2016 Rarities of the World continued...

VERY FINE. AN ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT BALTIMORE POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL ON BLUISH PAPER. A GREAT RARITY IN SUCH PRISTINE CONDITION.

Unlisted in the Hayes census, which does list one used to the same recipient on April 22. With 2010 P.F. certificate (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

EXTREMELY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT BLUE BALTIMORE PROVISIONAL ENTIRE.

No. 31 in the Hayes census. From the Weill sale. Ex "Concord," "Laila" and "Hampshire". With 2002 P.F. certificate. (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS THE EARLIEST DOCUMENTED USE OF THE 10-CENT RED PROVISIONAL ENTIRE ON MANILA, OF WHICH ONLY FIVE ARE RECORDED. A GREAT POSTMASTERS' PROVISIONAL RARITY.

No. 18 in the Hayes Census. This rare provisional entire realized $3,250 hammer in our 1974 Rarities sale.

Ex Hansen. With 1969 P.F. certificate. (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS THE ONLY BRATTLEBORO FROM POSITION 7 KNOWN ON COVER, AND THE ONLY STAMP FROM THIS POSITION CANCELLED BY THE RED "PAID" HANDSTAMP.

The unpublished Brattleboro census by Philip T. Wall lists a total of 52 stamps, including 20 stamps on 19 covers.

Ex Allen and Hansen. With 2004 P.F. certificate (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

VERY FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT ST. LOUIS POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL ISSUE ON GREENISH PAPER.

An attractive example as the entire design is clearly visible. (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT ST. LOUIS POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL CANCELLED SOLELY BY THE RED CIRCULAR DATESTAMP.

With 1993 and 2008 P.F. certificates. Scott Retail $8,000.00 for normally pen-cancelled stamp off cover -- Scott pricing note states: "Values for used off-cover stamps are for pen-cancelled copies. Handstamp cancelled copies sell for much more." (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

FRESH AND FINE. A RARE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT ST. LOUIS POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL ISSUE ON GRAY LILAC PAPER. ONLY ONE POSITION ON THIS STATE OF THE PLATE IS A 5-CENT STAMP.

The St. Louis "Bears" stamps were printed from a single plate of six subjects (two horizontal by three vertical) that was modified twice to change the denominations of two positions. The original plate contained three 5c stamps at left and three 10c stamps at right. All stamps from the first state of the plate were printed on Greenish paper. The plate was then altered by burnishing out the "5" on Positions 1 and 3 and engraving a new "20" denomination. A small printing on Greenish paper was made from this altered plate. 5c stamps (Position 5) and 10c stamps (Positions 2/4/6) on Greenish Paper cannot usually be identified as original or altered plate impressions (the 20c on Greenish paper is a great rarity). The larger portion of stamps from the altered plate are on Gray Lilac paper. However, because only one of six subjects was a 5c value, the 5c on Gray Lilac is an extremely rare stamp -- perhaps even rarer than the 20c on Gray Lilac. The plate was modified again by burnishing out each "20" and engraving the old "5" denomination (third state). At the time of this second alteration, a large ball was engraved inside the end curl of the numeral "5" on Position 5. As far as we know, all stamps from the third state of the plate were printed on a very thin pelure paper. These were the last stamps used before the 1847 Issue was placed on sale in St. Louis.

Sound examples of this issue are rare, and this stamp has margins almost all around. With 2012 P.F. certificate (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT ST. LOUIS POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL CANCELLED SOLELY BY THE RED CIRCULAR DATESTAMP.

With 1961 and 2012 P.F. certificates. Scott value is for a normally pen-cancelled stamp off cover (footnote states: "Values for used off-cover stamps are for pen-cancelled copies. Handstamp cancelled copies sell for much more.") (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

FINE. A RARE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE 20-CENT GRAY LILAC ST. LOUIS POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL.

The census of 20c St. Louis Bears published in the Faiman catalogue (Bennett, Oct. 31, 2003) contains twelve off-cover singles.

Ex Earl of Crawford and Hind. With 2012 P.F. certificate (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com

FINE APPEARANCE. A SCARCE EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT ST. LOUIS PROVISIONAL ON PELURE PAPER.

A survey of our Levi records and auction catalogues produced a tally of approximately 35 examples of the 5c Pelure off and on cover. The vast majority of these stamps has faults or margins cutting into the design.

Ex T. Cullen Davis ("Texas Collector", Siegel Sale 278). From our 1975 Rarities sale where offered as part of a complete plate reconstruction. Blue backstamp shows thru at bottom. With 2012 P.F. certificate (Image)

Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com