5c Red Brown (1). Large margins including right sheet margin, bright shade, used with Canada, 1851, 3p Red on Laid (1), full to large margins, rich color, both stamps tied by bold strikes of Canadian 7-ring target cancel on large piece of blue folded cover (including part of back), red "Kingston U.C. JU 4 1851" circular datestamp, red "10" rate handstamp, 5c toned spot in bottom right margin and creased by a vertical file fold

FINE APPEARANCE. AN ATTRACTIVE AND VERY RARE PIECE WITH A MIXED FRANKING OF THE FIRST ISSUES OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA, CANCELLED IN CANADA TO PAY THE NEW TREATY RATE.

For decades there had been no easy way to pay postage on letters between Canada and the United States. Postage on each side was calculated based on distance to the border, and letters would be delivered marked postage due for the receiving country's share. The 1851 U.S.-Canada postal treaty created a reciprocal postage rate--6 pence in Canada and 10 cents in the U.S.--without any need for cumbersome postage collection. The new agreement went into effect on April 6, 1851. On April 23, 1851, Canada's first issue of postage stamps became available--the 3p Beaver issue. At the same time in the U.S., Congress had established lower postage rates and authorized new stamps to pay them, set for release on July 1, 1851. On that day the old 1847 Issue would no longer be valid for postage, and a three-month redemption period would commence. For years before, the 1847 stamps had been supplied to Canadian post offices and used there to prepay the U.S. postage on letters addressed to the states. After the 1851 U.S.-Canada postal treaty took effect, Canadian postmasters accepted the U.S. stamps in payment of the Canada 6-pence rate (roughly equivalent to 10c U.S.), even after the 1847s were demonetized in the their own country of origin.

The time between the release date of Canada's first issue and the last day the 1847 Issue was valid for postage in the U.S. is 69 days. During this brief period, the first issues of both countries, printed by the same firm--Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson--could be used on the same letter, but only under very unusual circumstances, which technically skirted the rules of the new treaty, but were nonetheless practiced and accepted by post offices on both sides. Only three full covers with 1847 and Canada mixed frankings are recorded. This piece has both stamps tied by the Canadian target cancels, which proves they were affixed and cancelled in Canada.

Illustrated in Winthrop S. Boggs, The Postage Stamps and Postal History of Canada (p. 87). Ex Dale-Lichtenstein and Dr. Robertson.

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