You are in StampAuctionNetwork Unattended Live Bidding
. Note that by using SAN Unattended Live Bidding, you understand
that if your bid is successful, you will be invoiced at 1% of the Realized value, no cap and no minimum.
Confederate Stamps and Postal History Confederate Postmaster Provisionals
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 53
Symbol: O
Cat No: 5X1
(5X1) Athens, Ga. 5c purple Type II Postmaster’s Provisional used by unobtrusive black cancel, fine and in sound condition, with 2026 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $1,400. (Image)
Est.US$500-750
Opening US$ 500.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 54
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 5X1
(5X1) Athens, Georgia 1861 5c purple Postmaster's Provisional, Types I & II top-right sheet corner horizontal pair, used by black grid cancels on cover to Lieut. John B. Cobb, Cobb’s Georgia Legion, Yorktown, Virginia with “Athens Ga. Paid Oct. 14” (1861) cds at right. Minor corner crease at bottom right of stamp and and cover slightly reduced at right, still very fine appearing in every respect.
Printed locally by The Banner Watchman from two side-by-side woodcut designs, the Athens provisional is one of the most distinctive and recognizable of all Confederate Postmasters’ Provisional issues. The deep purple shade of this pair is especially vivid, and its placement from the top-right corner of the sheet is easily confirmed by the characteristic rough-cut margins on two sides.
Lieutenant John Boswell Cobb, the addressee, was the younger brother of Confederate generals Howell Cobb and Thomas R. R. Cobb, serving in Company D of Cobb’s Georgia Legion. He participated in the Peninsula Campaign, including the Battles of Yorktown and Lee’s Mill in April 1862, and the Seven Days Battles that summer, which helped save Richmond from McClellan’s army.
An important example of this iconic Confederate Postmaster's Provisional, representing one of only 21 recorded covers bearing Athens 5c pairs (Crown census). A standout item with an illustrious pedigree.
Ex Ferrary, Emerson, Brooks, Duckworth and Wulfekuhler; signed Ashbrook, cat. value $7,000. (Image)
Est.US$3,000-4,000
Opening US$ 3,000.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 56
Symbol: O
Cat No: 11X3
(11X3) Baton Rouge, Louisiana Postmaster’s Provisional, 1861 5c green and carmine, exhibiting large portion of the above stamp's bottom lattice-border and used with partial black Baton Rouge cds. Small thin at bottom left corner, not detracting from the overall fine appearance.
The Baton Rouge 5c lattice-border provisional was typeset using lattice border elements, with the internal inscription “P.O. / Baton Rouge, La. / 5 / J. McCormick” identical to that used for the contemporaneous 5c Maltese cross border issue. The plate consisted of two horizontal rows of five subjects, and the stamps were printed at the offices of the Baton Rouge Daily Gazette & Comet, illustrating the improvised nature of early Confederate Postmasters' Provisional stamp production.
The Baton Rouge provisional ranks among the most desirable Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals, issued during the brief interval following Louisiana’s secession and prior to the introduction of general Confederate adhesives. According to the census maintained by Francis J. Crown Jr. and hosted on the Civil War Philatelic Society's website, only 21 examples of this stamp are recorded, including two unused, eight used off cover, and eleven used on cover. Used examples are typically found closely cut and with condition issues, making this off-cover example better than the norm in overall condition and appearance.
Accompanied by a 2006 Philatelic Foundation Certificate, cat. value $4,000. (Image)
Est.US$1,500-2,000
Opening US$ 1,500.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 57
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 14XU1
(14XU1) Canton, Mississippi black fancy “PAID 5 & star-in-circle” Postmaster Provisional handstamp boldly struck at upper right on cover to Carroll, Hoy & Co., New Orleans, Louisiana, with matching “Canton, Mi. Jul 24” (1861) cds at left. The strike of Priestly’s star device—featuring the distinctive script “P” at center for Postmaster William Priestly—is unusually sharp and complete. Usual small filing pinholes from the receiving firm’s routine practice of attaching incoming correspondence.
Prepared during the earliest months of the provisional period, Priestly’s carved woodcut star is one of the most visually appealing and immediately recognizable Confederate provisional markings. Only 36 Canton 5c provisional covers are recorded in the Crown Survey maintained by the Civil War Philatelic Society, and examples with such outstanding strikes of both the star and datestamp are decidedly scarce. This is also one of the earliest recorded examples, very fine.
Ex Wiseman, Hart, Kilbourne, cat. value $2,000. (Image)
Est.US$1,000-1,500
Opening US$ 1,000.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 58
Symbol: (*)
Cat No: 16X1
(16X1) Charleston, S.C. 5c blue Postmaster’s Provisional unused, no gum with a light horizontal crease and small thins, still fine showing portion of stamp at left, with 2026 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $1,400. (Image)
Est.US$400-600
Opening US$ 400.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 59
Symbol: O
Cat No: 16X1
(16X1) Charleston, S.C. 5c blue Postmaster’s Provisional used by an 1861-dated Charleston cds, with small thins and a small repair at bottom left, still fine appearing, with 2007 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $800. (Image)
Est.US$200-400
Opening US$ 200.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 60
Symbol:
Cat No: 16X1
(16X1) Charleston, S.C. 5c blue Postmaster’s Provisional adhesive stamp tied by a bold “Charleston S.C. Sep 26, 1861”cds on cover addressed to Col. H. C. Cabell, Richmond, Virginia. The backflap with some repairs visible at top center with small sealed tear, stains at lower and upper right slightly affecting the stamp.
Prepared by the Charleston printing firm Evans & Cogswell under the direction of Postmaster Alfred Huger, the 5¢ adhesive provisional stamps were placed on sale only three weeks before this letter was mailed. Fewer than seventy on-cover examples are recorded, with September uses among the earliest known.
