15" cds's, "NA1" in oval internal rate handstamp and receiving backstamp, F.-V.F. and scarce. Scott No. 73  Estimate $300 - 400. $0 (Image)

(Cuba) 1863, 2¢ black. Perf flaws, tied by red cork handstamp on 1866 New York printed prices current to Cuba, "Manhattan" ship endorsement and "NA1" in circle handstamp; few cover tear and faint toning, Fine. Scott No. 73  Estimate $200 - 300. $0 (Image)

(Double Transfer) 1863, 2¢ black, Major Double Transfer ("Atherton Shift"). Of top left corner and "U.S. Postage", light cork cancel, nicely centered especially for this typically off-centered variety, bold color and strong impression on bright paper enhancing this dramatic shift, scissor blunted perfs at top left and bottom left, Fine attractive appearance, a lovely example of this extremely rare variety, pictured in Brookman (Vol. II, Figure 9), ex-Russo; with 2009 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 73; $15,000  Estimate $5,000 - 7,500. $0 (Image)

(Double Transfer) 1863, 2¢ black, Major Double Transfer ("Atherton Shift"). Of top left corner and "U.S. Postage", Worcester, Mass. town cancels, showing full doubling, centered to right, strong color, faint horizontal crease not mentioned on certificate, otherwise Fine, a lovely town canceled example of this very rare and dramatic double transfer variety; with 1974 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 73; $15,000  Estimate $5,000 - 7,500. $0 (Image)

(Double Transfer) 1863, 2¢ black, Major Double Transfer ("Atherton Shift"). Of top left corner and "U.S. Postage", neatly tied on small piece by circle of wedges cancel, centered to lower right with full upper portion of stamp unobscured by cancellation, rich color and sharp detailed impression, Fine, a very rare sound example of the 2¢ Blackjack "Atherton shift" and one of finest examples of this major double transfer variety, illustrated in Lane, ex Allen; with 1994 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 73; $15,000  Estimate $5,000 - 7,500. $0 (Image)

(Double Transfer) 1863, 2¢ black, Major Double Transfer ("Atherton Shift"). Of top left corner and "U.S. Postage", centered to left with full margins around, lightly canceled, small tear at bottom right and reperforated at top, about Fine appearance, a very rare major double transfer variety with only fourteen examples recorded; with 1998 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 73  $15,000. $0 (Image)

(Double Transfer) 1863, 2¢ black, Major Double Transfer ("Preston Shift"). Position 81R, left gutter margin single showing significant portion of adjacent stamp, blue cork cancel, centered to bottom with huge margins around, strong bold color accentuating transfer, small thin spot and corner creases, Fine appearance, an attractive example of this very rare variety; with 2002 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 73  $4,500. $0 (Image)

(Double Transfer) 1863, 2¢ black, Major Double Transfer ("Preston Shift"). Position 81, usual natural s.e. at left, manuscript cancel, strong color, perforation creases at top, otherwise Fine, still an attractive example of this very rare major double transfer variety. Scott No. 73  $4,500. $0 (Image)

(Double Transfer) 1863, 2¢ black, Major Double Transfer ("Preston Shift"). Left gutter margin single (position 81R), blue ink brush cancel, usual centering to the top with huge margins around and showing portions of adjacent stamps at sides, bold color and impression on fresh paper clearly showing shift, two small corner creases at bottom, otherwise Fine, a lovely example of this major double transfer rarity, ex McClellan; with 2009 P.F. certificate. Scott No. 73  $4,500. Originally discovered in 1851, Stanley Ashbrook a few years later commented on this variety after consulting many of the prominent Blackjack students, and found no one had ever seen an example of this stamp…It is the only copy that I have ever been able to find and is evidently much scarcer than the well-known "Atherton Shift". . $0 (Image)