Athens Ga., 5c Purple, Tete-Beche Pair (5X1a). Types I and II in foot-to-foot vertical pair, large margins to in at right of one where piece out, unusual dark line of printing color towards top of the left stamp, cancelled by grid, "Athens Ga. Paid Nov. 14" circular datestamp with high "a" of "Ga." on cover to Capt. George Hillyer, 9th Regiment Georgia Vol., Manassas Va., cover professionally restored and cleaned, stamps professionally cleaned

FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF ONLY FOUR RECORDED COVERS BEARING THE ATHENS PROVISIONAL TETE-BECHE VARIETY. THIS IS THE EARLIEST RECORDED USE ON COVER.

Only four post offices are known to have produced tete-beche provisional varieties: Athens, Macon, Memphis and Nashville. In each case the tete-beche multiple was created by the work-and-turn printing method, as opposed to an inverted cliche among subjects on the plate. All are extremely rare. Of the Athens 5c tete-beche, our records contain four covers, three of which are listed in Crown

1) Nov. 14 (1861) to Capt. George Hillyer, the cover offered here

2) Nov. 25 (1861) to Dr. E. D. Newton, ex Brooks, Jack Solomon, and D.K. Collection (Siegel Sale 1022, lot 1005, realized $15,000 hammer)

3) Dec. 2 (1861) to Capt. Porter King, ex Brooks, Weatherly, Kilbourne and D.K. Collection (Siegel Sale 1022, lot 1005, realized $17,500 hammer)

4) Jan. 6 (1862) to A. H. Stephens, ex Ferrary

There are three additional off-cover tete-beche pairs: 1) large margins, ex Caspary; 2) severely cut into (Siegel Sale 280); and 3) top of Type II clipped off down to oval, originally on a cover to Dr. E. D. Newton, ex Walcott, the pair was removed and offered off cover in the Meroni sale.

With 2013 C.S.A. certificate.

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