Hawaii #61, MH, typical centering

Item Specifics

Country

United States - Hawaii

Catalog Number

61

Stamp Type

General Issue

Condition

Unused

Stamp Format

Single

Year of Issue

1893

Item Description

The stamp in this listing is one example of Scott #61, a Hawaiian stamp issued in 1893. This stamp is mint hinged, and has typical centering. (All perforated Hawaiian stamps are typically found with Fine centering like this, with the perfs touching or close to touching the stamp image on one side. )

The history of the stamp is as follows:

Stamps of this design without the "Provisional" overprint were first issued in 1882, following the admission of Hawai`i to the Universal Postal Union in that year. Hawaiian membership in the UPU required stamps in multiples of 5 cents to pay various international rates. 10 - cent stamps were typically used to pay double weight letters within the UPU, or the registration fee for any registered item.

The subject of the underlying stamp is H.H.M. King Kalakaua, the penultimate monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom, who reigned from 1874 to 1891.

This was the first stamp of this design to be issued by the Hawaiian post office. But black stamps are notoriously hard to cancel in a way that the cancel is visible, so the colour of the stamp was first changed to vermillion in 1883 and finally to red-brown in 1884. Stamps of all three colours were available at the Hawaiian post office until 1896, as the post office kept reprinting obsolete stamps as far back from as far back as the 1860's for philatelic sale.

As the underlying black stamp (scott #40) was obsolete by 1893, only philatelic stock was available for overprinting. Only 50,000 examples of the overprinted stamp (Scott #61).

Following the legally questionable overthrow of the Hawaiian government by the United States, the American-led government ordered the post office to overprint all stamps with the words "Provisional / GOVT. /1893" and reissued them starting on 20 May 1893. All Hawaiian stamps, whether issued prior to the overthrow or afterwards, remained valid until 13 June 1900 when the US Post Office took over operations of the Hawaiian post office. The US Territory of Hawai`i was officially established the following day.

Terms of Sale:
Please note that your bid constitutes your acceptance of all the terms listed below. If anything is unclear, please e-mail for clarification or do not bid.

Shipping:
All stamps shipped by US Mail. US Orders $1.00 without insurance, international rates vary according to country of destination (please e-mail.) Optional insurance at USPS rates. 10 cents additional for each item, more of a discount for purchases of more than six items. Insurance will be required for shipments sold for $20 or more in total. Please e-mail for quotes on shipping if purchasing more than six items! Uninsured shipments sent at buyer's risk. This means that if you choose to forgo insurance, you agree to release me from any future claim via paypal if it should be lost in the mail.

The Shipping for this item includes required insurance or registration.

Payment Options:
Paypal, Money Orders, and Checks payable in the US are accepted. Credit cards accepted through paypal only. Checks must be drawn on a US bank, or I cannot cash them! (I can no longer accept Canadian Postal Money Orders, even those in US dollars-sorry!)

Return Policy:
14 day, money back guarantee, provided the item(s) are sent back in original condition. The 14-day period is defined as follows:

US Bidders: 14 days from the 3rd day after the item is sent.

International: 14 days from the 7th day after the item is sent.

If there is a problem with an item (i.e. a problem with the item itself, it didn't get there, etc.), please e-mail me within this time frame and I will be happy to work with you! Sales will be considered final after that point if no contact is made. If any item is returned for any reason, shipping charges will not be refunded.

Seller Information

Seller

sugi891 (3995)

Registered Since

06/07/2005

Feedback

99.9%

Store

Po`oleka Hawai`i--Hawaiian stamps and more

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Item Location

Virginia, United States

Ships To

Worldwide

Returns Accepted

Yes

Returns Policy

Must be returned within 14 days in original condition. Money back, less shipping, no questions asked. Buyer pays return shipping.