5c Red Brown (1). Large margins except at left where the slightly irregular margin clears frameline, tiny corner crease at bottom left, clear strike of Wheeling, Virginia, red 7-bar grid precancel at upper right corner, no other cancellation, blue "Wheeling Va. Oct. 1" circular datestamp on 1847 folded letter Kanawha C.H. Va., trivial cover soiling and light vertical file folds well away from stamp

VERY FINE. THIS IS A NEWLY-DISCOVERED 5-CENT 1847 COVER WITH THE WHEELING GRID. IT IS THE EARLIEST OF THE FOUR RECORDED 5-CENT WHEELING GRID COVERS, AND, SINCE NO OTHER CANCELLATION WAS APPLIED TO THE STAMP, THIS COVER DEMONSTRATES THAT THE WHEELING GRID SERVED AS A PRECANCEL.

This cover is offered to the market for the first time. It is consigned by a long-established Virginia family and was found in a family member's correspondence.

The red grid of Wheeling, Virginia, was applied to sheets of the 5c and 10c 1847 Issue, precisely at the center of each block of four. Some have argued that the Wheeling grid is a control mark, not a precancel, because almost all examples were additionally cancelled by the customary "Paid" or grid in blue. However, the example offered here, an early use, has no other cancel on the stamp, indicating that the Wheeling postmaster considered the stamp cancelled. This use meets every criteria for a precancel.

The Alexander census lists three 5c and four 10c covers with the Wheeling grid. This cover, held by the addressee's descendants since 1847, now becomes the fourth 5c cover. The earliest 10c cover is dated October 1, 1847. Only two others are cancelled solely by the Wheeling control marking.

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