Price of US Stamps Scott 11X7: 1846 5c St Louis Postmasters Provisional. Page 1

St. Louis, Missouri, 5c Black on Bluish Pelure (11X7). Type III, Position 5 with retouched ball in “5”, full margins to barely touched at lower left, detailed impression, cancelled by single unobtrusive manuscript line which leaves entire design clearly visible, tiny scissors-cut at bottom right just into frameline VERY FINE. EXCEPTIONALLY CHOICE CONDITION FOR THIS RARE ST. LOUIS “BEARS” PROVISIONAL ON PELURE PAPER, EXAMPLES OF WHICH ARE SELDOM ENCOUNTERED IN SOUND CONDITION AND WITH A LIGHT CANCELLATION. A survey of our Levi records and auction catalogues produced a tally of approximately 35 examples of the 5c Pelure off and on cover. The vast majority have faults or margins cutting into the design. This lightly-cancelled stamp with a tiny scissors-cut is one of the most attractive of all, and it is essentially sound. Ex Caspary, Pope and Wagshal. With 1985 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail $11,000.00, but footnote states: “Values of Nos. 11X7-11X8a, on and off cover, reflect the usual poor condition of these stamps, which were printed on fragile pelure paper. Attractive examples with minor defects sell for considerably more.”

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Dec 2013, Sale 1062, Lot 24

St. Louis Mo., 5c Black on Bluish (Scott 11X7). Type III, Position 5 with retouched ball in “5”, large margins to just in, neat penstroke cancel, few faults including sealed tear at top center and repair at lower left FINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT ST. LOUIS PROVISIONAL ON PELURE PAPER. A survey of our Levi records and auction catalogues produced a tally of approximately 35 examples of the 5c Pelure off and on cover. The vast majority of these stamps has faults or margins cutting into the design. Ex T. Cullen Davis (“Texas Collector”, Siegel Sale 278). From our 1975 Rarities sale where offered with the five surrounding lots as part of a complete plate reconstruction.

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jun 2012, Sale 1025, Lot 55

St. Louis Mo., 5c Black on Bluish (Scott 11X7). Type II retouched, Position 3, full margins to barely touched, cancelled by neat penstrokes, faint vertical crease at center FINE APPEARANCE. A SCARCE EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT ST. LOUIS PROVISIONAL ON PELURE PAPER. A survey of our Levi records and auction catalogues produced a tally of approximately 35 examples of the 5c Pelure off and on cover. The vast majority of these stamps has faults or margins cutting into the design. Ex T. Cullen Davis (“Texas Collector”, Siegel Sale 278). From our 1975 Rarities sale where offered with the five following lots as part of a complete plate reconstruction. Blue backstamp shows thru at bottom.

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jun 2012, Sale 1025, Lot 53

St. Louis Mo., 5c Black on Bluish (Scott 11X7). Type I retouched, Position 1, margins to just in, cancelled by bold strike of red “PAID” handstamp, slightly dry print, light crease at lower right FINE APPEARANCE. A SCARCE EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT ST. LOUIS PROVISIONAL ON PELURE PAPER. A survey of our Levi records and auction catalogues produced a tally of approximately 35 examples of the 5c Pelure off and on cover. The vast majority of these stamps has faults or margins cutting into the design. Ex T. Cullen Davis (“Texas Collector”, Siegel Sale 278). From our 1975 Rarities sale where offered with the five surrounding lots as part of a complete plate reconstruction.

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jun 2012, Sale 1025, Lot 54

o St. Louis, Mo., 1846, 5¢ black on bluish pelure (11X7), type III, position 5, clear to large margins except barely touching lower left corner; unobtrusive small, light pen cancel, tiny vertical scissors cut lower right corner; exceptionally fresh and F.-V.F. Scott $11,000 A REMARKABLE EXAMPLE OF THIS RARE STAMP, WHICH IS NEARLY ALWAYS FAULTY (DUE TO THE TISSUE THIN QUALITY OF THE PELURE PAPER) AND/OR POORLY MARGINED. EASILY AMONG THE FINEST KNOWN OFF COVER SINGLES. Expertization: 1985 PF Certificate. Provenance: Caspary, Pope, Wagshal. Scott states that the values listed for pelure paper issues reflects the usual poor condition of these stamps— attractive examples with minor defects (such as the present example) sell for considerably more.

Matthew Bennett International, Feb 2012, Sale 340, Lot 18

St. Louis Mo., 5c Black on Bluish Pelure (11X7). Type V, Position 3 re-engraved, mostly ample margins to clear at upper left and just barely touched along bottom frameline, neat manuscript “X” cancel, strong impression on fresh semi-translucent paper, vertical crease ending in small closed tear (the tear is noted on certificate) VERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE OF THE RARE ST. LOUIS “BEARS” 5-CENT PROVISIONAL ON PELURE PAPER. A survey of our Levi records and auction catalogues produced a tally of approximately 35 examples of the 5c Pelure off and on cover. The vast majority of these stamps has faults or margins cutting into the design. Ex Pope. With 1985 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail $11,000.00, but footnote states: “Values of Nos. 11X7-11X8a, on and off cover, reflect the usual poor condition of these stamps, which were printed on fragile pelure paper. Attractive examples with minor defects sell for considerably more.”

