United States Stamps continued...

(24var) 1857-61 1¢ blue Franklin Type Va, position 21R5, straddle margin with guideline at left, unused with original gum, never hinged single, fine.

With 2009 Philatelic Foundation certificate, Scott does not list a value for never hinged, cat. value $1,000 for original gum, hinged.

Get Market Data for [United States 24var] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

(24 var) 1857-61 1¢ blue Franklin Type Va, position 24R5, Relief C unused with original gum, never hinged single with curl in "E" of "CENT" plate variety, fine.

With 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $1,000 for mint hinged without any premium for plate variety.

Get Market Data for [United States 24 var] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

(24) Three 1857-61 1¢ blue Franklin Type V overlapping singles tied by clear "Warsaw, Ind. Oct 6" cds on vivid Popham House hotel corner card cover to Fort Wayne, Indiana. The cover features a full advertising label from proprietor J. Popham, adding significant visual and historical appeal. One stamp with a light pre-affixing horizontal crease, otherwise very fine. An eye-catching and seldom seen example of the 1857-61 Issue 1¢ stamps applied overlapping on cover to pay the 3-cent domestic rate. 

With 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

Get Market Data for [United States 24] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

(24/26) 1857-61 1¢ blue Franklin Type V and 3¢ dull red Washington Type III affixed to an envelope from the Daily Times Hartford sent to Goshen, Connecticut in September 1860. The 1¢ stamp is tied by clear "Hartford Ct. Sep 27 1860" cds and pays the printed circular rate; the 3¢ stamp was intended to prepay the recipient’s return response. Though the response was not mailed, the 3¢ stamp remains affixed—typical of early self-addressed stamped envelopes (SASE), which emerged as a practical means of prompting reply correspondence.

A very fine and early example of a fully intact SASE, combining commercial printed matter with dual franking. 

Get Market Data for [United States 24/26] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

(24) 1857-61 1¢ blue Franklin Type V tied by black "Boston Paid Mar 1 (1859)" cds on folded circular originating in Pernambuco, Brazil on January 29, 1859, and privately carried to Boston, where it entered the U.S. mails and received domestic postage and cancellation. Circular addressed to James Corner & Sons in Baltimore, with numerous separations and the stamp has perf faults at upper right. 

A fine and interesting example of unauthorized private carriage from South America circumventing official postal exchange protocols. This so-called “bootleg” cover bypassed international mail treaties, with no foreign transit markings present and U.S. postage applied only upon arrival at its domestic port of entry.

With 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

Get Market Data for [United States 24] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

(24 var) 1857-61 1¢ blue Franklin Type Va, positions 15–17R5, used horizontal strip of three tied by two clear “Plainfield Mass. Oct 5” (1858) cds on oversize printed official cover to “The Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston, Mass.” The envelope is printed at left “RETURN FROM THE TOWN OF Plainfield / NUMBER OF PAUPERS” with “October 1858” manuscript docketing confirming date of report receipt.

This mailing represents a typical use of U.S. postage for official civic correspondence. The State of Massachusetts required periodic municipal reporting on the number of individuals receiving public assistance. The Plainfield town clerk prepared and mailed this envelope with a 3-cent franking paid by three 1¢ stamps. The strip includes three identifiable Type Va positions from Plate 5, showing the early state of wear before the plate was recut.

A very fine example of government mail featuring an attractive strip of the 1¢ Type Va, tied on a large printed official envelope.

Type Va strip of three listed in Scott but unpriced, cat. value $1,200 as singles on cover.

Get Market Data for [United States 24 var] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

(24var) 1857-61 1¢ blue Franklin Type Va, positions 14-16R5, used horizontal strip of three tied by large "Greensborough, MD" cds cancel on cover to Centerville, MD. A stunning 1857-61 1¢ Type Va strip of three on cover.

Ex. Wagshal, plated by Ashbrook and corrected by Neinken on reverse, with 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate, Type Va strip of three listed in Scott but unpriced, cat. value $1,200 as singles on cover.

Get Market Data for [United States 24var] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

(24/63) Two 1¢ blue Franklin Type V singles and 1861 Issue 1¢ blue Franklin single with light horizontal crease prior to placement on cover used by manuscript pen cancels on patriotic cover from Clarks, Ohio to Cardington, Ohio, dated March 31, (likely) 1862.  The cover features an American eagle and shield design with the motto "The Union, The Constitution, Enforcement of the Laws." Addressed in manuscript and endorsed at left “Clarks March 31” with destination “Mr. Jacob Fisher, Cardington, Morrow County, Ohio.”

A remarkable late demonetization-period usage of 1857 Issue stamps, accepted for postage well after the demonetization deadline in August 1861. Tiny post offices like Clarks and Cardington were slow to receive and adopt the new 1861 Issue, resulting in sporadic continued acceptance of “old” stamps—particularly when local supplies of valid postage were limited. A visually appealing Civil War-era patriotic cover showing late legitimate use of demonetized stamps in remote Ohio towns. 

