G. P. Office Dead Letter, Brown Double-Circle Handstamp on 1826 Folded Cover to New York
Stampless folded letter datelined "Albany December 22, 1826" and addressed to Mr. Alden Scovel at the Theological Seminary. Struck with a red Albany circular datestamp dated "26" and a brown "G.P. Office / Dead Letter" double-circle handstamp at top. Manuscript "No 860 / June 26" in red ink at upper left, with manuscript rate markings of "37½" over...
The Philatelic Icons Sale 2026 - Day 1
By: Americana Stamps
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Jun 26, 2026 America/Los_Angeles
Americana Stamps The Philatelic Icons Sale 2026 - Day 1
Friday Jun 26, 2026 19:00 to 23:00 America/Los_Angeles America/Los_Angeles
We are honored to present The Philatelic Icons Sale, the largest and most significant auction Americana Stamps has ever offered.
America's history lives in the letters that crossed goldfields and battle lines, in express covers that linked frontier towns to the outside world, and in the stamps that mark how a young country built its postal system from scratch. This sale brings together more than 1,500 lots that trace that story, including philatelic icons seldom offered to the public.
This auction is a natural fit for 2026, the 250th year of the United States, and for the Boston 2026 World Expo (May 23 to 30, Booth 141), the once-per-decade international exhibition where we are proud to open the sale. More than 750 lots are accompanied by Philatelic Foundation certifications, the largest concentration of certified material we have ever offered in a single sale.
As always, the sale is designed to serve both the collector and the researcher. Whenever available, you can expect:
✔ High-resolution imagery of all aspects of the item
✔ Links to reference articles and supporting research
✔ Links to philatelic certifications
✔ Census data and population insights
✔ Provenance details to trace notable histories
Whether you are pursuing a long-sought rarity or simply enjoy the chance to study material of this caliber, we invite you to explore the Philatelic Icons Sale and join us in Boston for our largest in-person preview to date.
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Showing 251 - 275 of 470
Lot #2101 - U.S. Stampless U.S. 19th Century
Price: $ 50.00
Lot #2102 - U.S. Stampless U.S. 19th Century
The Oldest Known Receipt for a Valuable Letter, 1840 Marshall Post Office Preceding Official Registered Mail
Noted by Cal Hahn as earliest reported receipt for a valuable letter is this one which reads:
"Marshall Post Office Dec. 1, 1840
I do hereby Certify that Messrs. Gorham & Brown have this day deposited in this Office to Mail a letter addressed Higginson & Clapp of New York Containing Two hundred dollars in bills...
Price: $ 500.00
Lot #2103 - U.S. Stampless U.S. 19th Century
1845 Stampless Cover, Utica to Albany, Drop Letter Scarce Albany Drop Letter
Folded stampless letter from Kellogg Hurtqust in Utica, N.Y. to Hon. Mr. Titus, Albany, N.Y., postmarked at Albany with red circular “ALBANY FEB 18” handstamp. Addressed to the Chairman of the Committee on Trade & Manufactures.
Likely sent as a single-sheet collect letter or carried by hand and posted at Albany. Treated as a drop letter as the carrier...
Price: $ 50.00
Lot #2104 - U.S. Stampless U.S. 19th Century
1845 Stampless Printed Circular, New York to Sackets Harbor, Red "New York 1 Aug 2 Cts" and Matching Arced "PAID" Circular Dated July 1, 1845
Folded printed circular dated July 1, 1845, from New York City to Sackets Harbor, N.Y. Entered the mails with a red circular “New York Aug. 1 2 Cts.” marking and matching arced “PAID” handstamp, representing the circular rate under the postal reform of July 1845.
Price: $ 50.00
Lot #2105 - U.S. Stampless U.S. 19th Century
July 1, 1845, Green Berryville, VA Handstamp and Matching "PAID" Straightline on Court Summons First Day of 5c Rate
Court summons mailed July 1, 1845, on the first day of the new 5c standard rate for a 1/2 oz. letter traveling less than 300 miles, postmarked with a green JUL 1 BERRYVILLE, VA circular date stamp and matching “PAID” straightline. The folded legal document is addressed to the Clerk of the Court of Clarke County. A notation...
Price: $ 300.00
Lot #2106 - U.S. Stampless U.S. 19th Century
Buffalo, New York 1847 Stampless Folded Letter with "Paid" in Scroll Handstamp to New York City Penned and Signed by Future President Millard Fillmore
Folded letter datelined “Buffalo, Feby 22th, 1847,” addressed to D. S. Kennedy, Esq., New York City, with clear blue BUFFALO N.Y. double-oval datestamp and matching blue “PAID” in scroll handstamp, manuscript “10” rate marking at upper right. Written and signed by Millard Fillmore during...