The addressee, Henry Coalter Cabell, was then serving in the 1st Virginia Artillery Regiment, later rising to become Chief of Artillery for McLaws’s Division in Longstreet’s Corps. Cabell participated in many of the war’s major battles—Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Cold Harbor, and Petersburg. A nice early use of the Charleston 5c blue adhesive provisional on cover to a Confederate officer who would have a busy war ahead of him following reciept of this cover. Cat. value $1,750. (Image)
Est.US$400-600
Opening US$ 400.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 61
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 16XU1
(16XU1) Charleston, South Carolina 5c blue Postmaster’s Provisional press-printed envelope, typographed from woodcut impression at upper right, sent to to Clemmonsville, North Carolina with black “Charleston S.C. Aug 29, 1861" cds at center. Rightside of backflap replaced along with restoration of right side of front, likely removed as part of rough opening of the envelope by the recipients. The restoration is skillfully done and affects the right side of the 5c provisional.
Prepared by Evans & Cogswell under the direction of Postmaster Alfred Huger, Charleston’s provisional envelopes were among the earliest officially issued by any Confederate postmaster. This example was mailed less than two weeks after the envelopes went on sale. Addressed jointly to Alexander W. Cooper and Thomas D. Cooper - brothers who were living with their families in Clemmonsville at the outbreak of the war - the form of address suggests it may have been sent by their sister Eliza, the only other surviving Cooper sibling at the time. A nice appearing and early use of the Charleston 5c blue provisional envelope.
Initialed by Patricia A. Kaufmann, cat. value $1,500. (Image)
Est.US$300-500
Opening US$ 300.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 62
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 18XU1
(18XU1) Columbia, South Carolina 1861 5c blue handstamped provisional envelope, showing the distinctive “PAID” straightline and bold “5¢-in-oval” woodcut handstamp combination applied in matching blue, neatly struck with matching “Columbia S.C. Nov 26” (1861) cds at left, addressed to Aiken, South Carolina. The 1861 year-date is confirmed by the original enclosure, an excellent four-page letter dated November 1861, which accompanies the cover. Minor wear in lower right corner and opened at sides, though still overall a fine example of this popular provisional handstamped envelope.
This provisional design represents Postmaster James B. Glass’s successful standardized format following a series of experimental combinations of rate markings and control devices used earlier in 1861. The “PAID & 5¢-in-oval” handstamp became the dominant provisional type used at Columbia until the supply of Confederate adhesives arrived.
The accompanying letter written to Rev. J. H. Cornish by his teenage daughter, Elvira offers a vivid window into wartime attitudes among young Southern women. She comments on “northerners” gaining a foothold along the South Carolina coast, expresses sympathy for displaced plantation families, supports “our dear soldiers,” and mixes these observations with family news and daily activities (“Mary, Sue, and Emma and I had a very pleasant walk”). Elvira Cornish would survive the war and live until 1925.
Only 40 examples of this provisional type with added "PAID" are recorded in the Crown Survey, a fine and desirable Columbia 5c provisional, enhanced by its original letter.
Initialed by Patricia A. Kaufmann, cat. value $1,500. (Image)
Est.US$300-500
Opening US$ 300.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 63
Symbol:
Cat No: 18XU1a
(18XU1a) Columbia 10c over blue “5c-in-oval” provisional envelope, re-rated to 10c for an overweight letter traveling under 500 miles, addressed to Rev. Samuel P. Boyce, Greenville, S.C., with matching blue "PAID" handstamp at center and parital Columbia S.C. cds at left. Backflap with small repair including hinge reinforcement to seal small tear visible at top center.
The manuscript “10” represents a rarely documented practice: in a very small number of cases—likely for patrons who knew in advance that higher postage would be required—Postmaster James B. Glass re-rated his 5c handstamped provisional envelopes to 10c rather than producing a separate 10c design. This practice appears to have been limited to commercial users such as insurance companies. Contemporary docketing on the face notes “policy of insurance on Shier House,” referring to a building associated with the Southern Baptist Seminary in Greenville, where Rev. Boyce served on the faculty.
Rev. Boyce left Greenville later in 1861 to become chaplain of the 16th South Carolina Regiment, stationed in Charleston and nearby James Island, which confirms the 1861 year-date.
An extraordinary Confederate provisional rarity - only one other Columbia 5c provisional handstamp re-rated to 10c is recorded. A key item for any advanced collection of Confederate postmasters’ provisionals or South Carolina postal history. Cat. value $3,500. (Image)
Est.US$1,000-1,500
Opening US$ 1,000.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 64
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 18XU8
(18XU8) Columbia, South Carolina 1861 5c blue handstamped provisional envelope, showing the combination “PAID” in blue and matching “5” rate marking on the front, with matching “Columbia S.C. Aug 9” (1861) cds at left. The defining oval post office control mark, applied to the back of the cover, is clearly evident and confirms this as an authorized provisional produced by Postmaster James B. Glass during Columbia’s stampless provisional period. Addressed to Bomar & Co., Bivingsville, approximately 90 miles northwest of Columbia. Light vertical file fold; otherwise a clean and attractive example.
The 1861 year-date is established by the 5c Confederate rate, in effect until July 1, 1862, when postage was increased to 10c regardless of distance. Columbia’s early provisional envelopes show multiple experimental combinations of “PAID,” rate figures, and control marks as the postmaster attempted to standardize a workable provisional design before the adoption of the later “5c-in-oval” handstamp. 10 examples bearing this provisional "5" rate marking type and the oval control mark on reverse are recorded in the updated Crown Survey on the Civil War Philatelic Society website.
Slight disturbance at left and right on cover possibly from previous hinge mounting, still a fine and scarce Columbia 5c provisional handstamp with full oval control mark on reverse, an essential item for any advanced collection of Confederate postmasters’ provisionals.
Ex Hind, cat. value $1,000. (Image)
Est.US$400-600
Opening US$ 400.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 65
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 20XU1
(20XU1) 1861 5c black Dalton, Ga., Postmaster’s Provisional handstamped “Dalton, Ga. PAID 10” at top center with matching “Dalton, Ga. Feb 13, 1862" cds at right on cover addressed to John B. Suttler, Esq, Tunnel Hill, Georgia. Light file fold at left well clear of markings, still fine.
