5c Red Brown (1). Two singles, full margins to just in, intermediate impression, cancelled by blue manuscript on blue part-printed "Office of Quebec and Lake Superior Mining Association, Quebec, 20th April 1850" folded letter from Quebec, Canada to New York City, Kennedy correspondence, clear strike of red "Paid at Quebec L.C." crowned-circle handstamp, manuscript "11-1/2" pence for Canadian postage paid and sender's notation "Pd. to the lines", "Quebec L.C. AP 21, 1850" transit datestamp, Montreal Apr. 22 backstamp, light vertical file folds, one of which affects left stamp

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE USE OF TWO 5-CENT 1847 STAMPS ON A COVER ORIGINATING IN CANADA. ONLY SEVEN COVERS ARE KNOWN WITH THE 5-CENT USED WITH THE "PAID AT QUEBEC" CROWNED-CIRCLE HANDSTAMP.

The two 5c stamps were applied in Canada, but were cancelled on arrival in New York. The "Paid at Quebec" crowned-circle handstamp was used at British colonial post offices as acknowledgement of cash payment for postage. Quebec was the only Canadian city to use this marking, because the main branch of the colonial post office was located there.

The USPCS census records only seven covers with the "Paid at Quebec" marking used with the 5c 1847 Issue (one is listed with the 10c). Six bear two stamps and are from the Kennedy correspondence. A seventh is known with a single 5c used to Boston. Similar covers from the Kennedy correspondence are illustrated in Boggs The Postage Stamps and Postal History of Canada (pp. 72-73). The cover offered here was illustrated and described in an article in Chronicle 218 (copy accompanies).

Ex Mirsky. With 1989 P.F. certificate

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