Price: $ 300.00
Lot #2107 - U.S. Stampless U.S. 19th Century
1849 Saratoga Springs Stampless Cover, 2c Local Drop Letter Rate, Addressed to Reuben H. Walworth, an Influential Jurist Only Two Known
Folded stampless letter postmarked Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Dec. 22 (1849), addressed locally to Hon. R.H. Walworth. Marked with blue circular town postmark and matching "2" handstamp for the 2c drop letter rate, applicable for letters delivered from the post office without further mailing. The cover with...
Price: $ 100.00
Lot #2108 - U.S. Stampless U.S. 19th Century
Indianapolis, Indiana, 2c Drop Letter, Red "DROP" and "2" in Circle Handstamps Extremely Scarce Usage
Folded letter locally used in Indianapolis, docketed February 13, 1847, with red "DROP" and red "2" in circle rate handstamps. There is a vertical tear through the "2" marking.
A Very Fine example of this extremely scarce drop letter usage; ASCC lists these markings as used circa 1850.
Price: $ 100.00
Lot #2109 - U.S. Stampless U.S. 19th Century
DROP 1 Marking, 1851 Drop Letter to Capt. R.H. Griswold, Lyme New ASCC Listing Example, With Contents
Folded letter from Lyme, Connecticut, dated November 11, 1851, addressed to Capt. R.H. Griswold. "DROP" is 8cm x 4cm, the "1" is 5cm tall.
Captain Robert Harper Griswold was the successful captain of the Black X Line packet ship Toronto.
Price: $ 100.00
Lot #2110 - U.S. Stampless U.S. 19th Century
Boston, Mass., Black Circular Datestamp with Matching Integral "2" Handstamp, on 1851 Stampless Circular to Salem, N.H.
Price: $ 50.00
Lot #2111 - U.S. Stampless U.S. 19th Century
1852 Printed Circular, Boston to Orwell, OH, Red Boston PAID Circular Datestamp Exhibited in Cipolla's 2009 Champion of Champions Exhibit and Grand Award 2009
Red "BOSTON JUNE 8 PAID" postmark on 1852 printed prices current. The unstated rate of 2c was for an unsealed printed circular sent over 500 miles.
Price: $ 100.00
Lot #2112 - U.S. Stampless U.S. 19th Century
Cambridge, Massachusetts, Circular Datestamp on 1852 Stampless Printed Notice of Quarterly Meeting of American Academy of Arts & Sciences Addressed to Notable Astronomer and Director of Harvard College Observatory
Folded letter addressed to William C. Bond, Esq., Cambridge, Mass., with circular "CAMBRIDGE AUG 7 MS." datestamp. The letter is a printed notice from B. A. Gould, Jr., Recording Secretary, announcing a Quarterly Meeting of...
Price: $ 50.00
Lot #2113 - U.S. Stampless U.S. 19th Century
Black "PAID/1/CENT" Circular Handstamp with Bold Strike of Canandaigua, N.Y. Datestamp on 1853 Drop Letter Cover Listing Copy for 1c Drop Rate Handstamp
Folded letter locally addressed and struck with a bold black 35mm "CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. SEP 16" circular datestamp and matching 18mm "PAID/1/CENT" in circle handstamp, indicating the 1c drop letter rate. Addressed to Hon. Alvin Phelps, with pencil docketing dated 1853.
Price: $ 100.00
Lot #2114 - U.S. Stampless U.S. 19th Century
FREE Red Straightline Cancel on 1858 Cover to Postmaster of Southington, Connecticut Interesting Post Office Content Discussing Use of Post Office Buttons
Cover sent from the Boston Post Office to the Postmaster at Southington, with letter enclosure dated September, 1858. The cover is addressed “Postmaster, Southington, Conn.” with a double-lined September 29 Boston circular datestamp. The cover was sent free because it was from a Post...
Price: $ 50.00
Lot #2115 - U.S. Stampless U.S. 19th Century
Taunton, Massachusetts Blue "6 Cts" Within-Town Handstamp on 1854 Double-Weight Stampless Cover with Matching "PAID" Rare 6cts Rate
Stampless cover addressed to Newark, Kendall County, Illinois, with blue circular TAUNTON MASS / 6 CTS marking dated March 27, 1854. The six-cent rate reflects a double-weight within-town rate.
