Greensboro NC Provisional Stamps
Greensboro, North Carolina, is a city located in the Piedmont region of the southeastern United States. As part of the United States, its postal history falls under the jurisdiction of the United States Postal Service, reflecting the nation's unified postal administration since the late 18th century.
- Issued stamps
- 1861–1861
- Region
- Americas, North America
- Currency
- USD
- Languages
- English
- Issuer type
- Local postal administration
- Part of
- Confederate States of America
History and background
Stamps issued for use in Greensboro and the surrounding area are denominated in US currency and primarily feature English text. The city's postal development mirrors the broader expansion and modernization of the American postal system throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
Further reading: Wikipedia
Inscriptions to look for
Words printed on the stamp that point to this issuer. Search any of them in the issuer directory.
- PAID
How to identify them
- Look for a handstamped 'PAID' in a circle, often with '5' or '10' cents, applied to covers originating from Greensboro, NC, during 1861.
- The most famous example is the 'Greensboro NC Provisional' which is a handstamped 'PAID' in a circle, with '5' cents, on a buff-colored paper.
Popular series
-
Greensboro NC Provisional
1861
The single known provisional stamp issued by the Greensboro, NC postmaster during the early days of the Confederacy.
Value overview
Typical ranges as orientation, not prices for a particular stamp. Condition, variety and demand decide the value of your copy; for current asking prices, check listings or the app.
- Common stamps
- N/A (extremely rare)
- Scarce stamps
- $50,000–$150,000+
Greensboro, NC provisionals are exceedingly rare, with only a handful of examples known. Their value is highly dependent on condition, provenance, and specific variety (e.g., on or off cover). They are considered major rarities in Confederate philately.
Catalogs. Greensboro NC Provisional stamps are listed in the major world catalogs: Scott, Michel and Stanley Gibbons. Catalog numbers and groupings differ between them; the Stamp Identifier app shows the numbers it can find for your stamp.
Questions about Greensboro NC Provisional stamps
Greensboro NC stamps refer to extremely rare Confederate Postmaster Provisionals issued by the postmaster of Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1861. These were temporary stamps or markings used before the Confederate States of America issued its own general postage stamps.
Yes, Greensboro NC provisional stamps are among the most valuable and rarest items in Confederate philately. With only a very limited number of examples known to exist, they command prices ranging from tens of thousands to over a hundred thousand dollars, depending on their condition and specific characteristics.
Identification of Greensboro NC provisionals requires expert knowledge due to their rarity and the potential for forgeries. Key features include a handstamped 'PAID' in a circular design, often with a denomination like '5' or '10' cents, applied to covers (envelopes) postmarked from Greensboro, NC, in 1861. A photo in the Stamp Identifier app gives a first identification; check the catalog number in a specialised catalog before relying on it.
Greensboro NC provisional stamps are listed in specialized catalogs focusing on United States and Confederate States philately, most notably the Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps and Covers. Due to their extreme rarity and specialized nature, they may not be found in general world stamp catalogs like Michel or Stanley Gibbons.
Not sure where
it's from?
Photograph the stamp and Stamp Identifier names the issuer, the year and the series. One identification every 24 hours is free; prices and listings need Premium.