Western Express Postal History ➝ Western Postal History




Wells, Fargo & Co., Printed Frank on U35 3c Pink on Buff Entire with Pinwheel Cancel and Manuscript "DUE 7"
Virginia City, Nevada Territory
Opening: $150
Estimate: $300 - $500
Sold For $150
Two strikes of "VIRGINIA CITY, N.T. MAY 14, 1863" double-circle postmarks, to Webster, Monroe Co., New York.
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00




Wells, Fargo & Co., Printed Frank on U59, 3c Pink on Buff Entire from Salt Lake City, Utah Territory
Opening: $150
Estimate: $300 - $400
Status: Unsold
Addressed to San Francisco with two strikes of the blue "Wells, Fargo & Co. Salt Lake City U.T. Oct. 5" (1870) oval datestamp, sender's and addressee's datestamps on back along with OCT 8, 1870 Blue San Francisco handstamp.
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00



Agent of Wells, Fargo & Co's Express, Printed Envelope, Crossed out with Addressee Written
Opening: $50
Estimate: $100 - $150
Status: Unsold
Provenance
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00



Wells Fargo & Company, President's Office San Francisco, Legal Size Printed Envelope with Red Square Boxed Company Handstamp to Colorado
Opening: $50
Estimate: $100 - $150
Sold For $50
Provenance
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00



Opening: $50
Estimate: $100 - $150
Status: Unsold
Provenance
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00



Wells, Fargo & Co's Express with "EXCHANGE COMPANY. BANKING AND EXPRESS" Black Oval Handstamp, 1878
Opening: $50
Estimate: $100 - $150
Status: Unsold
Provenance
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00



Wells, Fargo and Co's Express, Southern Pacific Railroad, Railroad Business, Printed Frank to Los Angeles with Contents
Opening: $50
Estimate: $100 - $150
Sold For $50
Office of the Chief Engineer, Southern Pacific Railroad, Pacific Division" letterhead, written to E.A. Phelps, Assistant Engineer in Los Angeles. The letter addresses shipments of railroad materials from San Francisco to Wilmington, referencing dates and quantities in pounds, with a request for clarification and accounting of these shipments. It specifically mentions a shipment from Sacramento dated August 10 and asks for confirmation of received goods and any needed reconciliation.
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00



Opening: $50
Estimate: $100 - $150
Status: Unsold
Provenance
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00



Wells Fargo & Co Express, Form 875 6-13, Use for Express Business Only, Printed Envelope, Unused
Opening: $50
Estimate: $100 - $150
Status: Unsold
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00



Wells, Fargo & Co's Express, 1899, Marshall's Money Envelope, with Purple Boxed Company Handstamp
Opening: $50
Estimate: $100 - $150
Status: Unsold
Dated Jan 14th, 1899 addressed to Mrs. Minnie Shuck, North Yam Hill, Oregon.
Provenance
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00



Opening: $50
Estimate: $100 - $150
Sold For $50
Provenance
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00




Wells, Fargo & Co. Express, Republic of Mexico, Green Railroad Printed Frank, WFM‐038, 1892 Cover to Guanajuato
Opening: $75
Estimate: $150 - $200
Sold For $50
Violet "EXPRESS WELLS FARGO/MEXICO/22 JULIO 92" oval handstamp at left, with "EXPRESS WELLS FARGO/GUANAJUATO/23 JULIO 92" arrival handstamp.
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00



Opening: $75
Estimate: $150 - $200
Status: Unsold
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00



Opening: $75
Estimate: $150 - $200
Sold For $75
W13 on U82
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00



Opening: $100
Estimate: $200 - $250
Status: Unsold
Fresh unused 3c Pink entires with Wood & Co.’s Express printed frank (Haller FW16-Type 3), former with indicia slightly oxidized, the paper on the entires is exceptionally fresh and Extremely Fine
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00




1855 10c Green, Types II & III, Two #32 Singles and a Single and Pair of #33, Tied on Cover
Opening: $250
Estimate: $500 - $750
Sold For $320
Stamps tied by one of three strikes of a “Michigan Bluff, Cal., Jun 3”datestamp, addressed to Newburyport, Mass. The cover with stains and soiling.
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00




#35 1859 10c Green, Type V, Single Tied on Illustrated Jefferson County Envelope to San Francisco, CA, Forwarded to Chico
Postmarked the Day Before the Civil War Started
Opening: $300
Estimate: $600 - $800
Sold For $300
"Evans Mills, N.Y. APR 11, 1861 postmark on an Illustration Cover of Watertown, NY. The Stamp with a diagonal crease at bottom left and top right corner missing, the cover with a tear at right.
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00





