Sale 273


 
Lot 3147



State Dept., 1873, $2 green & black (O68, O66 [17], O62), the 30¢ includes two pairs and strips of three and four, tied by "New York, Oct 25, 82" duplex cancels to parcel wrapper front to the American Public Library, Stuttgart, Germany; several 30¢ with small or minor faults otherwise Fine, a magnificent usage, Illustrated in the "Chronicle", #188, page 288.
Estimate 50,000 - 75,000

THIS IS THE ONLY KNOWN STATE DOLLAR VALUE ON COVER. IT WAS REFERRED TO IN THE ACKERMAN SALE CATALOGUE AS THE "KOHINOOR" OF ALL OFFICIAL DEPARTMENT COVERS AND IS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE MARKOVITS COLLECTION.

Provenance: Ackerman, Knapp, Hughes, Waud

After the penalty clause handstamp was applied by the Department of State mailroom, the cover (or package) was posted at the main post office in Washington, D.C. There are no D.C. markings as 3rd class mail did not require a datestamp, and there were no stamps to cancel. The package was then posted to New York where the despatch agent applied the proper postage for international printed matter: 11.25 lbs at 2¢ per ½ oz. for a total of $7.20. Interestingly, the New York duplex canceller that was applied was actually appropriate for domestic mail -- not for foreign packages. For an example of the dated oval cancel that was used for foreign parcels, see lot 3115.
The 30¢ strip of four is the largest known multiple of that value; the 10¢ stamp is position 29 showing the short transfer at upper left.


 
Realized $160,000



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