Tunnel Hill, located just north of Dalton along the Western & Atlantic Railroad, was a strategically important rail point throughout the war, particularly during the 1863–64 Atlanta Campaign. Dalton itself served as a major Confederate rail and supply hub, making uses of Dalton provisional envelopes especially desirable for collectors of Georgia postal history.
Initialed by Patricia A. Kaufmann, cat. value $850. (Image)
Est.US$200-400
Opening US$ 200.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 66
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 20XU2
(20XU2) 1861 10c black Dalton, Georgia Postmaster’s Provisional handstamped “Dalton, Ga. PAID 10” boldly struck at right with matching “Dalton Ga. Sep 10, 1862” cds at left on cover addressed to Col. W. Boyd, 52nd Regiment Ga Volunteers, Knoxville, Tenn. A fine and appealing example of this Georgia provisional.
The addressee, Colonel Wier Boyd (1820–1893) of Lumpkin County, Georgia, was a prominent political and civic figure before the war. He served in the Georgia state legislature, sat as a delegate in the Georgia Secession Convention of January 1861, and later helped raise and organize the 52nd Georgia Infantry Regiment in the spring of 1862. Boyd commanded the regiment during its early service in East Tennessee, and at the time of this cover was sent - September 1862 - the unit was stationed near Knoxville as part of the Confederate buildup preceding Kirby Smith’s Kentucky Campaign. Boyd later resigned in 1863 for health reasons, returning to political life after the war.
A fine and desirable Dalton Postmaster’s Provisional addressed to one of Georgia’s notable secession delegates and Confederate regimental commanders.
With 1990 CSA certificate, cat. value $1,100. (Image)
Est.US$300-500
Opening US$ 300.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 67
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 21XU3
(21XU3) Danville, Virginia 1861 5c black Postmaster’s Provisional press-printed on dark buff envelope, showing the distinctive curved “SOUTHERN” type in the allegorical “Southern Confederacy Danville, Va. Paid 5 W. B. Payne, P.M.” imprint at upper left, with accompanying “Danville Va. Aug 5” (1861) cds sent to Mr. Charles B. Whitney, 18th Regiment Danville Blues, Manassas Junction, Va. Typical edge wear present, still showing a strong, clean strike of the famous provisional marking.
Danville’s printed provisionals - prepared by Postmaster W. B. Payne from a stock electrotype plate with handset type - were issued in two settings. The type here is defined by the decidedly curved “SOUTHERN,” distinguishing it from the straighter type.
The addressee, Private Charles B. Whitney of Company A (“Danville Blues”), 18th Virginia Infantry, entered Confederate service in June 1861 and fought at First Manassas on July 21. Manassas Junction was the principal receiving point for mail to the Army of the Potomac during the First Manassas campaign and a key logistical node in the Confederacy’s inaugural field operations. Military records show Whitney died just months later in January 1862, giving this cover additional poignancy as one of his earliest received wartime letters.
According to the Crown Survey, only 14 used examples of the Danville press-printed envelope are recorded with accompanying datestamps. Of those 14, only this one is sent to an active serving Confederate soldier, making this a scarce and particularly desirable use of the Danville Postmaster's Provisional.
Ex Antrim, cat. value $5,000. (Image)
Est.US$2,000-3,000
Opening US$ 2,000.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 68
Symbol: *
Cat No: 26X1
(26X1) Fredericksburg, Va. 5c blue on bluish paper Postmaster’s Provisional, unused, with original gum in sound condition and very fine, with 2026 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $1,200. (Image)
Est.US$500-750
Opening US$ 500.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 69
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 26X1
(26X1) Fredericksburg, Virginia 1861 5c blue Postmaster’s Provisional on thin bluish paper top sheet margin, plate position 3, tied by “Fredericksburgh Va. Paid Oct. 10” cds on light buff homemade cover addressed to Lieut. Robert D. Minor, Confederate Navy Department, Richmond, Va. The stamp with light creases and toned spots. Cover with faint stain spots and cds slightly enhanced with pencil, missing backflap and reduced at top.
Fredericksburg’s provisionals were produced locally under Postmaster Ruben Thom using typeset forms printed on thin bluish paper. The 5c value was based on the Confederate letter rate established in June 1861 and remained valid until the July 1, 1862 increase to 10¢.
This example was postmarked October 10, 1861, during one of the earliest documented uses of this issue. The cover is believed to be addressed in the hand of Matthew Fontaine Maury, the famed “Pathfinder of the Seas,” who had recently resigned from the U.S. Navy to serve the Confederacy. At the time, Maury was stationed in Fredericksburg with his family and collaborating with Lt. Robert D. Minor on early Confederate submarine torpedo (mine) experiments in the James River. These trials marked a pioneering moment in Confederate naval warfare, taking place off Newport News on the very day this cover was mailed.
Minor would later serve aboard the CSS Virginia during its historic March 1862 engagement with the USS Monitor, while Maury was dispatched to Europe to acquire ships for the Confederate Navy. He would not return to Virginia until 1868, eventually teaching at VMI until his death in 1873.
A scarce and interesting Confederate provisional usage, closely tied to early Confederate scientific innovation and naval defense efforts.
Ex Ferrary, MacBride, and Kilbourne, with 2007 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $5,000. (Image)
Est.US$2,000-3,000
Opening US$ 2,000.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 70
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 40XU1
(40XU1) Houston, Texas 1861 5c red “PAID 5” provisional handstamp on stampless cover to Bellville, Texas, clearly struck in bright red with black “Houston Tex. Jul 3” (1861) cds serving as the control marking. Addressed to J. P. Osterhout Esqr., with period docketing on face noting receipt on July 6, 1861, confirming the July 3 posting date and the status of being an earliest known use of the Houston provisional (three known sent on July 3, 1861). Cover reduced at right into address and missing left sideflap, but still retaining an exceptionally bold strike and strong overall appearance.
