A rare cover featuring the Reed's City Despatch stamp is to auction at Robert A Siegel in New York on June 24.
It's among the highlights of the Larry Lyons collection of San Francisco postal history, with a valuation of $10,000-15,000.
 Reed's City Despatch was one of San Francisco's earliest local postal services |
The lot is one of only two recorded examples of the issue printed on blue paper. There is one other known specimen that is printed on green paper. All three are used and appear on different covers.
Henry Reed operated a postal service in San Francisco during the 1850s, following the collapse of his former employer the Adams Express.
Siegel explains: "The December 17, 1853, edition of the Daily Alta California carried an advertisement by Reed that is considered to be the inaugural announcement of this post, the earliest established in San Francisco.
"In our opinion, the great rarity of Reed's City Despatch Post stamps, coupled with the post's historic position as the first San Francisco local, makes this one of the most significant and desirable of all American local post covers."
Other lots in the sale include a Pony Express cover dating to 1860 that is expected to make $7,500-10,000.
You can take a look at our stamps for sale here.
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