Lot 20205 – 1865 Mexico District 3c Brown 71-1865 Eagle on cover

THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEM OF MEXICAN PHILATELYMexico District 3c Brown, consignment 71-1865, uncommonly rich deep shade, very slightly in part of the margins at top and right, otherwise large even margins, op and right superbly tied by perfect strike of the circular cds on dispatch (Schatzkès #821) on May 17, 1865 entire letter addressed within Mexico City after having been posted on the 22nd (the entire was datelined in Veracruz). Only 200 stamps were issued from this consignment. Cert. Mepsi (1995), backstamped JKB. Scott $3,250 as single off-cover.This 3c is one of the scarcest values of classic Mexico, and the rarest and most prestigious stamp on cover in Mexican philately, this being unique as stated to be genuine with full confidence. Together with the “Abrazo de Acatempan”, also offered in this sale, both can be considered as the most important items of Mexican philately.Note: This letter, datelined in Veracruz on May 17, was posted in Mexico City five days later, so it is presumed that it was privately carried to the capital and then franked and mailed at a Mexico City post office. Two covers are recorded, but the other example bears the franking uncancelled, so it is difficult to ensure that it was genuinely used. This stamp was used for a brief period as an experiment on local city mail. Just 2,403 examples were issued in 1865-66, starting on May 1st, 1865. Stamps were sold at the main post office, its branches and other six-eight convenient places. Letters were to be placed in four closed boxes located at main hotels and then distributed twice daily at noon and at 6 pm. The new denomination in centavos was a consequence of a recently introduced decimal system in 1864. Most 3 centavos were used but not cancelled, as they were deposited in the mailboxes throughout the city. Some experts think that only the letters deposited in the post office were actually cancelled, so all handstamped stamps are very scarce, and the unique cover is this example. This letter is reported to have been exhibited for the first time in the National Philatelic Exhibition in Mexico City, on 17-23 June 1935.Provenance: Alfonso Aguirre (dealer and expert from Mexico)Erich KoenigGuido Craveri