A rare surcharged 'Library Card', one of the most important rarities of postal card collecting, has sold at the top of the Scarsdale Collection Postal Stationary sale at Robert A Siegel Auction Galleries.
 Two of the confirmed examples were from the Long Beach library, while the other is a notification of an Elks Club Christmas Party |
The 1921 1c on 2c Red on Cream postal card sold for $47,500 to lead the March 21 sale in New York. The auction offered part nine of the Scarsdale Collection, which has been sold through the same company since 2006.
Part eight featured the collection's Match and Medicine stamps, led by Dr Moore's 2c Black.
The so-called "Library Card" is prized as one of three confirmed examples of mail to feature the rare 1c on 2c surcharge, which was carried out after the postal rate was lowered following the first world war.
This particular card was revalued at the Los Angeles post office, and was sent by the Long Beach Public Library to notify the recipient that his book had been reserved.
Only four cards bearing this surcharge have ever been reported, two of which are from the Long Beach library. Another bears a notice regarding an Elks Club Christmas Party. The fourth unconfirmed example is also supposed to have been sent from the Elks Club, but has not been seen for 80 years and is feared to be lost to philately.
Also starring was the unique 2c Vermillon on Amber entire from the 1874-1886 Plimpton Issue. Described by the auction house as "one of the greatest rarities of postal stationary collecting and a key to a complete collection", the card sold for $40,000.
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