Lot
4191 
Confederacy, SouthN. Letter Unpaid, bold strike of two-line handstamp cancels 3¢ star die entire (U26) addressed to Messrs. Tobias Hendricks & Co. at New York N.Y., "Charleston S.C. Jun 11" cds with matching "Paid 10" circled rating handstamp, matching blue "Louisville Ky. Jun 26" cds and bold "Due 3" overstriking the paid marking; some repaired opening tears at top, otherwise Very Fine, Census No. SLU-10; 1974 C.S.A. and 1975 P.F. certificates. Estimate $10,000 - 15,000.
A RARE AND ATTRACTIVE EXAMPLE OF THE "SOUTHERN LETTER UNPAID" HANDSTAMP USED TO CANCEL A U.S. 3¢ STAR DIE ENTIRE.
ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED FROM CHARLESTON S.C.
United States postal entires used from the South (and postage stamps affixed in the South) were regarded as contraband and were refused as prepayment. On June 24, Dr. J. J. Speed, the postmaster at Louisville, was advised to forward letters from the South to the loyal states after removing postage. With approximately 5,000 such letters accumulating at Louisville by this date, Postmaster Speed employed a more practical means of invalidating postage by creating the "Southern Letter Unpaid" handstamp. According to the census in Special Routes, there are 29 "Southn. Letter Unpaid" covers recorded in the Special Routes book (No. 25 has been deleted as a fake since publication).
Realized: $14,000