1861 Confederate States of America Set

Confederate States of America Set of 6 Stamps

Unused with small flaws

When the Civil War erupted, the U.S. demonetized (made worthless) its postage stamps and issued new ones to prevent the South from using U.S. stockpiles. The Confederate Post Office was organized in February 1861 and took over postal operations on June 1, 1861. Some Confederate post offices used the old system of paying cash for postage, others used their own provisional issues.

Unlike the North, the South lacked the means to produce fine engraved stamps from steel plates.  A representative was sent to England and found engravers Thomas De La Rue and Co., Ltd. Plates were made for two denominations and a large number of sheets were printed and sent to the Confederacy. The ship was captured by the Union and its contents was destroyed. A new set of plates and stamps were made and sent with a printing press, ink and paper to the Confederacy. The second shipment avoided Union warships and made it to Richmond.