2017 Rarities of the World continued...

VERY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE.

With 1995 P.F. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE IN THE ORANGE BROWN SHADE.

With 1991 P.S.E. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE AND CHOICE. AN OUTSTANDING AND RARE SOUND, UNUSED, FOUR-MARGIN EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE.

The 1847 Issue is much scarcer in unused condition than other issues, because the stamps were demonetized in 1851. They could be exchanged for the new issue, but once the exchange period ended, the stamps would have no postage value. Considering the purchasing power of ten cents in 1851, it is not surprising that the stamps were either used or exchanged, rather than left for future generations of collectors.

With 2001 P.S.E. certificate (Image)

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FINE AND SCARCE UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE.

With 1994 P.F. certificate (Image)

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FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE ORIGINAL-GUM PAIR OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE.

To underscore the rarity of any original-gum multiple of the 10c 1847, there are only three unused blocks recorded (two with original gum), one of which is contained in the Hirzel collection at the Swiss PTT Museum. Only four pairs and a strip of three could be located in our computerized sale records using Power Search.

With 2016 P.S.E. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE. A SPECTACULAR TRIPLE-RATE USE OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE FROM CANADA TO NEW YORK. ONE OF THE FEW EXAMPLES OF THIS RARE USE WITH THE STAMPS TIED BY A UNITED STATES POST OFFICE MARKING, AND THE LARGEST RECORDED 1847 ISSUE FRANKING FROM CANADA.

The 10c 1847 Issue stamps were affixed to the cover in Canada and paid the triple rate from the border to New York City. Canadian postage "to the lines" was paid in cash, with the "1/6" (1sh, 6p) rate reflecting the quadruple-rate to the border (triple rate was not possible in Canada -- see below for an explanation). Among all the 1847 Issue covers from Canada recorded in the USPCS online census, this is the only cover with an over-300 miles triple-rate franking for U.S. postage and the highest franking from Canada.

The Post Office Reform Act of 1845 greatly simplified the rate structure for sending mail. It provided for a 10c rate per half ounce for distances over 300 miles, with an increase of 10c for each additional half ounce or portion thereof.

A clause included in the Act of March 3, 1849 (30th Congress, Session II, Ch. 104) modified the postage on a letter weighing more than one ounce to bring U.S. domestic rate progression in line with the 1848 U.S.-Great Britain postal treaty, which had gone into effect on February 15, 1849. The relevant clause reads:

"That the better to enable the postal treaty with Great Britain to go Into full effect with equal advantage to both countries, letters shall be mailed as composing one rate only where the letter does not exceed the weight of a half ounce avoirdupois; where it exceeds a half ounce, but does not exceed an ounce, as composing two rates; where it exceeds an ounce, but does not exceed two ounces, as composing four rates..."

This change eliminated the 30c rate for a letter weighing between one and one-and-a-half ounces and traveling over 300 miles. Letters weighing between one and two ounces would be charged four times the single rate (40c for distances over 300 miles). The elimination of the triple rate went into effect with the Postmaster General's notice on March 15, 1849. Therefore, the use of 1847 Issue stamps to prepay a triple rate was allowed for approximately 20 months. This cover was mailed in February 1849, just before the rate change went into effect.

Ex Dale-Lichtenstein, Peyton and Kapiloff (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. A SUPERB DIAGONAL BISECT OF THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE, USED TO PAY THE 5-CENT UNDER-300 MILES RATE JUST A FEW WEEKS PRIOR TO DEMONETIZATION OF THE 1847 ISSUE.

Effective July 1, 1851, the basic letter rate was reduced to 3c for domestic letters sent up to 3,000 miles. New stamps were issued to accommodate the new rates, and the old stamps were demonetized and invalid for postage after June 30, 1851. This letter was sent June 5, 1851, less than a month prior to demonetization.

Ex Caspary (Image)

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VERY FINE. A RARE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE VERTICAL BISECT ON A COVER WITH GREEN POSTMARKS.

This is the only recorded 1847 Issue cover from Dodgeville, Wisconsin, bisect or otherwise. The presence of green cancels makes it an even more desirable use of the 10c 1847 Issue.

Scott Retail $30,000.00 (Image)

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