With 2008 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

Get Market Data for [United States 24/63] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

(24/63) 1861 1¢ blue Franklin horizontal pair used with a 1857-61 1¢ blue Franklin Type V single, all tied by indistinct Alexandria, Virginia cds cancels on cover addressed to Philip R. Fendall, Esq., Counsellor at Law, Washington, D.C. The stamps pay the 3¢ letter rate and reflect a transitional usage period in which older demonetized 1857-61 Issue stamps were occasionally accepted alongside the newly issued 1861 stamps—despite the demonetization order that went into effect nationwide in mid-1861.

A very fine mixed-issue franking used post-demonetization during the opening year of the Civil War, with Alexandria’s post office likely experiencing delays in full compliance.

With 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

Get Market Data for [United States 24/63] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

(25) 1857-61 3¢ pale claret Washington, position 35R7 plating note on back, used by "Philadelphia Pa. Feb 28 (1857)" cds on cover to Pughtown, Pennsylvania making this the earliest known use of an officially perforated (15 ½) U.S. stamp. Three covers are recorded sent on February 28, 1857, two from New York City and this one from Philadelphia. 

A very fine example of one of three recorded February 28, 1857 earliest known uses of an officially perforated U.S. stamp on cover.

A 1936 letter from Stanley B. Ashbrook to L. J. Shaughnessy, regarding this cover is included - "I was glad to see your "Feby 28 - Type I Perf" - I think this must have come from an early experimental sheet and not from a regularly issued sheet...some may have been regularly sold on that Saturday...then I think you have what is actually a first day cover."

Ex. Hulme , with 1995 APS certificate stating "Scott No. 25, used on first day cover, February 28, 1857, Philadelphia, Pa., genuine in all respects." Scott lists Feb 28, 1857 as the earliest documented use for the Plate 7 stamps and is unpriced. 

Background: Toppan, Carpenter & Co. ordered "one of [Bemrose's] perforating or slitting machines" with two sets of wheels, one for each function. The Bemrose perforator arrived in New York on April 4, 1856, and was picked up in July 1856. Toppan, Carpenter's mechanic, George Howard set up the machine to be a perforator, tested its capacity and improved the design (later patented). The machine's capacity was 180 sheets of 100 stamps, per hour or 54,000,000 per year. Two additional machines were required for use in 1857. The company planned to make 13 new plates with spacing to allow for perforations. The first delivery of perforated stamps was February 24, 1857, and the earliest known use is February 28, 1857. 

Editorial from the North American and United States Gazette, Philadelphia, Friday, Feb. 27, 1857:

LETTER STAMPS. Those who are in the habit of frequently using the paid letter stamps must have been somewhat annoyed by the tendency of the smoothly cut edges to catch at any thing and turn up, so that the stamp gets knocked off by mere friction. Many a letter loses its stamp in this way. In England and France the inconvenience was so much complained of that the governments of those countries went to much trouble to find a remedy. The British government offered a premium of no less than two thousand pounds sterling for the invention of a plan to prevent the evil, and the result was the production of what is now in use in England under the name of the ‘perforated letter stamp.’ These are printed on sheets of paper of the same size as the others, intersecting lines of perforations run across the sheet, so that each stamp is surrounded with them, and may be separated from the rest without being cut. The rough edges thus formed by tearing through the holes, enable a stamp when stuck upon a letter to adhere more closely than if the edges were cut smooth. Simple as this device may seem, it is a very important one. The British government, as we have mentioned, had to pay for its invention, but our own receives the benefit of it for the mere regular contract price of the stamps. Plans and machinery for making the latter have been imported and put into use by Messrs. Toppan, Carpenter & Company of this city, the engravers and printers of United States letter stamps; and we were shown yesterday some sheets of these perforated stamps which convince us of their utility. Our present able Postmaster General, the Hon. James Campbell, fully appreciating this effort of enterprise on the part of the firm mentioned, has ordered a large supply of the three cent stamps, the only ones as yet made. Ninety thousand were ordered for the cities of New York and Philadelphia, and thirty thousand for New Orleans and other cities of the South and West.

Get Market Data for [United States 25] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

"(26) 3¢ dull red Washington Type III, positions 39–40/49–50/59–60/69–70R20, unused with original gum plate block of eight with full right sheet margin showing clear “Toppan, Carpenter & Co. BANK NOTE ENGRAVERS. Phila. New York, Boston & Cincinnati” imprint and bold “No. 20 P.” plate number.

Positions 49–50/59–60 are unused, never hinged; the remaining stamps are lightly hinged. The block shows rich color and crisp impressions. Minor horizontal crease affects the bottom row, and a vertical crease is noted in the selvage. Overall a fine-v.f. 1857-61 3¢ Issue mint plate block of eight.

With 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $4,250."

Get Market Data for [United States 26] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

(26) 1857-61 3¢ dull red Washington Type III unused with original gum right sheet margin imprint and plate number block of five including all but one of the stamps to complete the full imprint at right - "Toppan, Carpenter, Casilear & Co. BANK NOTE ENGRAVERS. Phila, New York, Boston / No 25 P." Block has hinge remnant at top and a few inclusions, otherwise a f-v.f. mint block featuring the Type II Imprint without Casilear's name.

Cat. value $515 as a regular unused block of four and one unused single. A plate number/imprint block of eight has a cat. value of $4,250.