Prepared by Postmaster Owen Cochrane, Houston’s provisional envelopes were created by modifying two pre-war circular date stamps - removing the original date slugs and replacing them with “PAID 5” and “PAID 10.” These served as provisional rate markings during the transition period following Texas’s secession and before general Confederate postal issues became available. Only 13 examples of the Houston 5¢ provisional are recorded in the Crown Survey, making this one of the rarest Texas provisionals.
The addressee, John Patterson Osterhout (1826–1903), was a prominent Austin County lawyer, newspaper publisher (The Bellville Countryman), and a supporter of Texas State Militia operations early in the war. A noteworthy detail of this cover is the albino embossed corner card of W. M. Rice & Co. (“GROCERIES, DRUGS & PLANTATION SUPPLIES”), an element found on only a small subset of Houston provisional covers and here illustrated in enlarged photographic form.
A fine example of one of the three July 3, 1861 earliest known uses of the Houston 5¢ “PAID” handstamp.
With 1992 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $800. (Image)
Est.US$300-500
Opening US$ 300.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 71
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 43XU1
(43XU1) Jackson, Miss. 5c black “PAID 5 CENTS” circular handstamped provisional envelope addressed to Brig. Gen. Charles G. Dahlgren in Natchez, Mississippi, with “Jackson, Miss. Jul 10” (1861) cds - serving as the control marking for this provisional issue. Contemporary docketing at left establishes the year-date and confirms receipt on July 13, 1861. Prepared by Jackson Postmaster C. R. Dickson, the “PAID 5 CENTS” handstamp was one of three circular devices used to create handstamped provisional envelopes for local postal patrons after U.S. stamps were no longer supplied.
The cover was sent on official state business by Brigadier General Absalom M. West to Brigadier General Charles G. Dahlgren, likely notifying him of his elevation to brigadier general earlier that month. Dahlgren—born in Philadelphia and brother of Union Admiral John Dahlgren—had settled in Natchez, married into a prominent local family, and raised the 3rd Mississippi Brigade at his own expense. Though appointed brigadier general by the Governor, he would later resign in protest when his brigade was transferred to Confederate command in early 1862.
A historically rich and desirable Jackson provisional, linking two senior Mississippi State Troops commanders at the outset of the war.
Ex Muzzy, Haas & Boshwit, cat. value $900. (Image)
Est.US$400-600
Opening US$ 400.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 72
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 43XU1
(43XU1) Jackson Miss. 5c provisional envelope with “Paid 5 Cents” handstamp and "Jackson, Miss. Apr 13" (1862) cds at top, addressed to Port Gibson Miss., minor ageing and tone spots, still a nice example overall, cat. value $900. (Image)
Est.US$200-300
Opening US$ 200.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 73
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 43XU1
(43XU1) Jackson Miss. 5c provisional envelope with “Paid 5 Cents” handstamp at top right and "Jackson, Miss. July 18" (1861) cds at center, addressed to Vicksburg Miss., with enclosed business/legal correspondence originally from Vicksburg and reply from Jackson, representing an early Confederate provisional usage and a complete exchange between the two parties during the initial months of Confederate postal operations, minor hinge toning at bottom, still overall in fine condition, cat. value $900. (Image)
Est.US$200-300
Opening US$ 200.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 74
Symbol: O
Cat No: 47X1
(47X1) Knoxville, Tenn. 5c brick red Postmaster’s Provisional, used with blue manuscript cancel, in sound condition and fine, with 2026 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $700. (Image)
Est.US$300-500
Opening US$ 300.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 75
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 47XU2
(47XU2) Knoxville, Tennessee 5c blue on orange entire, uncancelled as always, addressed to Frank W. Taylor, Esq. (Adm’r of S. W. Franklin), Russellville, East Tennessee. Light overall soiling with a faint stain at upper center, small closed tear at bottom edge, cover refolded at top, still fine appearing example of this scarce provisional entire.
This Knoxville press-printed 5c entire represents one of the earliest Confederate postal adaptations following Tennessee’s secession in June 1861. Knoxville, situated in deeply divided East Tennessee, continued to operate under extreme political tension, with strong Unionist sentiment persisting even as Confederate postal authority replaced the U.S. Post Office Department. The uncancelled usage is characteristic of Knoxville provisional envelopes, reflecting both local postal practice and the transitional nature of mail handling in the region during mid to late 1861.
The Crown Survey maintained by the Civil War Philatelic Society records just 22 examples of the 5¢ blue Knoxville entire, underscoring the rarity of this issue in any condition.
Ex Seybold & Kimmel, cat. value $5,000. (Image)
Est.US$500-750
Opening US$ 500.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 76
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 52X1
(52X1) Lynchburg, Virginia 1861 5c Postmaster’s Provisional used on folded printed notice with “Lynchburg Va. Sep. 28” (1861) cds on folded bank notice addressed to the Orange & Alexandria Railroad Co., Charlottesville, Va. The stamp is uncancelled but properly franking the printed notice, with a tiny sealed tear at top, still very fine appearing.
The addressee, the Orange & Alexandria Railroad Company, played a critical strategic role in supplying Confederate forces in northern Virginia, linking Richmond with Gordonsville, Charlottesville, and the approaches toward Washington. Mail to and from the railroad reflects the rapid militarization of Southern infrastructure in the summer and early fall of 1861, as civilian commercial networks were absorbed into wartime service.
The absence of a manuscript or handstamped cancellation is notable but not unusual for early Lynchburg provisional usages. A second recorded cover from the same sender, dated August 13, 1861 and addressed to Amherst Court House, Virginia, likewise bears the Lynchburg 5c Postmaster’s Provisional not tied by a cancel, suggesting a local practice in which the postmaster did not consistently feel the need to deface the adhesive once postal use had been clearly established.
A particularly attractive example of the Lynchburg 5¢ Postmaster’s Provisional, illustrating early Confederate postal operations in Virginia and the central role of railroad commerce in sustaining the Southern war effort.
