The Central Overland California & Pikes Peak Express Company, St. Joseph, Mo. Nov. 23 (1860). Mostly complete strike of oval datestamp applied on arrival to way-mail cover carried on the Pony Express trip that started in San Francisco on Saturday, November 10, 1860, and arrived in St. Joseph on November 23, addressed to Charles White, Whitestown, New York, sender's directive "By Pony Express", 3¢ Dull Red, Ty. III (26) affixed by St. Joseph office over manuscript "1/4" quarter-ounce weight notation ($2.50 rate), cancelled by grid with matching "Saint Joseph Mo. Nov. 24" double-circle datestamp, stamp has margin defects including piece out at lower right, cover slightly reduced at left

VERY FINE OVERALL APPEARANCE. AN EXTREMELY UNUSUAL PONY EXPRESS COVER WITH UNITED STATES POSTAGE AFFIXED ON ARRIVAL--THE COVER WAS PLACED INTO THE MOCHILLA SOMEWHERE ALONG THE ROUTE OF THE PONY TRIP THAT STARTED IN CALIFORNIA ON NOVEMBER 10, 1860.

This cover was placed in the way-mail pocket of the mochilla that contained the November 10, 1860, mail from San Francisco. Its sender's name and mailing location are not known, but it must have originated within the distance limit for the 3¢ rate. Postage was probably paid in cash, and upon arrival in St. Joseph, the receiving office applied the November 23 oval datestamp, then affixed the 3¢ stamp. The St. Joseph post office applied the November 24 datestamp and cancelled the stamp before sending the cover on the eastbound train.

Pony Express way-mail covers are rare. A similar way-mail cover with two 3¢ stamps is listed as FKW E17, but it differs from the cover offered here in two respects. First, the Fort Bridger office applied a manuscript express marking, establishing the origin point. Second, it is impossible to tell whether the two 3¢ stamps (double rate) were affixed at Fort Bridger or at St. Joseph. On the cover offered here, the stamp is affixed partly over the St. Joseph oval, which proves it was not on the cover when it arrived at the end of the Pony trip. This is the only cover we have seen on which the adhesive stamp was applied at the receiving office.

FKW Census E39A. With letter of opinion from Richard C. Frajola stating "it is a genuine usage carried by the Pony Express" and explaining how the 3¢ stamp was applied by the St. Joseph office before this way-mail cover was placed into the mails.

Image Magnifier / Download

Power Search for Comparables