Evaluation Help Please

Hello all,
I picked these up for a few bucks each and I would like to know what each one is worth, I bought them for the cancellations or markings. I picked up the first one because It has an interesting mark, unsent or something sent I can't really tell, what does that say. This one is a very small envelope. Does the fact that it is small add to the value? Also this still has a very nice letter in it and it's thick. If there is interest I will post it.










The second cover has a nice blue star fancy cancellation. Does the fact that it's blue ink add any value? Does anybody know what this is worth. I really should get a fancy cancel reference book. Also this one does not include a letter. Thanks so much for your help.

It reads "MISSENT"
Hope that helps.

Misent RPO cancel no less... I'm nibbling at the bait.

looked at bait, shallowed hook. (can anyone tell I like to fish?

Thanks rod22, I'm still looking for a appraisal as far as value.

actually the price for the missent RPO according to my RPO Postmark Catalog is $10-20.

Also does anyone know of a good reference book for fancy cancels and their values?

Thanks dlawson281, for the fast response, do you know if the letter adds a few bucks to the value? Also, does anybody know about the second cover?

Does the staining impact the value a lot or not really?

Patience grasshopper ;)
there are lots of US experts aboard here
I just fiddle around the edges,

This may interest you however........
http://goscf.com/t/13841&SearchTerms=new,york


For the record, I could not find any info on a
"Horn and Dunk" RPO anywhere.
Looks interesting.
"TR 12" ?

The second cover is from Carver, Minnesota. It looks like Oarver, but the C is overinked. The ink color doesn't add much catalog value as blue is common. Yellow and green postmarks are usually much better. The postmark is overall nice and readable. The star, or target cancel is not a foreign mail cancellation, but more typically of many small town postmarks. There's many different types of star target cancels. As for value, that's harder to obtain. The stamp is common, but the postmark and address is clean. Letters do add value, but depends on the contents of the letter as to how much. Staining and other damages do detract from value, but again how much is hard to say. I've sold "like" covers for $1-$5, but sometimes upwards of $10-$20. It really depends on the buyers who might be interested versus any catalog value.

As for Horn & Dunk, that stands for Hornell & Dunkirk and was part of the Erie Railroad in Western New York. Tr stains for Train and in this case Train #12.

Here is a short historical note on Carver:

"...By 1855, Carver already had a tailor, a hotel, a boarding house, a building designer, a carpenter, a livery stable, a blacksmith, two shoemakers, and a general store. When the town was platted in 1857, it already had 35 buildings; the school district was established the same year and was known as Minnesota School District #1 for a century. Also during this period, the steamboat "the Antelope" was making daily round trips between Carver and St. Paul, a one-way river run of 32 miles (51 km). Steamboats brought passengers and immigrants, who rapidly opened up the surrounding area to settlement by farmers who could buy land from the U. S. government for $1.25 an acre, as well as the supplied needed to grow these settlements." [Wikipedia]

I love the Carver MN cover. If you are looking to sell it let me know as it would go great in my Minnesota postmark collection. Great strike on that one.

RPO Referance I used is the The United States Railway Post Office Postmark Catalog 1864-1977 by Fred McDonald and Charles L Towle, Mobile Post Office Society INC here after known as "Towles"
Listed as Follows in Towles:
Hornellville&Dunkirk NY 128 miles New York, Lake Erie & Western RR
125-L-1 Horn& Dunk. RPO, 27,black, banknote, T.N. III

Translation: 125-L-1 Towles Ref. #
cancel verbage
27 -- CDS stamp size in MM
Black -- cancel ink
banknote -- Date of use --Banknote Era
III - value ref.

the first cover would go for 1-3.00. It is heavily stained, which affects the value.
The second cover might go for a few dollars more. because it is cleaner.