U.S. City Despatch Post, New York, N.Y., 3¢ Black on Grayish (6LB1), large even margins, minute tear in margin at right far from frameline, well tied by two strikes of orange-red "U.S." in frame cancel, matching "U.S. City Despatch Post Dec. 3, 9 O'Clock" Type I double-line circular datestamp on folded meeting notice dated 1842, to local street address with notation "Despatch" in sender's hand

Very Fine. One of the finest tied examples among the fewer than 20 recorded covers with the Greig's 3¢ stamp used for United States City Despatch carrier service.

In August 1842 the privately-owned City Despatch Post was bought out and re-established as the carrier department of the New York City post office. Stamps sold by Greig for the City Despatch Post remained valid for prepayment of carrier fees and were used months after the buyout. By November 1842, the mailing date of this cover, Greig's stamps in public hands were accepted concurrently with the government carrier issues (6LB3 and 6LB5, primarily). The carrier stamp, 6LB1, can be distinguished from 40L1 only when cancelled with the "U.S." designated cancel or postmark. Such examples are very rare, with 19 covers contained in the Lyons census, as well as ten off-cover stamps. Of the 19 6LB1 covers recorded by Lyons, only 15 are confirmed as genuine full covers (two are fronts or pieces, one is unconfirmed, and a fourth 6LB1 stamp is on an 1844 cover).

Ex Donald S. Patton and David Golden. With 1972 P.F. certificate.

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