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Mount Pleasant Hospital Full Illustrated Lithograph Cover

July 12, 2026

Property of Cover Collect

Forensic Integrity: Verified Genuine.

This item is a pristine, unused Union patriotic cover from the American Civil War era, specifically depicting a detailed lithographic view of the Mount Pleasant General Hospital located in Washington, D.C.

Established in 1862, Mount Pleasant was one of many sprawling military hospital complexes built to care for wounded Union soldiers, and such highly illustrated multi-color designs were popular among citizens and soldiers to demonstrate patriotic solidarity.

Under our 5-tier rating system, this cover's postal usage is considered UNCOMMON.

Why it is not 'Common': This item surpasses the lowest tier due to its elaborate, full-front multi-color lithographic design of a specific historical military facility, which is far scarcer than standard patriotic themes like small flags or eagles.

Why its usage is 'UNCOMMON': The cover is classified as uncommon because while unused Civil War patriotic envelopes were printed in significant quantities, pristine survivors with full-bleed pictorial lithographs are highly sought after and appear only several times a year in the active market.

Why it is not 'Scarce' or 'Rare' (or higher): It cannot be elevated to a higher tier because it is an unused specimen that lacks specialized postal markings, rare frankings, or direct historical manuscript endorsements from an active soldier.

Condition Considerations: The excellent condition of the lithograph dramatically enhances its visual appeal and structural value to postal historians, as many surviving examples from this era suffer from severe foxing, trimming, or fading.

Based on recent active public auction and online trading platforms, comparable unused full-color Civil War hospital covers typically realize between $40 and $70 depending on the specific design variant.

The primary driver of value for this piece is the striking visual appeal and historical significance of the Mount Pleasant illustration rather than its postal usage history.

Items of this nature enjoy steady demand among both Civil War enthusiasts and specialized ephemera collectors, indicating a stable appreciation potential over the long term.

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Since this specific envelope is an unused, mint-state survivor that was never processed through the postal system, no actual postal rates were applied to its surface.

Had it been transmitted during the American Civil War, a standard single-rate domestic letter weighing under 0.5 ounces would have required 3 cents of postage.

Because it contains no stamps, manuscript markings, or cancellations, it represents a pristine philatelic artifact intended for soldier or patriotic correspondence rather than a used postal instrument.

The envelope is in excellent unused condition, displaying strong and vibrant multi-color lithographic printing across the entire front surface.

There is negligible edge wear and light, natural toning consistent with its age, but it remains free of major tears, heavy staining, or structural defects.

The reverse side features minor dealer pencil notations in the upper-right and lower-right corners but is otherwise clean and intact.