#10 Three Cent 1e Or I On Jan 1852 Cover

I enjoy the little things about collecting. This to me is one of them.

This is a pale blue folded letter with an Orange Brown stamp that jumps at the eye. Very stunning color, maybe enhanced by some oxidation.

If I've identified this stamp correctly (I've not plated it) as a type I Orange Brown, it would have been printed from plate 1e or 1i. That would've been between early July till early Oct. 1851.

The contents of this folded latter are dated Dec. 26th 1851. The postmark is New York, Jan 3 and Received Jan. 5th.

That means this stamp sat unused for three months.
Hard to imagine a New York post office having stamps sitting for three months. Or did this happen?

The sender is a private Banking firm, Curtis, Beals and Fearing. Would a business purchase stamps in advance? That might explain this use.

Should be a pretty easy stamp to plate. Top row, probably right pane. I will stop just short of guaranteeing it is from the intermediate state. Stamps did linger, maybe not at the large post offices but just about every where else. Late uses are pretty common.

Thanks Winston.


That's what I was thinking. New York City post office would be burning through sheets of stamps quickly. So I'm left to wonder where this stamp was hiding, not because it is rare that way, because I find it intriguing.

I'll plate it so it can be added to StampSmarter

Alas, I'm unable to plate this stamp with any certainty.

In my experience, larger companies were buying stamps in bulk - all along the way until the email was invented

I think 3R1i. That is the best I can come up with without being able to have it in front of me.

Check it out if you can.

stampcrow,

Very nice stamp. I love the cover!

That is a late use for a Type 1 OB... and they're much scarcer than the Catalog would have you believe.

Sinclair2010, I had narrowed it to 2R and 3R. The Chase prints online lack definition for me.

I enjoy this cover. The intense color of the stamp on the pale blue paper makes it really nice.

The guide dot on 2R does not go above the top edge of the top line. The 3R does. The stamp you post seems to have a guide dot that is at least partly above the line.

Yes! it sure does. The line is missing, but if you extrapolate I believe the top of the dot is above the line.

I got this item in the mail yesterday. A June '52 usage of a Plate 1E/i stamp.

Great one!! I love the look of these on blue covers.