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2010, Sale 993, Lot 16

St. Louis Mo., 5c Black on Bluish (11X7). Type V (Position 3 re-engraved) at left and Type IV (Position 1 re-engraved) at right, each with ample margins almost all around, just barely in in places, tied by single penstroke and tied together by bright red “Paid” handstamp, matching strike with manuscript “10” rate and “St. Louis Mo. Apr. 8” (1847) circular datestamp on front (with one side panel) to J. & J. Stuart & Co. in New York City, vertical file fold through one stamp, but barely affecting it VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF SIX RECORDED COVERS OR FRONTS BEARING THE RARE ST. LOUIS 5-CENT “BEARS” PROVISIONAL ON PELURE PAPER, OF WHICH THREE HAVE MULTIPLE FRANKINGS. A SENSATIONAL UNITED STATES PROVISIONAL RARITY AND CERTAINLY ONE OF THE HIGHEST RANKING ST. LOUIS “BEARS” ITEMS EXTANT. The second and final alteration to the St. Louis “Bears” plate restored the two “5” (cent) denominations to Positions 1 and 3, where the “20” (cent) numerals had been engraved during the first alteration of the plate. The “20” numerals had been engraved in an entirely different style, but the re-engraved “5” numerals closely match the numerals on the original plate. When this alteration was made, the engraver also strengthened the dot inside the ball at the bottom end of the “5” in Position 5, which gives us an easy way to differentiate between Position 5 stamps printed on Gray Lilac paper (without the large dot) and stamps from the same position printed on Bluish Pelure paper (with the dot). The 5c stamps from the re-engraved Positions 1 and 3 have noticeably different numerals and should really be called Types IV and V, rather than “Types I and II re-engraved” (we hope to cause a change in the Scott Catalogue with this description). The stamps on the cover offered here are Types IV and V. The St. Louis “Bears” stamps on Pelure paper are the among the rarest stamps in the world. The census data reproduced in the Faiman collection sale catalogue (Matthew Bennett, Oct. 31, 2003) lists six covers (one of which is a front) for the 5c Pelure (Scott 11X7) and two covers and two fronts for the normal 10c (Scott 11X8), plus the unique 11X8a cover offered in lot 12. Two of the 5c covers have two stamps for the 10c rate (including this one), and one has four 5c Pelure stamps and a 10c Greenish, but the stamps are extensively repaired. Ex Arthur Hind (Phillips-Kennett sale, Nov. 20-24, 1933, lot 82), Alfred H. Caspary (H. R. Harmer sale, Nov. 15, 1955, lot 147), T. Cullen Davis (“Texas Collector”, Siegel Sale 278, Nov. 19, 1964, lot 59) and John D. Pope III (John A. Fox sale, Dec. 1, 1984, lot 58). With 1985 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2010, Sale 993, Lot 13

St. Louis Mo., 5c Black on Bluish Pelure (11X7). Type III retouched, Position 5, ample margins to clear at bottom and just touching frameline at lower left corner, almost uncancelled with a very small single line pen cancel at left, strong impression on fresh semi-translucent paper, small scissors-cut at bottom right corner noted on certificate (has since been reinforced with a tiny hinge sliver) VERY FINE. EXCEPTIONALLY CHOICE CONDITION FOR THIS RARE ST. LOUIS “BEARS” PROVISIONAL ON PELURE PAPER, EXAMPLES OF WHICH ARE SELDOM ENCOUNTERED IN SOUND CONDITION AND WITH A LIGHT CANCELLATION. A survey of our Levi records and auction catalogues produced a tally of approximately 35 examples of the 5c Pelure off and on cover. The vast majority of these stamps has faults or margins cutting into the design. This lightly-cancelled stamp with a tiny scissors-cut is one of the most attractive of all, and it is essentially sound. Ex Caspary and Pope. With 1985 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail $11,000.00, but footnote states: “Values of Nos. 11X7-11X8a, on and off cover, reflect the usual poor condition of these stamps, which were printed on fragile pelure paper. Attractive examples with minor defects sell for considerably more.”

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2010, Sale 993, Lot 14

St. Louis Mo., 5c Black on Bluish Pelure (11X7). Type IV, Position 1 re-engraved, mostly ample margins, just barely touched along bottom frameline, neat manuscript “X” cancel, strong impression on semi-translucent paper, several pinpoint breaks in thin pelure paper mostly where ink has slightly eroded paper (not noted on certificate) VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RELATIVELY SOUND AND QUITE HANDSOME EXAMPLE OF THE RARE ST. LOUIS “BEARS” 5-CENT PROVISIONAL ON PELURE PAPER. A survey of our Levi records and auction catalogues produced a tally of approximately 35 examples of the 5c Pelure off and on cover. The vast majority of these stamps has faults or margins cutting into the design. Ex Col. E. H. R. Green and Pope. Scott Retail $11,000.00, but footnote states: “Values of Nos. 11X7-11X8a, on and off cover, reflect the usual poor condition of these stamps, which were printed on fragile pelure paper. Attractive examples with minor defects sell for considerably more.”

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Sep 2010, Sale 993, Lot 15

St. Louis Mo., 5c Black on Bluish (Scott 11X7). Type III, Position 5, large margins incl. huge bottom left corner sheet margins, tied by ms. cross strokes and “5” and also by red “Paid” handstamp, matching “St. Louis Mo. Mar. 4” circular datestamp on 1847 folded letter to St. Charles Mo., stamp with a small sealed tear at top right EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS THE UNIQUE CORNER-MARGIN EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT ST. LOUIS POSTMASTER’S PROVISIONAL ON BLUISH PAPER. A MAGNIFICENT COVER FROM THE FAMOUS PETTUS CORRESPONDENCE. Pelure paper was used for the last printing after the 20c denomination on Positions 1 and 3 was burnished out and the 5c values were re-engraved. At the time of this modification to the plate, Position 5 was slightly altered by adding a dot within the bottom ball of the figure “5”, as visible on this example. Pelure stamps are almost always faulty and often seriously defective. The Bennett census of St. Louis provisional covers lists six 11X7 covers, of which this is by far the finest. It was unavailable to collectors until the Pettus correspondence reached the market during the 1980’s. Ex Faiman. With 2004 P.F. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Jun 2009, Sale 973, Lot 13