US Courier passport 1872, Paris
This is an original U.S. courier passport, issued in Paris on January 26, 1872, the 96th year of American independence. Such documents served as safe conduct for couriers carrying sensitive dispatches between American missions abroad.
It was granted to Frank Moore, a journalist and historian best known for compiling The Rebellion Record, the twelve-volume chronicle of the Civil War. At the time, he was traveling from Paris to London as Bearer of Dispatches.
The passport bears the signature of Wickham Hoffman, a Civil War officer and then acting head of the U.S. Legation in Paris. His bold autograph and the large red wax seal remain intact.
Issued just months after the Franco-Prussian War, this passport reflects a moment when secure communication was critical, making it a rare artifact at the intersection of American history, diplomacy, and war. Unfortunately, the seller wanted to have a unrealistic price and I couldn’t close a deal.
Tom Topol | Passport History Expert & Author.
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