Scott #65 (1861–62 Issue) 3¢ Washington, rose / b

Updated August 7, 2026

Scott #653¢ Washington, rose / brown-redPerforated 12UnwatermarkedPrinted by the National Bank Note CompanyIssued beginning August 1861This is the standard workhorse 3¢ stamp of the Civil War and immediate post-war years. The design shows Washington facing left in an oval with “U.S. POSTAGE” at top and “THREE CENTS” at bottom.The handwritten “1868” next to the stamp is a later docketing or filing note — it is not the year the letter was mailed. The stamp itself belongs to the 1861 series and could have been used anytime from 1861 into the late 1860s.Cover DetailsAddressee: Lauraell (or Laurall) Smith, Blandford, Mass.Cancel: Partial black circular date stamp (town name not fully readable in the photo)Condition: Typical aging and toning for a 160-year-old cover. Small tear/chip at the upper right corner. Stamp is intact and tied by the cancel.Blandford, Massachusetts (Hampden County) was a small rural town; this is ordinary domestic letter mail of the period.ValueUsed single Scott 65 (average condition): $2 – $8On a plain domestic cover with no fancy cancel, no advertising, and no special markings: $15 – $30Realistic current market value for this cover: $18 – $28A clean, presentable example of the classic 3¢ 1861 issue. The small edge fault keeps it out of the higher end of the range, but it remains a solid collector piece.

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