Sale 1230 — U.S. and Hawaii Stamps and Postal History
Sale Date — Tuesday-Friday, 15-18 December, 2020
Category — Colonial and 18th Century
Lot
Symbol
Photo/Description
Cat./Est. Value
Realized
973
(Boston to Newport R.I., June 9, 1755) "Bo dwt 4.16". Manuscript postmark and 4dwt 16gr rate on small folded letter datelined June 9, 1755 to Newport R.I., Very Fine, shortly after the beginning of the administrations of Benjamin Franklin and William Hunter as Deputy Postmasters General in 1753, they instructed postmasters to rate all letters in pennyweights and grains of coined silver, in an attempt to eliminate confusion from the use of different currencies in different colonies, Franklin also published rates for letters sent from Boston to various towns, this 1755 letter is an early example of the official "currency of account" use of pennyweights and grains
E. 200-300
160
