New Orleans La., 2c Red
(62X2). Full to large margins, tied by "New Orleans La. 9 Feb." (1862)
circular datestamp on folded printed prices-current list to Memphis
Tenn.EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE FINEST OF THE EIGHT RECORDED COVERS BEARING THE RARE NEW ORLEANS 2-CENT RED PROVISIONAL.
New Orleans postmaster, J. L. Riddell, prepared provisional stamps in June 1861 and advertised them for sale on June 12th. The 2c Red stamps were printed without the marginal inscription "Usable exclusively in the New Orleans Post Office". The 5c and subsequent 2c Blue printings all have the imprint. It is the accepted theory that the 2c Red stamps were printed first, before Riddell added the imprint, and were withheld from use until January 1862 when the supply of 2c Blue stamps was exhausted. The Crown book lists six 2c Red covers, while Dr. Hubert C. Skinner (The Congress Book, 1978) recorded eight covers.
Ex MacBride, Kimmel and Haas. (Image)
New Orleans La., 2c Blue
(62X1). Large top margin, others touching to slightly in, rich color,
tied by "New Orleans La. 29 Oct." circular datestamp on folded printed
notice to Woods Tex., an offer to accept Confederate notes and bonds, Fine
and fresh, very scarce (Image)
New Orleans La., 5c Yellow
Brown on Off-White (62X5). Block of twelve, ample to large margins
showing "(exclusi)vely in the New Orleans Post O(ffice)" portion of
imprint at top, full o.g., natural inclusions, Extremely Fine and
scarce multiple, Scott Retail as two blocks and two pairs (Image) 
New Orleans La., 5c Ocher
(62X3b). Vertical pair, large to huge margins, beautiful rich orange
shade, tied by clear strike of "New Orleans La. 11 Aug." (1861) circular
datestamp on yellow cover to Jefferson Tex., reduced at leftEXTREMELY FINE GEM PAIR AND COVER. ONLY SIX TO EIGHT PAIRS OF THE RARE OCHER SHADE ARE BELIEVED TO EXIST ON COVER -- THIS IS ONE OF THE TWO FINEST.
Ex Worthington, Caspary and Freeland. (Image)
New Orleans La., 5c Brown on
White (62X3). Large to huge margins, rich color, tied by "New Orleans
La. 6 Aug." circular datestamp on cover to Laurel Hill La., received at
post office with half-dime affixed, coin removed and stamp affixed,
impression of coin still shows in glue, Extremely Fine, probably given to a
steamboat captain or passenger with the coin affixed and brought to the
post office on arrival at New Orleans, an extremely rare and unusual usage
-- our Levi records of New Orleans provisional covers contain no other
example of this "coin" usage -- ex Grant
(Image) 
New Orleans La., 5c Brown on
White (62X3). Vertical pair, large margins to clear at lower left, tied
by "New Orleans La. 21 Jun." circular datestamp on printed prices-current
list to Charleston S.C., file folds thru both stamps, otherwise Fine (Image) 
New Orleans La., 5c Red Brown
on Bluish (62X4). Huge top sheet margin with "(usa)ble
exclusi(vely)" portion of imprint, huge side margins, touched at
bottom, tied by "New Orleans La. 4 Nov." circular datestamp on cover to
Bayou Sara La., Extremely Fine, very rare with imprint, ex Grant (Image) 
New Orleans La., 5c Red Brown
on Bluish (62X4). Full to large margins, tied by "New Orleans La. 21
Sep." circular datestamp on small cover to Helena Ark., backflap removed,
toned spots and repaired at top, the stamp is Very Fine (Scott Retail
$175.00 off cover) (Image) 
New Orleans La., 5c Black
entire (62XU1). Mostly clear strikes of "J. L. RIDDELL, P.M." and "PD 5
CTS/N.O.P.O." two-line handstamps, very clear "New Orleans La. Sep. 1,
1861" river-mail double-circle datestamp on corner card cover to
Atlanta, lightly cleaned, vertical fold at right, still Very Fine (Image)