Cover With Fractional Currency As Postage On FDR Collection

Hi,
New to the forum. I would appreciate some help with this cover from the FDR collection. It uses some fractional currency as postage. It was airmailed to the Azores in 1939. Does anyone have the Harmer catalog with this cover...description, sale price.
I'm trying to find out some information about it.
Any help will be appreciated

Hi Tomx4 Firstly about the FDR collection sold by Harmer. FDR's estate sold his collection of covers and stamps through Harmer in large lots which were mostly purchased by stamp dealers. FDR's collection consisted mainly of common items, so Harmer applied the "from the FDR collection" notation to add value to what otherwise would be $1 box covers and penny stamps.

As to your cover, it's a great example of a philatelic cover. The fractional currency is used so far out of date that it can only be disregarded (are there reprints of these items?). What you're left with is a registered flight cover (possibly with missing stamps bottom right of top scan) signed by captain and crew. I would guestimate that the value is not more than $10-20.

However, I'm thinking that perhaps the fractional currency soaked off the cover might be worth more than the cover as it now stands. Or does the out of date cancel kill the value? Perhaps someone with knowledge of these issues can advise.

Thanks so much for the info on the cover. I am a collector of fractional currency. Very few examples of fractional currency (originally was called postage currency) were used as postage. There are presently 5 known. All of them were used after the currency no longer circulated. This cover (6th known) is the latest dated one that I have seen. The other 5 have sold for $1800-$3500.
I was wondering if this cover was individually listed in the Harmer sale or if it was sold in a bulk lot.
Here is another example.

I am going to defer to others with more knowledge, but I do believe that cover collectors want items with stamps used in period. Anything else devalues the cover from a collector's point of view by turning the item into a philatelic one, i.e. put together merely for the purpose of creating a collectible cover. Obviously the fractional currency still has value, but has no part of the postage paid.

Do you have any scans of 5 covers which have sold for $1800-$3500?

The term "fractional currency" is not accurate. These were "postage currency" notes. Fractional currency refers to actual legal tender (non-postal) issued in amounts less than one dollar.

I would be happy to buy this cover for $50., or $100., or $250., or 500. If I were still a cover dealer as I was back in the 1980s, I would price this at $750/1,000. To a postage currency collector, this is a VERY nifty item. From the FDR Collection also adds value. But I don't see it as being a $2,000. item.