2012 Rarities of the World continued...

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

Ex Crocker. (Image)

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

Ex Consul Klep. 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)

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

Attractive as the entire design is clearly visible. (Image)

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VERY FINE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT ST. LOUIS PROVISIONAL ON GREENISH PAPER. APART FROM THE INCOMPARABLE ORIGINAL-GUM CORNER COPY RECENTLY OFFERED IN OUR FRELINGHUYSEN SALE, THIS IS THE ONLY OTHER UNUSED EXAMPLE WE HAVE EVER OFFERED. IT IS ALSO DESIRABLE WITH THE SHEET MARGIN AT TOP.

Ex T. Cullen Davis ("Texas Collector", Siegel Sale 278). With 1974 P.F. certificate. (Image)

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VERY FINE AND CHOICE. AN ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT ST. LOUIS POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL TIED ON PIECE BY A RED CIRCULAR DATESTAMP.

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)

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VERY FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT ST. LOUIS POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL ON GREENISH PAPER.

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)

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FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT ST. LOUIS PROVISIONAL ON GREENISH PAPER.

With 1980 P.F. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE. AN ATTRACTIVE USE OF THE 10-CENT ST. LOUIS POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL ON GREENISH PAPER.

Palmyra is approximately 125 miles north of St. Louis. The manuscript "5" indicates that the post office treated this as a 5c under-300 miles single-rate letter. The use of the 10c stamp was either in error (the 5c and 10c stamps were in the same sheet) or in anticipation of weight over a half-ounce. (Image)

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VERY FINE AND CHOICE. A RARE AND DESIRABLE SOUND FOUR-MARGIN EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT ST. LOUIS POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL ISSUE ON GRAY LILAC PAPER. A WONDERFUL CONDITION RARITY.

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.

A review using Power Search shows that most examples of this issue either have faults or margins into the design. Power Search contains only six sound four-margin copies not in multiples: 1) pen cancel, ex Concord, Vineyard and Wall, 2) pen cancel, ex Twigg-Smith (2001 Siegel sale), 3) red cancel, barely clear, ex Twigg-Smith (2001 Siegel sale), 4) pen cancel, 1980 Rarities sale, 5) heavy pen cancel, 1974 Rarities sale, and 6) the example offered here. We estimate perhaps another half-dozen may exist in this condition.

Ex F.W. Hunter and Moody. Small "W.H.C." (Colson) backstamp. With 1967 P.F. certificate. Offered to the market for the first time since our 1970 Rarities sale. (Image)

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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 (Image)

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FINE APPEARANCE. A SCARCE 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.

With 1962 P.F. certificate. (Image)

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