Get Market Data for [United States 26] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

(26) 1857-61 3¢ dull red Washington Type III unused with original gum, previously hinged block of six and block of four. The block of six has a small inclusion visible in the middle stamp of the top row along with vertical crease through left stamps and at right corner. The block of four has an inclusion in the top left stamp and a small thin. Overall a fine pair of 3c unused multiples nicely showing the continuous side lines.

Cat value $1,050.

Get Market Data for [United States 26] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

(26) 1857-61 3¢ Washington Type III, position 71L18, used exhibiting major cracked plate variety across top of stamp along with black town cancel. The bottom right corner perf torn and hanging but does not affect the dramatic plate flaw at top.

With 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $400.

Get Market Data for [United States 26] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

(26A) 1857-61 3¢ dull red Washington Type IV with double vertical perforations at left and right, used with fancy black diamond grid cancel, fine-v.f.

With 2025 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

Get Market Data for [United States 26A] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

(26) 1857-61 3¢ dull red Washington Type III, pair and single, tied by black "Juneau Wis. Apr 14" (1859) circular datestamps on bright yellow legal-size envelope addressed to “Governor, Madison, Wisconsin.” Envelope with printed heading at left “JUDICIAL ELECTION RETURNS, Dodge County” and manuscript docketing “Judge / 1859” confirming year of the election.

This large-format cover was used for transmitting official election returns to the Wisconsin state capital following judicial elections held in the spring of 1859. With a total weight between 1 and 1-1/2-ounces, the 9¢ postage represented a triple 3¢ domestic rate paid by a single and pair of 3¢ stamps. T

A fine and visually striking example of mid-19th century state government mail involving official electoral business—an excellent representation of how postal services facilitated democratic processes in early statehood Wisconsin.

Get Market Data for [United States 26] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

(26) 1857-61 3¢ dull red Washington Type III tied by manuscript pen cancel on a printed blue folded letter addressed “To the Clerk of the County Commissioners, Augusta, Maine.” The form certifies a sealed return of votes for County Treasurer submitted by the plantation of Unity, Maine, following the second Monday of September 1858. Completed in manuscript by assessors George S. Bacon and Oliver Libbey, with “Plantation Clerk” signed at lower right. A fine and clean example of 1850s electoral correspondence from rural Maine.

Get Market Data for [United States 26] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

(26) 1857-61 3¢ dull red Washington Type III tied on illustrated advertising cover for Work’s Patent Odometer Carriage Bands, addressed to Harlow Van Ostrand, Postmaster, Rock City Falls, Saratoga County, New York, with original 1860 enclosure. The stamp is tied by "Harford, Ct Aug 2 1860" CDS. The envelope features a striking printed advertisement for Thomas K. Work’s Patent Odometer Carriage Bands, with engraved illustration of the device and promotional copy emphasizing their accuracy, durability, and efficiency. 

The full-page printed advertisement extolled the odometer bands, with endorsements from prominent figures including Samuel Colt, James Dixon (U.S. Senator), and Julius Catlin (Lt. Governor of Connecticut). On the reverse is a handwritten letter, dated August 22, 1860, signed by D.L. Simpson for the Work’s Odometer Band Co., offering price details and encouraging Van Ostrand to become a local agent.

A very fine and attractive advertising cover for Work’s Patent Odometer Carriage Bands and matching enclosure. 

Get Market Data for [United States 26] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

(26) 3¢ dull red Washington Type III used by manuscript pen cancel on all-over Temperance propaganda cover entitled "INTEMPERANCE IS THE CURSE OF THE WORLD! EXECUTION, OPERATION & EFFECTS OF THE MAINE LAW." sent to Dushore, Pennsylvania. Unknown origin with no datestamp present. 

The cover features an illustration depicting the negative effects of alcohol consumption and enforcement of prohibition. On the left, people are seen destroying barrels of liquor labeled “Rum” and “Selden Gin,” while a pawnshop and saloon labeled “Liquor Sold Here” are visible in the background. This destructive scene symbolizes the enforcement of prohibition, with barrels of liquor being broken and chaos in the streets.

The right side shows a contrasting scene of sobriety and virtue, including a well-dressed man with a sash reading “Love, Purity & Fidelity.” This represents the moral and societal benefits of sobriety, including family stability and virtue. The artwork promotes temperance, a movement advocating for the prohibition of alcohol in the 19th century. This was part of a wider 19th-century temperance movement, led by groups like the American Temperance Society, which sought to reduce alcohol consumption and its perceived social harms.

Stamp with scissor cut perfs at bottom but still overall a wonderful example of a temperance movement propaganda cover, advocating for the Maine Law of 1851, one of the first prohibition laws in the U.S which served as a model for future Prohibition efforts. 

Get Market Data for [United States 26] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census

(26) 1857-61 3¢ dull red Washington Type III tied by bright green "Jun 9 Thorndike, Ms." cds on ladies envelope to Ware, Massachusetts. Light stain marks and small tear in backflap, but still a striking example of the green Thorndike, Massachusetts cds on cover.

Get Market Data for [United States 26] Visual Pricing Guide Sample Census