Wells, Fargo & Co. Pony Express, $1.00-$4.00 Horse & Rider Issues (143L1-143L5). All five Horse & Rider stamps including $2.00 Red and $4.00 Green, First Issue (April 1861) and $1.00 Red, $2.00 Green and $4.00 Black, Second Issue (July 1, 1861), each stamp plated, original gum (h.r.), large margins on fresh paper, also incl. perfect proof strike of the San Francisco Running Pony Handstamp (without date), on 99 x 73mm wove, few creases

EXTREMELY FINE SET OF WELLS, FARGO & COMPANY'S HORSE & RIDER STAMPS ISSUED FOR USE ON THE LEGENDARY PONY EXPRESS. VERY FEW SETS OF THIS HIGH QUALITY COULD BE ASSEMBLED.

The Pony Express was launched in 1860 by the overland freight express firm operated by William H. Russell, Alexander Majors and William B. Waddell. In an attempt to secure the lucrative government mail contract, the Central Overland California & Pikes Peak Express Company announced that it would carry letters between California and the railroad terminus at St. Joseph, Missouri, in less than ten days. The earliest advertisements appeared in January 1860, and the first pony rider left the Alta Telegraph office in San Francisco at 4:00 p.m. on April 3, 1860. The expressman and his bag of mail did not actually ride off toward St. Joseph. He first boarded the steamer New World and traveled up the Sacramento River to Sacramento. From there another horse and rider galloped off on the first leg of the journey. Several riders and horses were used along the arduous journey, and the mail reached St. Joseph ten days later, on April 13. The operation continued until October 1861.

Commencing July 1, 1861, the Pony Express was authorized by Congress to carry mail at the rate of $1.00 per half ounce. An additional fee was charged by Wells, Fargo & Co. to carry mail from San Francisco to the western terminus at Placerville. The contract also stipulated the mandatory U.S. postage charge of 10c per half ounce. Although the Scott Catalogue lists the July 1861 issue Pony Express stamps (143L3-143L6) with other private post issues, we wish to emphasize that these stamps were issued under the terms of a government mail contract; therefore, they have semi-official status.

Although some of the Horse & Rider stamps were remaindered, they are scarce, and the vast majority do not have four margins or original gum. This choice set would be extremely difficult to duplicate

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