St. Louis 'Bears' Provisional Stamp
United States · 1845 · 5 Cents
A black stamp featuring the St. Louis city seal, depicting two bears supporting a shield with a steamboat, 'ST. LOUIS' above, and '5 CENTS' below.
Issued by the St. Louis postmaster in 1845, these provisional stamps served as local postage before the U.S. federal government issued its first general postage stamps, making them highly significant in American postal history.
Printing Method
Engraved
Catalog Numbers
Image: <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:BFolkman" title="User:BFolkman">BFolkman</a> · License: CC0
Estimated Values by Condition
Perfectly centered, fresh, no faults
Well centered, fresh colors
Nicely centered, minor flaws
Average centering, acceptable
Off-center or visible wear
Prices are approximate market estimates for educational purposes. Actual values depend on specific factors including cancel type, margins, and provenance.
