Sale 1155 — United States and Confederate States Postal History
Sale Date — Tuesday, 9 May, 2017
Category — Stampless Cover Exhibits and Group Lots
Civil War Depreciated Currency Exhibit. Mounted and annotated 110-page exhibit with approximately 175 covers (25 outside the exhibit) sent to the United States, arranged chronologically to trace the progression of inflation factors, with steamships and rates discussed for most, destinations to New York and Boston with others including New Orleans, Maine, San Francisco and Baltimore, wide range of originations including Turkey, France, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, Italy, Uruguay, a few others, nice range of Depreciated Currency markings, condition mostly quite freshVERY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING INTACT EXHIBIT OF DEPRECIATED CURRENCY MARKING COVERS, SENT DURING AND IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE CIVIL WAR.
During and after the Civil War, inflation caused the value of the dollar to devalue. Letters sent collect were paid using these devalued Greenbacks. The Treasury therefore started losing money, because foreign postal accounts with other countries were settled in gold. A scheme was launched whereby the collect fee on a letter was charged in "Coin or U.S. Notes". Since inflation was rife, the slugs were interchangeable and could be adjusted. The exhibit offered here, with a wide range of originations and U.S. Notes rates, is a marvelous opportunity to study this subject. It was awarded a vermeil medal in APS competition
Stampless Cover Balance. Folder of approximately 10 items, seven are stampless and several are Missouri related including a few items from the Bill Jennens collection sold by James E. Lee, most interesting probably is a postmaster free letter from St. Genevieve to Kaskaskia Mo. in 1822 (paid $475), also a few others from that collection and an 1821 cover with Louisville circular datestamp, Fine and interesting group
