Lot 3143
State Dept., 1873, 24¢ dark green (O65), tied by quartered cork cancel, "Washington, D.C., Jun 29" c.d.s., on legal size cover from Beirut, Syria to Alexander Stephens, former C.S.A. vice-president in Crawfordsville, Ga., partly printed U.S. Consulate, Beirut corner card and magenta Dept. of State handstamp, endorsed "Honorable George S. Fisher, Consul to Beirut, Syria"; minor cosmetic refolding. slightly refreshed corner and edge wear, faint water staining, overall Fine-Very Fine appearance, 8-times the 3¢ domestic letter rate.
Estimate 10,000 - 15,000
THE ONLY RECORDED CONSULAR COVER FROM SYRIA AND THE ONLY RECORDED 24¢ STATE COVER AVAILABLE (ONE OTHER WAS IN THE STARNES COLLECTION AND IS PRESUMED LOST).
Provenance: Ackerman, Knapp, Waud
The Charles J. Starnes collection of postal history of the U.S. departments, which contained several high value official covers, was stolen in 1983. Those covers are now presumed lost to philately forever.
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| Realized $16,000 |
