5c Red Brown (1). Mostly full to large margins, clear at top left, dark shade, tied by greenish-blue 6-bar grid cancel, matching “Mic. Central R.R. Mic. Jun. 6” Michigan Central Railroad route agent’s (ca. 1850) circular datestamp on folded cover to Detroit, beautiful clear strikes of datestamp and hand-carved grid cancel, vertical file folds clear of stamp and not noted on certificate

A SCARCE AND HIGH-QUALITY 5-CENT 1847 ISSUE COVER WITH PERFECT STRIKES OF THE MICHIGAN CENTRAL RAILROAD CIRCULAR DATESTAMP AND HAND-CARVED GRID CANCELLATION. A TRULY SPECTACULAR RAILROAD COVER.

The Michigan Central Railroad was incorporated under that name in 1846. It was the successor to the Detroit and St. Joseph Railroad, started in 1836, which became the state-owned Central Railroad of Michigan; both suffered from poor construction and financial difficulties. The line between Detroit and the shores of Lake Michigan was completed in 1849, and extended to Chicago by 1852. The Michigan Central Railroad route agent marking is found on fourteen 1847 Issue covers in the USPCS census, all with 5c stamps, except for the famous “Heidelberg” cover to Germany with a 10c 1847 and strip of five 5c. It is struck in greenish blue, as seen on this cover, as well as black and red. The datestamp is sometimes used to cancel the stamp. In this case it was used with the hand-carved 6-bar grid.

Ex Emerson, Brigham, Matthies (description states “ex Burrus,” but we cannot confirm this), Goldberg and Gross. With 2018 P.F. certificate.

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