Auction News
10 New Lots Just Added Including a John Hancock Signature
10 new lots have been added to The Philatelic Icons Sale: 18th-century American historical documents signed by John Hancock, Robert Morris, Oliver Ellsworth, and other founding fathers. Online preview and bidding are open now.
Announcing The Philatelic Icons Sale
Americana Stamps presents The Philatelic Icons Sale, the largest and most significant auction we have ever offered. More than 1,500 lots of classic U.S. stamps and postal history. Preview at Boston 2026, Booth 141, May 23 to 30. Bidding opens May 23. Live sessions June 26 to 28.
Improving the Auction Experience: Platform Enhancements and In-Person Preview
We listened to your feedback and have made meaningful improvements to our auction platform. We were excited to share these updates during our Auction Preview at the San Diego Stamp Show.
Exclusive In-Person Preview of the Winter Auction in San Diego
The Winter 2026 Auction will open for bidding with a full in-person preview at the San Diego Stamp Show 2026. Visit Booth 26 to examine every lot, including U.S. classic stamps, postal history, Carriers and Locals, Western Expresses, Civil War covers, and more. Live auction sessions take place March 20 to 22.
Summer 2025 Auction Coming Soon: A First Look at Our Auction Highlights!
The Summer 2025 Auction is almost here! Featuring over 930 exciting lots, including U.S. Stampless, US Stamps and Postal History, Carriers, Locals, Independent Mail, Western & Eastern Express Postal History, Civil War Postal History, Airmail and more! As we prepare to launch, we’re pleased to share a preview of just a few standout highlights from across the sale. Explore standout highlights and get ready to bid!
Carriers & Locals Society 36th Annual Auction
Americana Stamps is proud to support the Carriers & Locals Society’s 36th Annual Auction—the largest in the society’s history! With over 700 lots and a new live Auto-Clerk format, this landmark sale runs April 12–13, 2025. Open to all collectors, bidding is now live—don’t miss it!
Winter 2025 Sale: Innovating the Philatelic Auction Experience
We are delighted to share the incredible success of our inaugural Winter 2025 live auction, held January 3–5, 2025. This auction was the culmination of years of dedication to developing a cutting-edge auction platform, guided by our vision to set a new standard in philatelic auctions. Read our recap to explore our journey from bidders to auctioneers and to see what’s next for Americana Stamps!
Articles
10 New Lots Just Added Including a John Hancock Signature
10 new lots have been added to The Philatelic Icons Sale: 18th-century American historical documents signed by John Hancock, Robert Morris, Oliver Ellsworth, and other founding fathers. Online preview and bidding are open now.
America’s First Adhesive Stamp Awarded Highest Grade
We’re excited to announce that Lot 16087 in our Summer 2025 Auction has just been graded Superb Gem 100 Jumbo by the Philatelic Foundation. This unused left corner margin horizontal pair of (Greig’s) City Despatch Post, is now one of only two pairs to receive this exceptional grade. It ranks among the highest-graded examples of the first U.S. stamp ever recorded. Read the story of the evolution of City Despatch as we explore highlights from our Summer 2025 Auction.
A Local Mystery No More: The Only Known Unused Cutting’s Despatch Post Adhesive, Now Authenticated, to Surface in Auction
First announced in 1847 by Thomas S. Cutting, this 2c Black on Vermilion adhesive served a brief, enterprising private post during Buffalo’s rapid expansion. The stamp appeared sporadically in 19th-century catalogues, but for generations, only a single example, used on cover, was confirmed. Then in 2000, an off-cover adhesive matching the long-rumored issue surfaced at auction and was eventually quietly authenticated by the Philatelic Foundation. Still, it vanished from public view for more than two decades.
Despite its certification in 2001, the stamp was never exhibited, reoffered, or noted in the literature. For nearly 25 years, its whereabouts remained unknown, and its story largely forgotten. Now, this elusive local stamp will finally return to the market, offered publicly for the first time since its authentication. For collectors of Buffalo postal history, local posts, or classic United States material, this is a historic opportunity.
From Rebel Post to U.S. Postmaster: The Mumford Family Legacy
This 1824 folded cover, offered as Lot 13007 in our June 2025 Auction, connects us to a prominent Newport family whose legacy helped shape the American postal system. Endorsed by Benjamin B. Mumford, Newport’s postmaster from 1813 to 1827, the cover traces its roots to a remarkable story of rebellion and redemption. Benjamin’s father, Benjamin Mumford Sr., defied British authority during the Revolutionary era by operating an illegal postal service that outperformed the King’s Post. Detained by the Royal Navy for carrying rebel correspondence, he stood at the center of colonial resistance. Read the full story of how the Mumford family helped deliver the mail and define the American Postal System.
Pony Express Free Frank and Cover Addressed to Pony Express Co-Owner to Surface at Auction
As our Summer 2025 auction approaches, we are excited to highlight two postal history covers that offer a direct connection to the story of the Pony Express. One is a newly discovered manuscript free frank from R. B. Bradford, addressed to William B. Waddell, co-owner of the Pony Express. The other is the only recorded “Free” usage of the Wells, Fargo & Co. Type I Pony Express printed frank, a remarkable rarity that has not been publicly offered in over 55 years.
3 Covers That Explore the Career of Gold Rush Expressman, Pillsbury “Chips” Hodgkins
Pillsbury “Chips” Hodgkins was more than a Gold Rush expressman, he was a trusted courier who helped connect California’s frontier towns, earning a reputation for honesty and service that spanned decades. Chips’ legacy lives on through three remarkable postal covers, each capturing a different chapter of his career. As we look ahead to our Summer 2025 Sale, we are proud to offer three pieces of postal history that preserve the memory of this expressman whose quiet dedication helped carry the West forward.
Stamp Shows
Americana Stamps Heads to WESTPEX 2026
Visit Americana Stamps at Booth 91 during WESTPEX 2026 in San Francisco, April 24-26. Join Angelo’s Philatelic Icons Sale talk Saturday and discuss consignments.
Improving the Auction Experience: Platform Enhancements and In-Person Preview
We listened to your feedback and have made meaningful improvements to our auction platform. We were excited to share these updates during our Auction Preview at the San Diego Stamp Show.
Exclusive In-Person Preview of the Winter Auction in San Diego
The Winter 2026 Auction will open for bidding with a full in-person preview at the San Diego Stamp Show 2026. Visit Booth 26 to examine every lot, including U.S. classic stamps, postal history, Carriers and Locals, Western Expresses, Civil War covers, and more. Live auction sessions take place March 20 to 22.
Unforgettable Moments from Westpex 2025: Full Stamp Show Recap
Americana Stamps had a fantastic time at WESTPEX 25. Angelo Ismirnioglou delivered two engaging presentations—one promoting the Carriers and Locals Society and the U.S. Philatelic Classics Society, and another exploring how the express companies shaped the West, following the gold rush. Read our full recap!
Join Us at WESTPEX 2025!
We will be attending and presenting at WESTPEX 2025, and we’d love to meet you! If you’ll be attending, be sure to stop by and say hello.