1862 Civil War era encased postage stamp, 12 cents, Take Ayer's Pills
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1862
Developed as a solution to the shortage of metallic coinage during the American Civil War, these items were created by placing a stamp behind a circular sheet of mica, which is held in place by a metal frame.
This specific specimen features the advertising legend "TAKE AYER'S PILLS" on its reverse, promoting a popular patent medicine produced by Dr. J.C. Ayer & Co. of Lowell, Massachusetts. The case is described as having a natural golden-chestnut color, and the stamp itself is characterized by its clean, rich deep black ink and precise centering.It serves as an important artifact of 19th-century American financial history and the extensive marketing culture of patent medicines.
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
- Color
- golden-chestnut
- Case material
- brass
- Protective layer
- mica
Technical characteristics
- Rarity
- Rarity-8
- Denomination
- 12 cents
- Catalog numbers
- Friedberg EP-136, HB-23, Scott-12, Reed-AP12
Design
- Obverse
- George Washington
- Frame type
- plain frame
- Reverse inscription
- TAKE AYER'S PILLS
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
- Dr. J.C. Ayer & Co.
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.