Ex Leigh, signed by Patricia A. Kaufmann, with 1992 Brian Green certificate. (Image)
Est.US$1,000-1,500
Opening US$ 1,000.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 77
Symbol: O
Cat No: 53X1
(53X1) Macon, Georgia Postmaster’s Provisional 1861 5c black on light blue-green paper with comma-after “Office” variety, showing ample to large margins all around, used with partial Macon, Ga. double-circle cds. Lightly soiled, yet still presenting a very fine overall appearance. Less than 25-30 examples known of this stamp on and off-cover.
With 2006 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $1,100. (Image)
Est.US$500-750
Opening US$ 500.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 78
Symbol: O, (*
Cat No: 56X1, 56X1a, 56X2
(56X1, 56X1a, 56X2) Memphis, Tennessee Postmaster’s Provisionals, 1861 2c blue unused horizontal pair (positions 14–15) including partial print and two 5c red provisionals, one unused with partial original gum and one used by partial black Memphis cds. All typographed by M.C. Galloway, postmaster of Memphis and publisher of the Memphis Avalanche, some faults noted especially on the used 5c, but overall fine-v.f. appearance.
The Memphis provisionals were produced using stereos derived from woodcut designs and printed in panes of 50, with the 2c denomination intended for drop letters, circulars, and printed matter, and the 5c red for the standard single-letter rate. The 2c plate is notable for significant damage to several positions - including positions 5, 10, 15, 20, & 50 - resulting in partially printed designs, an unusual feature that reflects the crude and improvised nature of Confederate provisional stamp production. The panes were “worked and turned” during printing, creating tête-bêche sheet configurations separated by a wide central gutter.
These provisionals were first placed in use on June 30, 1861, just days before Tennessee formally joined the Confederacy, and thus represent one of the few Confederate stamp issues originating during a brief independent statehood period. The Memphis provisionals are among the most distinctive and historically important of all Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals, and this pairing of both denominations provides an excellent representation of their dual postal functions and characteristic production features, cat. value $750. (Image)
Est.US$200-400
Opening US$ 200.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 79
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 56X1
(56X1) Memphis, Tennessee 1861 5c red Postmaster’s Provisional tied by “Memphis Ten." with illegible date cds on cover to Scales Post Office, Miss., with James Elder, Cotton Factor, Commission and Forwarding Merchant’s corner card at upper left. Cover with backflap removed and nicked at top, but still fine appearing.
Memphis Postmaster Col. M. C. Galloway, publisher of the Memphis Avalanche newspaper, produced two provisional adhesives - a 2c blue and the 5c red seen here - typeset using stereotypes taken from woodcut originals. He also issued printed envelopes, press-printed from an electrotype plate derived from the same 5c woodcut design.
This cover was mailed to Scales, Mississippi, a small rural settlement in Marshall County near the Tennessee border, on August 17, 1861 - well within the Confederate postal period and nearly ten months before Memphis fell to Union forces in June 1862. The recipient, Mrs. Elizabeth Maury Holland, was the sister of famed Confederate naval officer Lt. Matthew Fontaine Maury, internationally known as the “Pathfinder of the Seas” for his groundbreaking work in oceanography and current mapping.
A nice Memphis 5c Confederate provisional usage on a Memphis commission merchant’s advertising corner card cover.
Ex Hall, cat. value $1,750. (Image)
Est.US$400-600
Opening US$ 400.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 80
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 56XU1
(56XU1) Memphis, Tennessee 1861 5c red Postmaster’s Provisional printed envelope, bold strike of woodcut design with large “PAID 5” in ornate frame at upper right, clear “Memphis Ten. Aug 7” (1861) cds on cover addressed to Genl John E. Garner, Springfield, Tenn. Some brown stains on cover but mostly on reverse, still very fine appearance overall.
Memphis Postmaster Col. M.C. Galloway, publisher of the Memphis Avalanche, issued both adhesive and printed provisional stamps in June 1861. The printed envelopes, such as this example, were produced from an electrotype plate made from the same woodcut used to create the 5c adhesive stamp. They paid the Confederate letter rate effective from June 1, 1861, until Federal occupation of Memphis in June 1862.
This cover was sent to John E. Garner, a prominent attorney in Springfield, Tennessee. Garner had served as mayor of the city and later became a judge. In 1862 he was elected to represent Robertson County in the Tennessee Legislature. Though styled “General,” this was likely a militia or honorary title; no service record exists tying him to Confederate or Tennessee State Troops.
An attractive and scarce Confederate provisional use, one of just 22 solo-use Memphis 5c printed envelope covers recorded in the Crown Survey, and offering a strong strike of this classic Confederate postmaster's design.
Ex Hind, Emerson & Brooks, cat. value $3,000. (Image)
Est.US$1,000-1,500
Opening US$ 1,000.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 81
Symbol: O
Cat No: 58X1
(58X1) Mobile, Ala. 2c black Postmaster’s Provisional, unused, with original gum, small facial scuff in the right corner figure and a touched up scuff under the "BI" of "MOBILE" at top, but still a fine appearing example of this well known provisional, with 2026 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $2,250. (Image)
Est.US$500-750
Opening US$ 500.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 82
Symbol: O
Cat No: 58X1
(58X1) Mobile, Alabama Postmaster’s Provisional 2c black tied on piece by a neat “Mobile, Ala. May 14” (1862) double-circle cds. The Mobile 2c Black provisional was issued for local drop letters and circulars, complementing the 5c blue stamp used on outgoing mail, and shares the same basic design with only the denomination altered. A solid and representative example of this famous Alabama Postmaster’s Provisional, illustrating local Confederate postal operations in Mobile during the provisional period. (Image)
Est.US$400-600
Opening US$ 400.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 83
Symbol: O
Cat No: 58X2
(58X2) Mobile, Ala. 5c blue Postmaster’s Provisional, used by a Mobile cds with a corner crease at top right but still a fine appearing example of this well known provisional, with 2026 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $450. (Image)
Est.US$200-300
Opening US$ 200.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 84
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 58X2
(58X2) Mobile, Alabama Postmaster’s Provisional, 1861 5c blue tied by a bold “Mobile, Ala. Nov. 14, 1861” double-circle cds on cover to Marion, Alabama. Cover slightly reduced at left, yet retaining a very fine overall appearance. The Mobile 5c blue provisional was produced for letters leaving the city during the early Confederate postal period. A nice piece of Mobile, Alabama Confederate postal history.
