12¢ Black (17), three full margins to touched at right, used with 3¢ Dull Red, Type II (11A), tied together by three strikes of "20" debit handstamp with additional strike at top right on folded printed market report to London, England, with brief letter in German dated September 15, 1853, sender's routing "pr. Cortes Via Nicaragua" and fully struck red "VIA NICARAGUA/AHEAD OF THE MAILS" in truncated frame handstamp--carried from New York to England on Ocean Line Washington, departing October 8, 1853, and arriving Southampton October 21--red receiving backstamp (October 23, 1853), British manuscript due rate either crossed out or changed (also ties 3¢ stamp)

Very Fine; vertical file fold with slight toning causes light margin crease in 3¢ stamp, minor wear which is not very evident on the front--these negligible flaws are not noted on certificate.

A remarkable use. This is one of a very few known "Via Nicaragua" covers to an overseas destination and an extremely rare combination of stamps, which underpaid the prevailing rate to England.

Upon arrival in New York, the "20" debit handstamp was used to cancel the stamps. According to regulations, the 15¢ partial prepayment had to be ignored entirely, with the full postage due from the addressee. Perhaps the sender (a German merchant) misinterpreted the August 1853 rate of 15¢ to certain German States as applicable to British mail, or perhaps this letter was mixed in with a group to Germany and mis-stamped. Whatever the sender's intention with the franking, this is an extraordinary cover.

Ex Joseph Hackmey. With 2007 P.F. certificate

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