1c 1857 Number 20 On Unopened Cover

I'm very excited to get this today. Not only is it a beautiful #20, but it's on cover as well, and I've only just started getting into covers. It's from Richmond, and addressed to Col. Josh H. Ayres in Diana Mills, Buckingham county, VA. I haven't googled him yet, so I don't know anything about him.

The big thing, though, is this cover is unopened! I'm in no rush to see the circular (19th century junk mail, hah!) but yeah, it'd be fun to see what it is. The postmark is September, there's no possibility of pushing back the EKU before July 26, 1857.

So what would you do? And what's the acceptable practice for opening a cover, if such a thing is not a crime akin to using an inverted Jenny for postage?

It's beautiful, Otto.

Otto, very nice with beautiful color and light cancel! The cover looks to be in great shape with very little edge wear. It is really nice that the stamp was place away from the edges preventing damage to the stamp. Great pick-up.

I'd have that cover opened in a blink of an eye,
That doesn't mean that is the right thing to do.
I'd leave that to others.

I am with Rod. The temptation would be too great for me not to know what it contains.

Nice find Otto! I'd open it as well (but very carefully). Knowing what the cover carried would add to its value from my perspective.

I was bored and found this postal history section of the SCF, great! That cover would have been unsealed when sent to qualify for the 1c unsealed circular rate. I appears to be unopened because at some point in the last 150 years at has managed to seal itself shut.

Good one, Sinclair, So in its original state it was unsealed, and so opening it would restore (I use that term guardedly) it to its original condition and thereby shouldn't reduce its value.

So how should it be opened? Sponging the flap little by little?

Beautiful cover otto. I just took delivery today of a #24. No cover unfortunately, but a nice sample anyway, with Chicago postmark.
Thanks for reviving this sinclair. Never would have seen it.
Personally I think I'd leave the envelope closed. But, having said that, I wonder if you could steam it open without damaging the front?

Thanks, James. So where's the image/scan of your stamp?

Well, alright. But then Ben and I must toddle off to bed. We're both exhausted.....separate rooms of course.

Very nice, good night.

Opening the envelope wouldn't reduce the value but there is probably 150 differrent ways to damage or destroy it in the process. I don't think mere curiosity is enough to outweigh the risks. If you did insist I think actually applying water in any manner would be wrong, you need to sweat it open. I say leave it alone due to high risk and low rewards.