DANISH WEST INDIES, HAPAG, 1875, 10c Black on Yellow and Greenish Blue. Tied by light strike of blue "Sievers & Tippenhauer/Cape Haytien" double oval handstamp on blue folded letter datelined "Cap Hatien 12 Avril 1876" to St. Thomas, "St. Thomas 16/41876" backstamp, carried on the HAPAG steamer Lotharingia to St. Thomas, expertly reinforced along light vertical file fold well away from stamp, a Very Fine and rare HAPAG usage, HAPAG began to carry loose letters free of charge between Caribbean ports in 1873 on its "Intercolonial" lines as an incentive for shippers to use its service back to Germany, the volume of mail became such a burden that by 1874 the company started to collect money for the service and introduced a private 10c stamp, this is the first we have offered since 2005

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