10c Green, Ty. II (14). Large margins, deep rich color and proof-like impression, tied by "San Francisco Cal. 30 Jun." (1855) circular datestamp on light buff cover to Mrs. E. S. Mulford in Patchogue, Long Island, N.Y., imprinted "Via Nicaragua" at top (prepared by the California Penny Post Co.) with manuscript "too late for Nicaragua" applied by company agent indicating this missed the Vanderbilt Line sailing via Nicaragua, California Penny Post Co., San Francisco, 5c Blue (34L4) affixed at left to prepay 5c rate for delivery to one of the Vanderbilt Line steamers, docketing on back confirms 1855 use, opened a bit irregularly at right and neatly sealed, 5c with tiny scuff in left denomination

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS THE EARLIEST USE OF A 10-CENT 1855 ISSUE STAMP FROM CALIFORNIA. IT IS ALSO ONE OF THE FINEST OF THE FIVE RECORDED INTACT COVERS BEARING THIS RARE SAN FRANCISCO LOCAL POST STAMP, OF WHICH FOUR ARE USED WITH THE 10-CENT 1855 ISSUE.

This remarkable cover is the earliest recorded date of use of the 10c 1855 Issue from the West Coast. Depending on the date the first supply of 10c 1855 stamps arrived in San Francisco, this June 30 date might be the earliest possible use of the 10c on mail bound for the East Coast via Panama. An analysis of the stamp production dates and sailing data follows.

The date of issue of the 10c stamps has been reported as May 4, 1855 (Luff book) or May 10, 1855 (A Description of U.S. Stamps and Postal Cards, published by the Post Office Department). The Travers Papers indicate that the stamps were ready for delivery a few days after the intended May 1 issue date. The earliest reported use of the 10c stamp from any post office is May 12 (Type II) from Eastport, Maine. It would have taken 25 to 30 days for the first supply of the new stamps to make their way to the West Coast via Panama. There are two possible sailings.

The USMSC George Law sailed from New York on May 5, 1855, and arrived in Aspinwall on May 16. The PMSS Golden Gate left Panama around May 18 and arrived in San Francisco on May 30. If the stamps were available as early as May 31, then they could have been used on mail carried on two PMSS steamers from San Francisco: the John L. Stephens on June 2 and the Golden Gate on June 16; however, no 10c covers are recorded for those sailings.

It is more likely that the 10c stamps were on the May 21 sailing of the USMSC Illinois, which arrived in Aspinwall on May 30. The PMSS Sonora left Panama around June 1 and arrived in San Francisco on June 15. The stamps were probably not in circulation by the time the Golden Gate sailed on June 16.

The sender of this cover paid 5c for the California Penny Post Company to bring it to the wharf for mailing aboard the next outbound steamship on the Vanderbilt Line's route via Nicaragua. The manuscript notation "too late for Nicaragua" indicates that this missed the June 30 sailing of Vanderbilt's Cortes, which arrived in San Juan del Sur on July 13. This Nicaragua sailing would have left early in the day to beat the PMSS sailing via Panama. Had this cover been on the Cortes, it would have been postmarked on arrival at the New York City post office (Frajola Census No. 702 was carried on the Cortes). Instead, the Penny Post Co. brought the cover to the San Francisco post office, where it was postmarked on June 30, then bagged for the same-day departure of the PMSS Sonora, which arrived in Panama on July 15 after a stop in Acapulco. It was then carried from Aspinwall to New York on the USMSC George Law, which departed July 16 and arrived on July 25.

The California Penny Post Co. charged 2c for carrying a letter to the post office for an ocean-mail departure via Panama, which explains why a company agent wrote "too late for Nicaragua" on this cover. The Frajola census records only four covers with this combination of the 10c 1855 and 5c adhesive, plus one other 5c Penny Post adhesive cover with a 3c 1851 (http://www.rfrajola.com/cpp/cpp.htm ).

Illustrated in Neinken 10c book (p. 13). Ex Eno, Jessup, Pearce, Haas and Kapiloff.

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