A rare Type I Alexandria VA Postmaster Provisional sold on December 11 at a specialist, four day sale in Baltimore for $460,000.
The stamp, which is believed to be only one of three Alexandria Postmaster Provisionals mounted on a complete cover, and one of only six still in existence, is considered an unusually rare and important specimen by US collectors.
 One of only six known examples in existence. |
A type II example of the Alexandria VA sold in March 2012 for $550,000. The sale price represented a strong 450% increase on its $100,000 presale estimate. This latest sale confirms the popularity of these great rarities.
Provisional stamps are revered by collectors because they predate the release of the US' first official postage stamp, which was introduced in 1847.
Postmaster Provisionals represented a straightforward method of prepaying for stamps and envelopes between 1845 and 1847. This specimen is dated August 25, 1846 and has been stamped with the word Paid and the number 5 in a rectangular frame. It is thought to be a very fine example with excellent providence.
Here at Paul Fraser Collectibles we have a plethora of rare stamps in stock, including covers from Great Britain and Hong Kong.
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