Scott #1 Not Cancelled on Cover to France

just fount this , a certified letter with an uncancelled #1 to France.


Just to be clear, this is not mine, its up for sale by someone I do not know, but I found it very interseting and would like to hear opinions, I am concidering bidding for it






this is the scan of the stamp, rest of the info found here:

https://veiling.catawiki.nl/kavels/...us=favorites

what colour would you think this is, a #1D?

No pre-payment required on mail sent to France at the time, so no stamps were required.

The letter mentions an enclosure that under the circumstances would double the postage (if over 1/2 oz). So, if going by mail from New York to Boston the letter is short five cents postage. However, since the missive was going out of country the letter wouldn't even be accepted because the PO had no opportunity to collect the postage due.

Most curious. The dateline is December 15th while the Britannia departed Boston on December 16th. So, under the circumstances if posted in New York the letter would never make the ship sailing the next day. Obviously the sender had no intention of mailing the letter and hand-carried it to Boston, or had it boot-legged by another individual.

The stamp is a first issue orange-brown. However, burning a five-cent stamp on a letter to be hand-carried seems suspicious. People do stupid things, particularly inattentive clerks. So, it's not impossible the stamp could have originated, but not very likely either.

Color and impression seem a bit too good to be true.

Something is fishy. The game is afoot!

This cover is in the 1847 5c and 10c cover Census DB on the US Philatelic Classics website, as entry 5966

See: https://www.uspcs.org/resource-cent...over-census/




No indication it is not legitimate.

Any 1847 5c or 10c cover you might have a question about should be checked here.

The top looks razor cut to me. The other 3 edges appear fine. Seems a bit too nice to be true though and from the comments above I'd pass on it if it were up to me.

superb. how do I find the auctions back, I am getting confused

Corner crease lower right should be noted

Note also that the cover in question includes a Ceres cert. (last image on auction page).

yes I have seen, but it is blurry...and same cover, but almost looks like different stamp. thats why I would love to know how to find these auctions back to see the pictures

or a place to check the certificate

hoping one of the SCM speaks french and can read if cert states not-cancelled as well

Cert says the stamp is glued on (that's it) and goes on to say the cover is genuine without repairs or alteration.

Isn't this stamp worth more off-cover than on? An unused #1 NG is worth 4X the price on cover.

KRelyea, True.

However, a faulty stamp added to a stampless cover is a typical ruse. It's easier to believe that a valuable unused stamp as this would have been soaked-off ages ago.