This is a ENCASED POSTAGE, 5c J. GAULT PLAIN FRAME, HB-131, EP-78, ORIGINAL VF. EX-HERITAGE, LOT #81028, AUCTION #142236 FROM 9/6/22 WHERE IT REALIZED $372, THIS WAS DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: “THE STAMP IS WELL CENTERED AND THERE IS CRAZING OF THE MICA, AS SHOULD BE EXPECTED.” IT IS NOT OFTEN THAT WE BUY A COLLECTION OF ENCASED POSTAGE. THIS IS ONE OF THE QUANDARY AREAS OF NUMISMATICS. AND WITH CROSSOVER TO BOTH PHILATELY AND EXONUMIA, ENCASED POSTAGE APPEALS TO A MYRIAD OF COLLECTORS. THESE HYBRIDS HAD THEIR BEGINNINGS UNDER THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES THAT PRODUCED FRACTIONAL CURRENCY-NAMELY, THE ABSENCE OF CIRCULATING COIN DURING THE YEARS OF THE CIVIL WAR. SINCE POSTAGE STAMPS WERE BEING USED IN PLACE OF COINS WHICH WERE IN SEVERE SHORTAGE, THE CHALLENGE BECAME PRESERVING THEIR LONGEVITY. J GAULT CAME UP WITH A DESIGN WHICH CALLED FOR A BRASS FRAME TO ENCASE THE STAMP HENCE EXTENDING ITS LIFE. THE CONCEPT CAUGHT ON, AND MERCHANTS BEGAN TO USE THE BACKSIDE OF THE ENCASEMENT TO ADVERTISE THEIR PRODUCTS. MOST ENCASED POSTAGE HAD VERY SMALL ORIGINAL PRODUCTIONS, ESPECIALLY RELATIVE TO THEIR COIN COUNTERPARTS. CONSEQUENTLY, THERE ARE MANY RARE AND VALUABLE VARIETIES IN EXISTANCE. MANY OF THE ENCASED POSTAGE STAMPS IN THIS COLLECTION WERE SOURCED THROUGH HERIATGE AUCTIONS, AND THE INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE ACTUAL SALE, LOT NUMBER AND PRICE REALIZED IS PROVIDED ABOVE. THIS IS COUNTERINTUITIVE TO OUR NORMAL POLICY OF STEERING CLEAR OF ITEMS WITH A KNOWN AUCTION HISTORY, BUT THE RARITY OF MANY OF THESE ISSUES PRECLUDES SOURCING THEM ELSEWHERE. SINCE THIS IS AN AREA THAT HAS GOTTEN IMMENSELY MORE POPULAR WITH TIME, WE FEEL THIS COLLECTION PROVIDES AN IDEAL OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEONE LOOKING TO ENTER THIS FACSINATING ARENA! Our commitment is to provide you with quality coins and collectibles at the best possible prices. This piece is no exception. Please note, the coin and collectibles markets do fluctuate, and prices occasionally will change. In this rare circumstance, we will contact you first to verify your order.

Welcome Collectors to The Reeded Edge Reserve Equity Fund Inc eBay store. The Reeded Edge Reserve Equity Fund is a specialty spin-off of The Reeded Edge (eBay id-reedededge), one of the nation’s largest and most respected rare coin firms. You will get the same high-quality certified coins and level of service associated with The Reeded Edge. You should also find Reserve Equity Fund coins priced competitively, with the selection both varied and interesting. With 3 ½ decades full time in the rare coins and collectibles field and almost 25 years selling on eBay, you can purchase with 100% confidence!

Everything that we sell comes with our 100% iron-clad guarantee; you must be satisfied, or you may return it for a no-questions-asked refund. It's that simple!

Most items ship on the same business day that we receive your payment. All items are packed securely to insure that you will receive them in the same condition as when they left our offices. We would be happy to combine shipping on multiple items whenever possible. 

PLEASE NOTE: This item is also for sale through our brick and mortar location, our webstore, our published price list (which goes out to over 10,000 subscribers), Coin World, Numismatic News and Collector's Corner. If this item piques your interest, you may want to consider purchasing it, as many of our items do sell through these other venues. We hope that you understand our position, and thank you for your consideration. We greatly appreciate it!

Please read our terms of sale below. They are the exclusive terms that we will be bound by, and supercede any eBay provisions that may be inconsistent with, or otherwise contradict our terms.

-Your friends at The Reeded Edge, Inc.