Initialed by Patricia A. Kaufmann, with 1992 CSA certificate. (Image)
Est.US$500-750
Opening US$ 500.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 85
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 58X2
(58X2) Mobile Ala. 5c blue Postmaster's Provisional, two distinct shades, each used on separate covers with Sep 30 and Oct 2, 1861 cds, addressed to Okolona and Marion Miss., respectively, tied by clear strikes of Mobile cds and showing shade variation of the 5c printing, minor flaws including edge wear and light toning, overall f-v.f. (Image)
Est.US$500-750
Opening US$ 500.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 86
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 59XU1
(59XU1) Montgomery, Alabama 5c red Postmaster’s Provisional handstamped envelope with “PAID 5 T. Welsh” in circle at upper right, struck in bright red on buff envelope addressed to Mrs. M. Eliza Forney, Jacksonville, Alabama, “Care of E. L. Woodward” manuscript at bottom left with “Montgomery Ala. Jun 27, 1861” cds. Cover slightly reduced at right, still with resh overall appearance.
Sent during the opening weeks of the Confederate postal system, this cover is believed to have been mailed by Capt. (later Brig. Gen.) William H. Forney to his wife Mary Elizabeth Forney while he was in Montgomery assisting with organization of the 10th Alabama Volunteers, commanded by his brother, Col. (later Maj. Gen.) John H. Forney. Because husbands rarely addressed letters directly to wives unless staying with family, it is thought that Capt. Forney directed this letter to Mary in care of her father, attorney Edward L. Woodward, to ensure prompt delivery.
William Forney would go on to fight in many of the major battles of the Army of Northern Virginia—Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg and later at Petersburg. He was wounded numerous times and captured three times, yet survived the war, returned to Alabama, and later served 18 years in the U.S. Congress. A desirable and attractive example of the Montgomery 5c red provisional.
Ex Caspary & Lilly, signed by John L. Kimbrough (4-20-2006), cat. value $950. (Image)
Est.US$400-600
Opening US$ 400.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 87
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 61X5
(61X5) Nashville, Tennessee 1861 5c violet brown Postmaster’s Provisional, horizontal pair with large margins on three sides and just touching at upper right, tied by blue “Nashville Ten. Sep. 20, 1861” cds with matching “Paid” on yellow cover to the Tredegar Iron Works, Richmond, Va. Provisional with small tear at left and a sealed opening tear in the cover at top.
The cover is addressed to Henry Richardson, in care of Mr. William Tanner at Tredegar Iron Works. A volunteer battalion of Tredegar employees was raised in April 1861 under the command of Maj. Joseph R. Anderson, principal owner of the company with Company D commanded by Capt. William E. Tanner. Tredegar was a critical supplier of artillery, munitions, and locomotives throughout the war.
Less than five covers are known bearing pairs of the Nashville 5¢ violet brown provisional, making this an particularly scarce Confederate provisional usage.
Ex Gallagher and Kilbourne, cat. value $6,000. (Image)
Est.US$1,000-1,500
Opening US$ 1,000.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 88
Symbol: O
Cat No: 61X2
(61X2) Nashville, Tenn. 5c carmine Postmaster’s Provisional, used with partial blue town cancel, diagonal creases, but still fine appearing, with 2026 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $800. (Image)
Est.US$300-500
Opening US$ 300.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 89
Symbol: O
Cat No: 61X5
(61X5) Nashville, Tenn. 5c violet brown Postmaster’s Provisional, used by a blue town cancel, in sound condition and very fine, with 2026 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $750. (Image)
Est.US$300-500
Opening US$ 300.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 90
Symbol: O
Cat No: 61X6
(61X6) Nashville, Tennessee Postmaster’s Provisional, 10c green, used by partial blue “Nashville Express” cancellation and additional partial black “Adams Express Co. Louisville, Ky.” cds. Stamp with minor faults which do not detract from the overall fine appearance.
The presence of express markings reflects the early-war reliance on private express companies during the transitional period following secession, when Confederate postal arrangements were still being organized and local provisionals filled the gap between U.S. postal withdrawal and the issuance of general Confederate stamps. The combination of Nashville Express and Adams Express markings documents the continued movement of southern correspondence through established private networks during this uncertain postal interval.
A scarce and fine appearing Nashville provisional, illustrating the overlap of local Confederate postage and private express carriage at the outset of Confederate postal operations.
Ex Innella & Powell, with 1977 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $3,750. (Image)
Est.US$750-1,000
Opening US$ 750.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 91
Symbol: O
Cat No: Collection
(62X1, 62X2, 62X3, 62X4, 62X5) New Orleans Postmaster’s Provisionals, Issue of 1861, wood-block engraved by J. V. Childs, group of five different stamps mounted on custom Ross Collection album page. The group comprises the 2c blue, 2c red, and the three 5c printings, showing representative plate positions and paper varieties as issued.
These New Orleans Postmaster’s Provisionals were the first adhesive stamps prepared and issued by a southern postmaster following secession. Anticipating the need for local postage, Postmaster John L. Riddell commissioned engraver and printer J. V. Childs in early June 1861, with the first stamps delivered on June 12 - less than two weeks after the Confederate Post Office Department assumed control of southern postal operations. The 5c denomination was issued first, followed shortly by the 2c values, and the 5c was produced in three distinct printings on different papers, all represented within this group.
A handsome and instructive group lot, ideal for the Confederate specialist seeking a representative overview of the New Orleans Postmaster’s Provisionals, or for the collector who values classic CSA material properly presented.
