Lot 2784 o
1869, 3¢ ultramarine, outstanding strike of "KKK Skull & Crossbones" of Union Mills, Pa. (S-E PH-5 29), insignificant perf tear at bottom (not mention on clear P.F. cert.), Extremely Fine strike; with 2023 P.F. certificate.Scott No. 114 Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.
A GORGEOUS STRIKE OF THIS RARE CANCELLATION.
Union Mills, Pennsylvania, was home to several distinctive fancy cancel designs during the 1869-71 period, including the "KKK" Skull & Crossbones, Kleagle Mask and the Horse in Hat designs. These cancels suggest Ku Klux Klan activity in the town during the early post-Civil War Reconstruction era. John H. Beardsley served as the postmaster for a brief time, from February 9, 1870, to March 16, 1871, a period that aligns with the creation and use of these Ku Klux Klan-related cancellations.