#63 1c Blue and #68 10c Green on 1862 Cover, San Francisco to New York
Scarce Combination Usage Paying Transcontinental Rate and Carrier Fee
Opening: $100
Estimate: $300 - $400
Sold For $130
"New York Aug 11" double circle datestamp addressed to the U.S. Coast Survey in San Francisco. This cover pays the 10c transcontinental rate (for mail traveling over 3,000 miles) plus the 1c carrier fee for collection service in New York City.
Only 17 such covers are recorded combining 10c general issue with a 1c carrier stamp to pay the full 11c rate; this is one of just 9 known examples bearing the 1861 1c Blue. Scarce and desirable usage illustrating the intersection of carrier service and long-distance domestic mail. Partial backflap.
Included as #12 in Clifford Alexander's Census
Included in Donald L. Evans' Exhibit and Book, page 323, "The United States 1c Franklin 1861 -1867 and An Introduction to the Postal History of the Period," (Linn's Stamp News 1997)
Provenance
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00




#76 1863 5c Brown, Tied by Extra Bold Grid, with Bold "San Francisco Cal" Double Circle on 1864 "per Overland Mail" Folded Cover to New York
Overpaid by Two Cents
Opening: $300
Estimate: $600 - $800
Status: Unsold
"DEC 12 1864" San Francisco Cal" Double Circle with manuscript "pr Overland Mail".
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00




#112 1869 1c Buff, Tied on Cover with Rimless Salt Lake City, Utah Territorial Datestamp
Utah Territory
Opening: $50
Estimate: $150 - $200
Sold For $50
Provenance
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00





The Central Overland California & Pikes Peak Express Company, St. Joseph, Green Oval Company Handstamp (RMW‐103) on U10 3c Entire to Denver City, Kansas Territory
Opening: $300
Estimate: $600 - $750
Sold For $480
Only 11 other examples recorded in Thomas.
"JAN 12 ST. JOSEPH" company datestamp, addressed to a Mr. Richard Waller in Denver City, Kansas Territory. Originating in Platte City, MO with "JAN 8" datestamp. Manuscript "C.O.C & PP Express St, Joseph Mo." The entire repaired at right and at bottom, with the indica torn horizontally with a bit of the design colored, and the cover soiled.
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00
Western Express Postal History ➝ Overland Mail





Coast Overland Mail Company, Illustrated Corner Card Cover on Internal Company Correspondence
Opening: $250
Estimate: $500 - $750
Status: Unsold
"COAST/OVERLAND MAIL COMPANY./SANDERSON, PARKER & CO./PROPRIETERS/FRANK CLUGAGE,/SUPERINTENDANT" , addressed to "Div. Agt on the Road." The cover with a tear at right and a small piece missing at top right corner.
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00





Overland Mail via Los Angeles, Type F-2 Illustrated Four-Horse Stagecoach, with Blue Vacaville Cal. Handstamp and Matching "PAID", Black "DUE 7"
One of Only 12 Type F-2 Examples
Opening: $200
Estimate: $400 - $500
Sold For $240
"Per Overland Mail via Los Angeles" in an arc above the stagecoach design on cover with blue Vacaville, Cal. Apr. 2 datestamp with matching boxed "PAID" handstamp and large black "DUE 7" rating to Lansing, Michigan. The cover roughly opened and reduced at right.
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00



Overland Mail, Via Placerville and Salt Lake, Small Stage Coach Illustration, Design Type K-2, on Cover with #11 3c Red with Blue Framed "COLLECT"
One of Only Two Recorded Type K-2 Designs
Opening: $500
Estimate: $1,000 - $1,500
Sold For $500
Included in Stanley Ashbrook Archives, Black Binder 2, Page 107
Cover carried along the Chorpenning Route, addressed to Weaverville. The cover has been cosmetically refolded to an exceptional and very fine appearance.
Provenance
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00






Jones & Russell's Pike's Peak Express & Co. Handstamp April 12, 1860, Denver City, with Two #26 3c Dull Red Singles Tied by "Leavenworth City, K.T" Datestamp, on 1860 Cover to Missouri
Postmarked During the Interim Operational Period Prior to the Pony Express
Opening: $390
Estimate: $600 - $750
Sold For $390
The cover originating in Leavenworth City, Kansas Territory with "Denver City APR 12 1860" circular company handstamp, addressed to Saint Louis, Missouri. The left stamp with a piece missing in left margin.
After Russell, Majors & Waddell (RMW) assumed control of the Leavenworth & Pike’s Peak Express on October 28, 1859, operations continued under the name Jones & Russell’s Pike’s Peak Express Co. until its absorption by the Central Overland California & Pike’s Peak Express Company (COC&PP) in February 1860.
Despite the transition, Denver continued using Jones & Russell markings into June of 1860, making this April 12, 1860 usage a scarce and desirable example from the short-lived RMW period, just days before the COC&PP began the transcontinental Pony Express in April 1860.
When will this lot be auctioned?
Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025
Sale 15: Expresses — Jul 19, 2025 - 11:00