30c Orange (71). Used with 5c Brown (76) and 10c Green (68), tied by two strikes of large circle of V's cancel--either an unrecorded type of Yokohama killer or applied at San Francisco--on part-printed folded letter and export prices current list from Aymonin & Co., Yokohama, Japan, to Lyons, France, addressed to Chavanne & Co., part-printed dateline "Yokohama, 31 Mars 1869", sender's blue oval handstamp, red manuscript directive "Overland Mail"--carried on the PMSS Japan, departing Yokohama April 1, 1869, and arriving San Francisco April 24--partly bold strike of red "China and Japan Steam Service" oval handstamp, "San Francisco Cal. Apr. 26" circular datestamp ties 5c--sent to New York, then on Inman City of Baltimore, departing May 8 and arriving Queenstown May 17--no New York markings, small red "PD" framed handstamp tying 5c, blue "Etats-Unis Serv. Am. Calais 6E/19 Mai 69" arrival datestamp ties 10c and 30c stamps, Paris-to-Lyon (May 19) and Lyon (May 20) backstamps, file folds in two directions clear of stamps, slight wear along horizontal fold

VERY FINE. A TRULY REMARKABLE COVER WITH THE SUPERFICIAL APPEARANCE OF A STANDARD 45-CENT RATE COVER FROM THE UNITED STATES TO FRANCE, BUT THE YOKOHAMA EXPORTER'S BLUE OVAL, RED "CHINA AND JAPAN STEAM SERVICE" OVAL AND SAN FRANCISCO DATESTAMP REVEAL THE TRUE NATURE OF THIS COVER--SENT FROM JAPAN TO FRANCE VIA THE UNITED STATES WITH THE 10-CENT TRANSPACIFIC AND 30-CENT TRANSATLANTIC RATES PREPAID.

The 15c U.S.-France treaty rate for mail sent via England was calibrated in 7.5 gram increments (or quarter-ounce in the U.S.), but the 10c U.S.-Japan rate advanced in half-ounce increments. For every step, the credit to Great Britain for transit on mail to France was 6c. Therefore, the correct postage for a letter from Japan to France via the U.S. and Great Britain was as follows:

0.25 and =0.50 ounce = 40c (2 x 15c=30c plus 10c), credit 12c (2 x 6c)

0.50 and =0.75 ounce = 65c (3 x 15c=45c plus 2 x 10c=20c), credit 18c (3 x 6c)

0.75 and =1.00 ounce = 80c (4 x 15c=60c plus 2 x 10c=20c), credit 24c (4 x 6c)

If this seems confusing from the vantage point of a modern-day collector, imagine how a clerk in a bustling mid-19th century New York foreign mail exchange office felt. In the case of this cover, which was probably overpaid 5c for the 40c combined rate, the clerk in New York did not even bother to mark a credit to Great Britain. It was treated as fully paid ("PD") in England and France.

Ex Bolton.

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