A St Louis 20c black on grey lilac cover is among the highlights of Robert A Siegel's Rarities of the World auction in New York on June 26.
The lot, valued at $60,000, was part of the 1895 "Louisville Find" - the collection of historically important stamps and covers that were saved from the furnace by a janitor at the last minute.
 The 20c St Louis provisional cover was saved from a fire in 1895 |
The vast majority of the St Louis bears on the market today were discovered in the haul, with this cover one of very few surviving examples.
The issue remains hugely popular among collectors, with a 20c example selling for $85,000 at Robert A Siegel in December last year.
A number of lots pertaining to historically important figures are also offered, including a congressional free frank from Davy Crockett.
 The cover features Davy Crockett's free frank |
Crockett (1786-1836) famously led the defence of the Alamo against the Mexican army during the Texan war of independence and later became an American folk hero.
The cover features his handwritten frank along with a Washington circular date stamp, and is addressed to a Henry Farnham of Concord, New Hampshire.
We have a range of covers available, including this Newfoundland 1859 example sent from St John's to Baltimore.
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