A cover displaying a strip of three US 1851 1c blues carries an estimate of $40,000-60,000 ahead of a major stamp sale at Daniel Kelleher.

The cover was sent from Buckeystown, Maryland to Johnsonville, Ohio and features an array of date stamps.

The 1851 blue stamps were issued after a reduction in postage rates

The strip displays strong margins and includes the bottom ornaments.

Congress introduced the stamp in 1851 as part of a bid to reduce postage rates. It displays an image of Benjamin Franklin and was issued in a run of just over 12m.

While payment on collection was still available, the lower cost of postage stamps proved attractive to customers.

A 1901 4c Pan-American invert error is also on offer, with a valuation of $30,000-40,000.  

Four sheets of the 4c invert were produced deliberately due to a miscommunication. They were later distributed among friends by assistant postmaster Edward C Madden.

The auction house describes it as an "extremely desirable example of this eye catching invert with absolutely gorgeous deep rich color and clean original gum, much fresher than normally encountered - as the sheet from which these scarce inverts came was stuck to paper backing when it was discovered.

"Of the 200 or so examples that are known to exist, approximately half had Specimen overprints applied; the example offered here is among the few completely sound examples available to collectors."

The sale takes place in Danbury, Connecticut on February 2-4.

We have a fascinating selection of stamps for sale, click here to take a look.

Please sign up to our free newsletter to receive exciting news about postage stamp auctions.