5c brown (white paper) with 1996 APEX certificate, cat. value $1,075. (Image)
Est.US$500-750
Opening US$ 500.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 92
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 62X3
(62X3) New Orleans, Louisiana 5c brown Postmaster’s Provisional tied by blue “St. Joseph, La. Aug 3” (1861) cds on cover to New Orleans, La. representing a remarkable non-origin usage of the New Orleans provisional. Cover has a small tear at the right not affecting the stamp or cds.
Issued under the authority of Postmaster John L. Riddell, the New Orleans provisionals were valid only at the issuing post office; their use elsewhere in the Confederacy is exceptionally rare. This cover - carried upriver from St. Joseph, more than 230 miles above New Orleans - represents one of the very few examples of a New Orleans provisional used outside the city and is believed to be unique from St. Joseph, Louisiana.
The 5c rate confirms use between June 12, 1861 (the earliest recorded date) and July 1, 1862, when Confederate postage was increased to 10c regardless of distance. A highly important and desirable provisional usage - a standout item for any advanced collection of Confederate Postmasters’ Provisionals used outside their issuing office city.
With 2002 C.S.A. certificate and signed by John L. Kimbrough (2-28-2009), cat. value $5,000. (Image)
Est.US$2,000-3,000
Opening US$ 2,000.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 93
Symbol:
Cat No: 62X3
(62X3) New Orleans, Louisiana 1861 5c brown Postmaster’s Provisional tied by "New Orleans, La Aug 20” (1861) cds on cover addressed to Mrs. Linus Parker, Spring Ridge, Louisiana. Fresh strike and well-defined impression, fine.
This cover represents reasonably late usage of the First Printing of the New Orleans 5¢ brown provisional, as stamps from the Second Printing (on blue paper) began to be issued shortly thereafter. The franking correctly pays the 5c single-weight Confederate letter rate, and the year date is confirmed by the fact that New Orleans was re-occupied by Union forces in April 1862.
The addressee, Ellen Katherine Burruss Parker, was the wife of Linus Parker, a Methodist minister in New Orleans. The cover was sent by Rev. Parker to his wife, whom he had married just two years earlier following the death of his first wife. Mrs. Parker was likely staying with friends in the Shreveport region to escape the oppressive summer heat of New Orleans - an explanation consistent with the destination of Spring Ridge, located in extreme northwest Louisiana, approximately 20 miles from Shreveport.
The New Orleans 5¢ Brown is the most commonly encountered Confederate Postmaster’s Provisional adhesive found on cover; nevertheless, well-documented examples from the First Printing, particularly with clear personal context and clean postal markings, remain desirable and instructive.
Signed by John L. Kimbrough (4-22-2004), cat. value $475. (Image)
Est.US$200-300
Opening US$ 200.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 94
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 62X3
(62X3) New Orleans, Louisiana 1861 5c brown Postmaster’s Provisionals horizontal pair used by straightline "PAID" handstamps with matching black “New Orleans, La. Aug 10” (1861) cds at left on cover addressed to Maj. C. G. Baldwin, Helena, Arkansas. Backflap tears visible at top left on cover, still a nice appearing example of the 5c New Orleans provisional used on cover.
This cover represents early August 1861 usage of the First Printing of the New Orleans 5c brown provisional, paying 10c Confederate postage, most plausibly for a double-weight letter. The year date is firmly established, as New Orleans was re-occupied by Union forces in April 1862.
The addressee, Cyrus G. Baldwin, was a plantation owner residing near Helena, Arkansas, in Phillips County. Despite the military honorific “Major,” there is no record of Baldwin having served in either Confederate or Arkansas state military units. The title may reflect prior militia involvement, local standing, or earlier service dating to the Mexican War - common among Southern gentlemen of means during the period. This cover illustrates the commercial and personal correspondence linking New Orleans with the Mississippi River corridor, with Helena serving as a key inland river port for agricultural and mercantile exchange. (Image)
Est.US$300-500
Opening US$ 300.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 95
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 62X4
(62X4) New Orleans, Louisiana 5c red brown Postmaster’s Provisional on bluish paper, vertical pair with large margins including imprint at top, tied by clear “New Orleans, La. Oct 9” (1861) cds on folded letter addressed to Messrs. Wilson & Hall, Augusta, Georgia. The stamps are additionally canceled by black straightline “PAID” handstamps. Central vertical file fold breaks the paper at top, not affecting the stamps or postal markings.
The vertical pair of 5c provisionals correctly pays the single-weight Confederate letter rate for a distance over 500 miles. Addressed to Augusta, Georgia, this cover illustrates active commercial correspondence between two major Southern trading centers during the opening months of Confederate postal administration. Vertical pairs of the New Orleans Postmaster’s Provisional on cover are uncommon, and the inclusion of the imprint margin adds to the desirability of this example.
With 1996 P.F. certificate; R. H. Weil backstamp; initialed by Patricia A. Kaufmann, cat. value $700. (Image)
Est.US$300-500
Opening US$ 300.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 96
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 62X4
(62X4) New Orleans, Louisiana 1861 5c red brown Postmaster's Provisional, large margins all around, tied by neat cancel on folded letter to St. Louis Plantation, Plaquemine, LA, some cover mending, otherwise fine, cat. $475. (Image)
Est.US$120-150
Opening US$ 120.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 97
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 62X3, 62X4
(62X3, 62X4) New Orleans, La. 5c brown and red brown Postmasters’ Provisionals, each used on separate covers from New Orleans to Terry Miss. (one addressed to Jackson R.R.), representing a nice pair of New Orleans provisions' usages, cover faults noted, cat. value $950. (Image)
Est.US$300-400
Opening US$ 300.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 98
Symbol: (*)
Cat No: 65X1
(65X1) Petersburg, Virginia Postmaster’s Provisional, 1861 5c red, unused, without gum, on thick white wove paper, with large sheet margin at top. Stamp with a diagonal crease at bottom right and light soiling spots on the face, yet retaining a fine overall appearance.
