St. Louis Mo., 5c Black on Bluish (11X7). Type III, Position 5, large margins incl. huge bottom left corner sheet margins, tied by ms. cross strokes and "5" and also by red "Paid" handstamp, matching "St. Louis Mo. Mar. 4" circular datestamp on 1847 folded letter to St. Charles Mo., stamp with a small sealed tear at top right

EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS THE UNIQUE CORNER-MARGIN EXAMPLE OF THE 5-CENT ST. LOUIS POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL ON BLUISH PAPER. A MAGNIFICENT COVER FROM THE FAMOUS PETTUS CORRESPONDENCE.

Pelure paper was used for the last printing after the 20c denomination on Positions 1 and 3 was burnished out and the 5c values were re-engraved. At the time of this modification to the plate, Position 5 was slightly altered by adding a dot within the bottom ball of the figure "5", as visible on this example. Pelure stamps are almost always faulty and often seriously defective. The Bennett census of St. Louis provisional covers lists six 11X7 covers, of which this is by far the finest. It was unavailable to collectors until the Pettus correspondence reached the market during the 1980's.

Ex Faiman. With 2004 P.F. certificate

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