1862 Civil War Aerated Bread Company one cent encased postage stamp
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1862
Encased postage stamps served as emergency currency during a period of coin shortage in the United States. This specimen features a bold blue 1861 U.S. one cent Benjamin Franklin postage stamp protected by a metal case with a clear, unbroken mica cover.
The case is constructed of metal with a chestnut-toned surface. Catalogued as a "Key" merchant type, this one cent denomination is one of the only collectible denominations produced for this merchant. The stamp is centered slightly toward the upper left. Historically significant, such pieces provided a functional, if temporary, medium of exchange during the turmoil of the Civil War.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Case material
- metal
- Protective cover
- mica
Technical characteristics
- Stamp type
- 1861 U.S. postage stamp
- Denomination
- 1 cent
- Reference codes
- EP-1, HB-1, Scott-1, Reed AB01
Design
- Merchant
- Aerated Bread Company, New York
- Obverse motif
- Benjamin Franklin
Identification
- Source note
- Described from a single auction-house listing published on Invaluable (reproduced with Invaluable's permission). Details apply to that one example; other examples of the type may differ, and the listing is supplementary evidence, not authentication.
- Maker named in listing
- Aerated Bread Company
Documentation checklist
- Denomination
- Research required
- Issue or mint date
- Recorded
- Material
- Recorded
- Weight
- Research required
- Mint or printer
- Research required
- Mint or printer mark
- Research required
- Catalogue reference
- Research required
- Attached photograph (check rights)
- Recorded
Recorded means a field is present, not independently verified. Read its wording, supporting source and the entry’s confidence level.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.