Knoxville Provisional Stamps
Knoxville is a city located in the southeastern United States, within the North American continent. As a municipality within the United States, its postal history is entirely integrated with the United States Postal Service (USPS), adhering to federal postal regulations and participating in international postal unions through the US system.
- Issued stamps
- 1861–1861
- Region
- Americas, North America
- Currency
- USD
- Languages
- English
- Issuer type
- Local postal administration
- Part of
- United States
History and background
Stamps issued for use in Knoxville feature English as the primary language, reflecting the dominant linguistic environment of Tennessee. The city's postal administration has not historically operated as a separate issuing entity, remaining subject to the administrative transitions of the USPS.
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 'PAID' handstamped in red or blue, often with '5' or '10' for the denomination.
- The stamps are typically crude, locally produced issues, often appearing on cover.
- Authenticity is paramount; expertization is highly recommended due to rarity and potential for forgeries.
Popular series
-
Knoxville Provisional
1861
Issued by Postmaster J.M. Fleming during the early days of the American Civil War due to a shortage of federal stamps.
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 (all are rare)
- Scarce stamps
- $5,000–$50,000+
Knoxville provisional stamps are exceedingly rare and highly sought after by collectors of Confederate and U.S. local post issues. Values depend heavily on condition, cancellations, and specific varieties.
Catalogs. Knoxville 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 Knoxville Provisional stamps
Knoxville stamps refer to provisional stamps issued by the Postmaster of Knoxville, Tennessee, J.M. Fleming, in 1861. These were local issues created due to the disruption of postal services and the shortage of official U.S. stamps at the outbreak of the American Civil War, before the Confederate States of America began issuing their own stamps.
Yes, Knoxville provisional stamps are extremely valuable. They are among the rarest and most historically significant of all U.S. local post and Confederate provisional issues. Individual stamps or covers can fetch thousands to tens of thousands of dollars, depending on their condition, cancellation, and specific variety.
Knoxville provisional stamps are characterized by a 'PAID' handstamp, typically in red or blue ink, often accompanied by a numeral indicating the denomination (e.g., '5' or '10'). They are usually found on covers (envelopes). Due to their rarity and value, expert authentication is crucial. A photo in the Stamp Identifier app gives a first identification; check the catalog number in a specialised catalog before relying on it.S. locals and Confederates.
Knoxville provisional stamps are primarily listed in the Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps and Covers, typically found within the 'Confederate States of America - Postmasters' Provisionals' section. They are generally not listed in international catalogs like Michel or Stanley Gibbons, which focus on broader national issues.
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