U.S. Penny Post, St. Louis Mo., 2c Blue (8LB3). Cut to oval shape, tied by one of two strikes of curved "Paid" handstamp on 8 x 5-1/8 inch embossed Valentine cover to "Mrs. Scoot, Sixth Street above Morgan, St. Louis, Mo.", with Valentine enclosure, elaborately embellished with gilt and enamel decoration, sender's love poem datelined "St. Louis Feb 12, 1853", part of Valentine enclosure is torn away, the cover is in excellent condition

VERY FINE. ONE OF FOUR RECORDED COVERS BEARING THE ST. LOUIS 2-CENT BLUE CARRIER (8LB3), OF WHICH ONLY FIVE EXAMPLES ARE KNOWN IN TOTAL. A REMARKABLE STAMP, WHICH WAS MODELED UPON THE ONE-CENT 1851-57 FRANKLIN STAMP AND THE 1852 3-CENT SILVER COIN.

Elliott Perry theorized that the design of this stamp was a cross between the 1851 1c stamp (ornamental border) and the 1852 3c silver coin known as a "fish-scale", which had the shield in six-point star design (see Pat Paragraphs, reprint, pp. 263-264). The concept was "something between" 1c and 3c.

Although previous reports date the stamp and covers to 1857, this has an enclosure that appears to have originated with the cover and is clearly dated 1853. Our records contain just five examples of 8LB3: 1) "1 ct" cancel, off cover, ex Golden, Siegel Sale 817, lot 425; 2) tied by "1 ct" in frame on cover to Edwin Harrison, ex Middendorf; 3) used on large Valentine cover to Mrs. Scoot, dated Feb. 13, 1857, ms. "X" cancel (not tied) and "Paid" straightline, ex Bulger, Siegel Sale 846, lot 2403; 4) tied by "1 ct" in frame on cover to Miss St. Denis, Siegel Sale 846, lot 2404; and 5) cut to oval shape, tied by "Paid" in arc on large Valentine cover to Mrs. Scoot, the cover offered here.

Ex Bulger. Accompanied by 1857 3c "trime" silver coin. Scott Retail for a fully-margined stamp tied by handstamp is $55,000.00

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