legendarypre-1900

The Dawson Cover

Name: The Dawson Cover
Brand: Hawaii

Hawaii · 1852 · 2 cents, 5 cents (Hawaiian)

The Dawson Cover is the only known cover bearing the Hawaiian 2c 'Missionary' stamp and the only one with two different denominations from the 'Missionary' series. It features 1851 Hawaiian 5¢ and 2¢ stamps alongside two United States 3¢ Brownish Carmine stamps, all tied by an 1852 San Francisco circular datestamp.

This cover represents a pivotal piece of Hawaiian postal history, showcasing the rare 'Missionary' stamps used in conjunction with US stamps during a period of significant change for the Hawaiian Kingdom's postal service. It is considered the rarest and most important cover in Hawaiian philately.

Printing Method

Typography

Themes

hawaiian-history postal-history missionary-stamps covers mixed-franking

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Estimated Values by Condition

Superb(S)

Perfectly centered, fresh, no faults

$5,000,000

Extremely Fine(XF)

Well centered, fresh colors

$4,500,000

Very Fine(VF)

Nicely centered, minor flaws

$4,000,000

Fine(F)

Average centering, acceptable

$3,500,000

Good(G)

Off-center or visible wear

$3,000,000

Prices are approximate market estimates for educational purposes. Actual values depend on specific factors including cancel type, margins, and provenance.