Inherited This Bank Note? Is It Rare?

Dec 17th, 1877 3 cent stamp. bank note.fancy cancel 8 point star over stamp.USPS watermarked envelope.

This is not a Bank Note. The "Bank Notes" were a series of stamp issues. This is a stamped envelope entire.

Very neat date stamp and cancellation, but the California collectors will have to weigh in on rarity/scarcity. If it was from my collecting area, I'd jump on it.

The masking tape and tear is a negative, but the strike is strong. It is not a duplex device as the two strikes are not oriented correctly.

It came with that tape on it. Also the envelope is water marked USPS it looks like.

The fancy West Oakland cancel is rated a "3" or scarce in John H. Williams two volume book California Town Postmarks 1849 - 1935 and was only used a short time. From 7 Nov 1877 to 24 Dec 1877.

Hi Braxtonandjess,
Can you post an image of the entire cover?
Don

I found one that sold in 1991 for just over $100. Although no pic, it sounds better than your copy. Your cover is in really damaged condition which is going to drop any value considerably.

https://www.westerncoversociety.org..._1991-04.pdf (near the bottom of the list)