The Petersburg provisional was typeset and arranged in a printing form of ten subjects, laid out in two horizontal rows of five settings each, reflecting a comparatively organized production method among Confederate local issues. The example offered here with its large top sheet margin was clearly from the top row of five. Unused examples are not common, as most surviving Petersburg provisionals are used on or off-cover. Despite the noted condition issues, this remains a nice example of the Petersburg Postmaster’s Provisional.
With 2006 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $2,250. (Image)
Est.US$750-1,000
Opening US$ 750.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 99
Symbol: O
Cat No: 65X1
(65X1) Petersburg, Va. 5c red Postmaster’s Provisional, used by a blue Petersburg cds, in sound condition and fine. With 2026 Philatelic Foundation certificate, cat. value $500. (Image)
Est.US$200-300
Opening US$ 200.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 100
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 65X1
(65X1) Petersburg, Virginia 1861 5c red Postmaster’s Provisional, Plate Position 2, tied by blue “Petersburg Va. Nov 5” (1861) cds on cover addressed to William A. Pettigrew, Esq., Scuppernong, N.C., in the hand of his sister Mary B. Pettigrew. Light pre-use creases typical of this fragile paper, still very fine overall appearance.
Petersburg’s 5c red provisional, the only stamp issued by Postmaster W.E. Bass, was typeset and printed by A. E. Crutchfield & Company in sheets of ten using handset type and local newspaper presses. The provisional paid the Confederate letter rate in effect from June 1861 until it was raised to 10c in July 1862.
This cover is addressed to William Shepard Pettigrew, a North Carolina planter and delegate to the state’s Secession Convention. He was the brother of General James Johnston Pettigrew, who would be mortally wounded at Falling Waters shortly after Gettysburg. The cover was sent by their sister, Mary B. Pettigrew, while Union forces were advancing toward the family’s Roanoke Island property, Belgrade Plantation, later captured in early 1862.
A compelling Confederate provisional usage from an influential Southern family, with strong ties to both the military and political leadership of the Confederacy.
Ex Brown & Brooks, cat. value $2,000. (Image)
Est.US$750-1,000
Opening US$ 750.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 101
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 65X1
(65X1) Petersburg, Virginia 1861 5c red Postmaster’s Provisional, plate position 6, tied by blue “Petersburg Va. Nov 2” (1861) cds on cover to P. L. Derby, Crimea Post Office (now Darvills), Dinwiddie County, Va., with ornate dark blue shield-shaped commission merchant’s cameo corner card for Peebles, Plummer & Co., Commission Merchants & Grocers, Petersburg, Va. Cover expertly cleaned and restored affecting stamp, but still with very fine appearance
Petersburg’s 5c red provisional was the only adhesive issue produced by Postmaster W.E. Bass during the Stampless Period. Printed by A. E. Crutchfield & Company in sheets of ten, the stamps were typeset using local newspaper presses and paid the standard Confederate letter rate in effect until July 1862.
This example is notable both for its early November 1861 use and the beautifully embossed advertising corner card—one of only three recorded Petersburg provisionals used on cameo corner card envelopes. The addressee, Perry L. Derby, was a prominent Dinwiddie County plantation owner and father of Col. Charles A. Derby, who would command the 44th Alabama Infantry at Second Manassas, where he was wounded, and later fall in action at Sharpsburg (Antietam).
A highly attractive Confederate provisional usage with an uncommon illustrated merchant corner card, and a poignant connection to a Southern family that would pay a high price in service of the Confederate cause.
Ex Hind & Emerson, signed Dietz, cat. value $2,000. (Image)
Est.US$750-1,000
Opening US$ 750.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 102
Symbol: Cover
Cat No: 68XU1
(68XU1) Raleigh, North Carolina red “PAID 5” provisional handstamped envelope struck alongside matching “Raleigh, N.C.” double-circle cds on cover addressed to Hon. Thomas Ruffin, near Graham, Alamance County, North Carolina. The “PAID 5” marking represents a locally applied provisional rate handstamp used at Raleigh during the early Confederate postal period, confirming prepayment of the 5¢ single-weight letter rate. Its placement alongside the clear Raleigh double-circle cds creates a well-balanced and distinctive usage.
The addressee, Hon. Thomas Ruffin (1820–1863), was a prominent North Carolina lawyer and political figure. A graduate of the University of North Carolina, Ruffin served as a U.S. Congressman before representing North Carolina in the Confederate Provisional Congress at Richmond in July 1861. He later served as a colonel in the First North Carolina Cavalry and was mortally wounded in action in October 1863. His correspondence is particularly desirable for its direct association with Confederate political leadership during the formative months of the new government.
A desirable piece of Confederate postal history combining the Raleigh provisional rate handstamp with a strong personal and political provenance, illustrating routine intrastate correspondence during the early period of Confederate postal administration.
Initialed by Patricia A. Kaufmann. (Image)
Est.US$300-500
Opening US$ 300.00
Please Login
Sale No: 0626A
Lot No: 103
Symbol: (*)
Cat No: 81X1
(81X1) Tellico Plains, Tennessee Postmaster’s Provisional 1861 5c red, Setting B (comma after “Johnson”), unused with no gum and large margins on three sides, just clear at top. A couple of tiny scuffs in top margin do not detract from the overall fine appearance.
The Tellico Plains provisional is one of the smallest and most elusive Confederate locals, printed by the same firm as the Rheatown issue using a three-subject typeset form. For the Tellico Plains stamps, the office and postmaster’s names were modified and the right-hand subject reset as a 10¢ value, creating a distinctive provisional format. Only nine examples are recorded, eight unused and one used, with Setting B.
Despite the minor scuffs noted, this is a nice example of the 5c Tellico Plains Postmaster’s Provisional and represents a rare opportunity to acquire this seldom-encountered Confederate local issue.
Ex Hind, with 2015 PSAG certificate, cat. value $2,000. (Image)
