[1939]  Nice first year of service Special Delivery cover sent locally within Providence Rhode Island.  Scott E1 with 2 cent brown stamped envelope; slight reduction at right.  Stamp has SE at left, but there is a clearly dated Wesson time-on-bottom cancel showing April 1886 use (and a nice “C” in oval bars killer).  During this first year only about 550 post offices had special delivery service; finding uses during this period is not easy.  No backstamp, but original letter content regarding a change in travel plans (relating to coming tomorrow morning instead of later that same day). Some docketing and ink spots but nice first year use.  $90

[3173]  Interesting use of E3, the orange “Columbian” special delivery stamp, on 4 cent green Jackson stamped envelope, from Cincinnati Ohio to Syracuse NY in 1901.  International machine cancel; interesting received marking from Syracuse at lower left.  RPO backstamp and weak “no response to call” marking indicating that the special delivery attempt failed.  Corner damage at lower right but uncommon use; 2018 Scott is $200 on cover (against a $50 value for the stamp alone).  $50