Price: $ 50.00
Lot #2116 - U.S. Stampless U.S. 19th Century
Gleason's Pictorial and Flag of Our Union, Embossed Advertising Stampless Cover, Boston to Ithaca
Stampless embossed advertising cover from the Office of Gleason's Pictorial and Flag of Our Union, corner of Bromfield and Tremont Streets, Boston. Addressed to Louis Palmer, Ithaca, New York. Boston 23 FEB circular integral datestamp. Rated 5c for an unpaid letter (1850-1855).
Price: $ 50.00
Lot #2117 - U.S. Stampless U.S. 19th Century
Boston, Mass., Clear Strike of Rimless Arc with Straightline "PAID", on 1853 Stampless Prices Current Very Fine
Very fine Strike of the Boston Rimless Arc with Straightline PAID SEP 26 handstamp. Printed Boston prices current dated September 24, 1853.
Price: $ 50.00
Lot #2118 - U.S. Stampless Foreign Destination
1805 Bill of Lading with Notarized Affidavit, Pointe-à-Pitre Guadeloupe, on Brig Jane
Printed bill of lading dated August 9, 1805, at Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, signed by ship's master William Marenner of the ship Jane. The reverse with an affidavit executed the same day before the Judicial Tribunal of Saint-Pierre, Guadeloupe, with intact red wax seal of office reading SCEAU JUDICIAIRE DE LA GUADELOUPE.
The bill of lading...
Price: $ 100.00
Lot #2119 - U.S. Stampless Foreign Destination
1828 Folded Letter Nassau, Bahamas to Philadelphia via St, Thomas, Fancy Ship Outline Marking Very Scarce Origin and Ship Marking
Nassau, Bahamas to Philadelphia, PA 1828 via St Thomas & New Haven, CT fancy pictorial SHIP & rated 95 ¾ cts due for 5 X 18 ¾ cts inland + 2cts ship letter fee
Price: $ 360.00
Lot #2120 - U.S. Stampless Foreign Destination
1843 Galápagos Islands Folded Letter with Red New Bedford, Mass Handstamp Among the Earliest Recorded Letters Originating from the Galápagos Islands
Folded letter datelined May 3, 1843, written aboard the whaling ship Eliza L. B. Jenney “off the Galápagos Islands,” endorsed “Per Ship Hector/May 3rd, 1843” and addressed to Bedford, Mass with manuscript "8". The cover with some foxing and a hole at top.
The letter describes the...
Price: $ 500.00
Lot #2121 - U.S. Stampless Foreign Destination
STEAMSHIP 10 and Black "PAID SAN JUAN PORTO RICO" Crowned-circle Handstamp on 1853 Stampless Cover to New York
Some staining and some faults.
Price: $ 200.00
Lot #2122 - U.S. Stampless Foreign Destination
1855 Printed Circular, Large Black "2" Due Marking, Cuba to Boston via New York Clean and Very Fine
May 21, 1855. Carried by U.S. Mail S.S. Co. from Havana to New York, and likely carried outside of the mails to Boston.
Rated 2c postage due for the U.S. printed matter rate for an unpaid circular sent to any part of the U.S. established by the Postal Act of August 30, 1852.
Price: $ 50.00
Lot #2123 - U.S. Stampless Foreign Destination
1876 Printed Circular from Cuba, St. Jago de Cuba with "DUE 2" Marking to Boston Cuba to Boston, Scarce DUE 2 Charged
Printed circular datelined St. Jago de Cuba, July 30, 1876, addressed to Boston, Massachusetts and charged DUE 2c, as no payment was made. An unusual due charge on incoming circular ship mail. Very Fine.
Price: $ 50.00
Lot #2124 - U.S. Stampless Transatlantic
NEWPT RI, First Federal Newport Handstamp, 1812 Folded Letter Letter carried on "Brig. Rebecca" captured by Privateer Commodore Barney during the War of 1812
Black "NEWPT RI SEP 5" circular datestamp on folded letter to Bath, MA with manuscript "Sh 19." Manuscript "Brig Rebecca Capt. Abbot Via Boston"
Letter datelined "London June 30th 1812" from Samuel Harding while on business in GB with his wife Lucy at their home in Bath...
Price: $ 260.00
Lot #2125 - U.S. Stampless Transatlantic
War of 1812, Letter from "H.B.M. Ship Lightning at Sea" to Baltimore, Entered via Philadelphia Pre-Blockade Bootlegged Cover to Philadelphia
Folded letter written from a brother to his sister, aboard the His Britannic Majesty's Ship Lighting at Sea, with lamentations about the war interrupting their correspondence. Letter datelined "H.B.M. Ship Lightning at Sea 15th Sept. 1812" with no origination postmark, bootlegged into Philadelphia...
Price: $ 200.00
