This concludes the Nesbitt issues of United States envelopes. His connection with the Postal Department ceased March 31, 1870, when a new contract was awarded to George H. Reay, of New York.
To the philatelists the Nesbitt issues are by far the most interesting series of all the United States Postal issues and, as the years pass on, the intrinsic value of these die varieties will increase rapidly. Specialization is the watchword of the now growing class of collectors, and there is no field so inviting and which will repay a student so richly for his labor as a specialized collection of the Nesbitt issues. What is wanted to-day is a special album for United States envelopes, which would insure to this prominent branch of United States philately that measure of official recognition for which collectors have long and earnestly contended. An equally valuable aid would be the formation of a Society of Collectors of United States envelopes. The writer confidently expects that this suggestion will soon assume a more tangible form.
If this series of articles has, in even the slightest degree, helped collectors of United States envelopes to a wider knowledge and better appreciation of these hitherto unknown die varieties, the writer will feel well repaid for the many hours of labor. In closing, he again asserts; "Variety is the spice of life!"
A Reference List of the Envelopes of the Series of 1864 and 1865.
1864.
THREE CENTS, ROSE.
DIE A.
| Head I. |
|---|
| No. | Paper. | Knife. | Size. | Dimensions. | Variety. | Remarks. |
|---|
| 501 | White | 22 | 1 | 120 × 73 | 1 | |
| 502 | " | 22 | 1 | " | 2 | |
| 503 | " | 22 | 1 | " | 3 | |
| 504 | " | 22 | 1 | " | 4 | |
| 505 | " | 11 | 3 | 139 × 83 | 1 | |
| 506 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 1 | Unwatermarked. |
| 507 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 2 | |
| 508 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 3 | |
| 509 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 4 | |
| 510 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 1 | |
| 511 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 2 | |
| 511a | " | 9 | 3 | " | 2 | Without Patent Lines. |
| 512 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 3 | |
| 513 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 4 | |
| 514 | " | 12 | 5 | 160 × 90 | 2 | |
| 515 | " | 12 | 5 | " | 3 | |
| 516 | " | 12 | 5 | " | 4 | |
| 517 | Buff | 11 | 3 | 139 × 83 | 2 | |
| 518 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 3 | |
| 519 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 4 | |
| 520 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 1 | |
| 521 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 2 | |
| 522 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 3 | |
| 523 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 4 | |
| 524 | " | 12 | 5 | 160 × 90 | 2 | |
| 525 | " | 12 | 5 | " | 4 | |
| 526 | Buff 2nd | 11 | 3 | 139 × 83 | 3 | |
| 527 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 4 | |
| 528 | Amber | 11 | 3 | " | 1 | |
| 529 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 2 | |
| 530 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 3 | |
| 531 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 3 | Ungummed. |
| 532 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 4 | |
| 533 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 3 | |
| 534 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 4 | |
| 535 | " | 12 | 5 | 160 × 90 | 2 | |
| 536 | " | 12 | 5 | " | 3 | |
| 537 | " | 12 | 5 | " | 4 | |
| 538 | Amber 2nd | 11 | 3 | 139 × 83 | 2 | |
| 539 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 3 | |
| 540 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 4 | |
| Head II. |
|---|
| No. | Paper. | Knife. | Size. | Dimensions. | Variety. | Remarks. |
|---|
| 541 | White | 22 | 1 | 120 × 73 | 1 | |
| 542 | " | 22 | 1 | " | 2 | |
| 543 | " | 22 | 1 | " | 3 | |
| 544 | " | 11 | 3 | 139 × 83 | 1 | |
| 545 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 2 | |
| 546 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 3 | |
| 547 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 1 | |
| 548 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 2 | |
| 549 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 3 | |
| 550 | " | 12 | 5 | 160 × 90 | 1 | |
| 551 | " | 12 | 5 | " | 2 | |
| 552 | " | 12 | 5 | " | 3 | |
| 553 | Amber | 11 | 3 | 139 × 83 | 1 | |
| 554 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 2 | |
| 555 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 4 | |
| 556 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 1 | |
| 557 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 3 | |
| 558 | " | 12 | 5 | 160 × 90 | 2 | |
| 559 | " | 12 | 5 | " | 3 | |
| Head III. |
|---|
| No. | Paper. | Knife. | Size. | Dimensions. | Variety. | Remarks. |
|---|
| 560 | White | 22 | 1 | 120 × 73 | 1 | |
| 561 | " | 22 | 1 | " | 2 | |
| 562 | " | 22 | 1 | " | 3 | |
| 563 | " | 2 | 3 | 139 × 83 | 3 | Ungummed. Probably a proof. |
| 564 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 1 | |
| 565 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 2 | |
| 566 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 3 | |
| 567 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 1 | |
| 568 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 2 | |
| 569 | " | 12 | 5 | 160 × 90 | 1 | |
| 570 | " | 12 | 5 | " | 2 | |
| 571 | Buff | 2 | 3 | 139 × 83 | 3 | Ungummed. Probably a proof. |
| 572 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 1 | |
| 573 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 2 | |
| 574 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 3 | |
| 575 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 1 | |
| 576 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 2 | |
| 577 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 2 | Without patent lines. |
| 578 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 3 | |
| 579 | " | 12 | 5 | " | 2 | |
| 580 | " | 12 | 5 | " | 3 | |
| Head IV. |
|---|
| No. | Paper. | Knife. | Size. | Dimensions. | Variety. | Remarks. |
|---|
| 581 | White | 22 | 1 | 120 × 73 | 1 | |
| 582 | " | 22 | 1 | " | 2 | |
| 583 | " | 22 | 1 | " | 3 | |
| 581 | " | 1 | 1 | " | 2 | |
| 585 | " | 11 | 3 | 139 × 83 | 2 | |
| 586 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 3 | |
| 587 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 3 | Unwatermarked |
| 588 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 1 | |
| 589 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 2 | |
| 590 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 3 | |
| 591 | " | 12 | 5 | 160 × 90 | 1 | |
| 592 | " | 12 | 5 | " | 2 | |
| 593 | " | 12 | 5 | " | 3 | |
| 594 | Buff | 11 | 3 | 139 × 83 | 1 | |
| 595 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 2 | |
| 596 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 3 | |
| 596a | Buff 2nd | 11 | 3 | " | 2 | |
| 597 | Buff | 9 | 3 | " | 1 | |
| 598 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 2 | |
| 599 | " | 9 | 3 | " | 3 | |
| 600 | " | 12 | 5 | 160 × 90 | 1 | |
| 601 | " | 12 | 5 | " | 2 | |
| Head V. |
|---|
| No. | Paper. | Knife. | Size. | Dimensions. | Variety. | Remarks. |
|---|
| 602 | White | 11 | 3 | 139 × 83 | 3 | |
| 603 | Buff | 11 | 3 | " | 2 | |
| 604 | Buff 2nd | 11 | 3 | " | 2 | |
| 605 | " | 11 | 3 | " | 3 | |
DIE B.