St. Louis, Mo., 10c Black, 20c Black on Gray Lilac (11X5, 11X6). 10c Type I, Position 2, 20c Type I, Position 1, huge margins to just touched, both stamps without the usual manuscript cancel, 20c uncancelled except for tiny bit of red ink in right margin, 10c well-tied by red "St. Louis Mo. Jun. 12" circular datestamp with matching "Paid" straightline handstamp on blue 1846 folded letter to Charnley & Whelen in Philadelphia, light horizontal file fold well away from stamps

VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE COMBINATION FRANKING OF THE 10-CENT AND 20-CENT ST. LOUIS POSTMASTER'S PROVISIONAL ISSUE ON GRAY LILAC PAPER. THIS IS ONE OF ONLY THREE COMBINATION COVERS WITH THE 10-CENT AND 20-CENT STAMPS ON GRAY LILAC PAPER.

Of the three known 20c/10c combination covers, one is similarly cancelled with both stamps tied (ex Faiman) and the other is a se-tenant pair cancelled by penstroke (also ex Faiman). In all likelihood, all St. Louis "Bears" in unused condition are actually uncancelled stamps removed from covers. Therefore, in our opinion, the 20c stamp on this cover qualifies as an "unused" stamp with a Scott value of $100,000.00 (the Scott footnote describes the other uncancelled copy, ex Faiman, as "unique').

Ex Weill Brothers, Hill, Berlin. With 1989 and 2008 P.F. certificates

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