New Orleans La., 2c Red (62X2). Full to large margins except where frameline just shaved at upper right, tied by "New Orleans La. 25 Jan." (1862) circular datestamp on manila wrapper to Memphis Tenn. with original printed circular

VERY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING CIRCULAR-RATE USE OF THE RARE NEW ORLEANS 2-CENT RED PROVISIONAL. ONLY TEN COVERS RECORDED IN OUR CENSUS.

The New Orleans postmaster, J. L. Riddell, prepared provisional stamps in June 1861 and advertised them for sale on June 12th. The 2c Red stamps were printed without the marginal inscription "Usable exclusively in the New Orleans Post Office". The 5c and subsequent 2c Blue printings all have the imprint. It is the accepted theory that the 2c Red stamps were printed first, before Riddell added the imprint, and were withheld from use until January 1862 when the supply of 2c Blue stamps was exhausted. The Crown book lists six 2c Red covers, while Dr. Hubert C. Skinner (The Congress Book, 1978) recorded eight covers. We record ten.

Ex Kilbourne.

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