(Greig's) City Despatch Post,
New York N.Y., 3c Black on Grayish (40L1). Complete sheet of 42,
original gum, some very minor paper adherence along right, large margins
except frameline just touched at upper right, very fresh, sound except for
a small sealed tear between stamps at upper left (Positions 7 and 13), a
couple of stamps lightly soiledEXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF FIVE RECORDED COMPLETE SHEETS OF THE 1842 3-CENT CITY DESPATCH POST STAMP -- THE FIRST ADHESIVE STAMP ISSUED IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE. AN IMPORTANT ARTIFACT OF AMERICAN POSTAL HISTORY.
Our records show five complete sheets of the City Despatch Post stamp issued by Alexander M. Greig in 1842. These are 1) the sheet offered here, ex Caspary, Lilly, Boker, Klein and Golden (realized $21,000 hammer), 2) ex Middendorf, 3) ex Kapiloff, sold in our 1995 Rarities sale for $30,000 hammer, 4) ex Norvin Green, and 5) illustrated in Perry's 100 Years Ago, ex Ackerman and Hall (realized $25,000 hammer).
Ex Caspary, Lilly, Boker, Klein and Golden. Scott Retail $27,500.00 (Image)
U.S. City Despatch Post, New
York N.Y., 3c Black on Grayish (6LB1). Large margins, lightly struck
orange-red "U.S." in frame, matching "U.S. City Despatch Post Aug. 24, 1
O'Clock" Type I double-line circular datestamp on cover front only to local
street address, light stains and creases, still Fine, only fifteen 6LB1
covers are recorded, this is an extremely early usage only eight days after
carrier operations began, with 1991 P.F. certificate
(Image)
U.S. City Despatch Post, New
York N.Y., 3c Black on Light Blue Unsurfaced (6LB3). Unused (no gum),
large margins, bright paper shade, horizontal crease, otherwise Extremely
Fine, ex Perry and Schwartz (Image) 
U.S. City Despatch Post, New
York N.Y., 3c Black on Light Blue Unsurfaced (6LB3). Unused (no gum),
full to large margins, bright shade, faint pressed crease and shallow thin,
otherwise Very Fine, ex Schwartz (Image)
U.S. City Despatch Post, New
York N.Y., 3c Black on Light Blue Unsurfaced (6LB3). Full to large
margins, orange-red "U.S." in frame cancel, corner crease and tiny margin
tear at lower left, otherwise Very Fine, ex Schwartz
(Image)
U.S. City Despatch Post, New
York N.Y., 3c Black on Light Blue Unsurfaced (6LB3). Position 14L,
large margins, cancelled by red "Paid" arc (impression ties thru
paper), matching "New-York Dec. 8" circular datestamp on mostly complete
folded cover to Philadelphia street address, magenta ms. "12-1/2"
rate, negligible soiling, Very Fine, extremely rare use of the "Paid"
cancellation applied by the New York City post office, also rare as a 6LB3
usage to another city, ex Caspary and Hall
(Image) 
U.S. City Despatch Post, New
York N.Y., 3c Black on Light Blue Unsurfaced (6LB3). Large margins,
cancelled by orange-red "U.S." in frame (tied by impression thru
lettersheet), used on Sep. 13, 1842 folded letter to New York street
address, redirected to Rye N.Y., faint red "Albany N.Y. Sep. 20"
circular datestamp and ms. "12-1/2" rate, orange-red "New-York Sep. 22"
circular datestamp and blue ms. "6" for forwarding, Very Fine and unusual
usage, ex Golden (Image) 
U.S. City Despatch Post, New
York N.Y., 3c Black on Light Blue Unsurfaced (6LB3). Full margins all
around, cancelled by orange-red "U.S." in frame (not tied), matching "U.S.
City Despatch Post Sep. 5, 1 O'Clock" Type I double-line circular datestamp
on folded letter datelined Syracuse N.Y., Aug. 26, 1842, bootlegged
into New York and mailed by carrier department, magenta "1" drop rate (part
of 3c prepayment), Very Fine and unusual, ex Schwartz
(Image) 
U.S. City Despatch Post, New
York N.Y., 3c Black on Light Blue Unsurfaced (6LB3). Large margins,
orange-red "U.S." in frame cancel (impression ties thru paper), matching
"U.S. City Despatch Post Sep. 2, 9 O'Clock" Type I double-line
circular datestamp on 1842 folded letter to local street address, torn
across front, toned and edge faults, yet the stamp is Very Fine and this is
the second day of use of the 6LB3 stamp, the first stamp printed and
issued under U.S. authority (a Sep. 1 cover is recorded -- see Golden sale,
lot 297 for details) (Image) 
U.S. City Despatch Post, New
York N.Y., 3c Black on Light Blue Unsurfaced (6LB3). Large to huge
margins, tied by one of two strikes of red "U.S." in frame cancel, matching
"U.S. City Despatch Post Sep. 14, 9 O'Clock" Type II circular datestamp on
1846 folded letter to local street address, minor edge stains and soiling
along file fold, stamp has tiny corner crease, otherwise Fine, unusual very
late use of 6LB3, with 1988 P.F. certificate
(Image)
U.S. City Despatch Post, New
York N.Y., 3c Black on Green Glazed (6LB5d). Three large to huge
margins, ample at bottom, bright paper color, red "U.S." in frame cancel,
Very Fine, a beautiful example of the true Green paper, ex Schwartz (Image)