U.S. City Despatch Post, New York N.Y., 3c Black on Grayish (6LB1). Position 6 from upper right corner of sheet, tied by two strikes of orange-red "U.S." in frame cancel, matching "U.S. City Despatch Post Dec. 2 9 O'Clock" Type I double-line circular datestamp on folded invoice to local street address, trivial ink erosion spots in address, light fold at center

AN EXTREMELY FINE TIED EXAMPLE OF GREIG'S 3-CENT STAMP USED FOR UNITED STATES CITY DESPATCH POST CARRIER SERVICE. ONLY NINETEEN 6LB1 COVERS/FRONTS ARE RECORDED IN LYONS CENSUS, OF WHICH ONLY SEVEN FULL COVERS HAVE A POSTMARK OR CANCEL TYING THE STAMP.

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, 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). There are eight tied examples, including one large piece and seven covers.

Lyons census no. 6 (Penny Post, Oct. 2004). Ex Pope, Dr. Kapiloff, Kuphal and "New Amsterdam". With copy of 1985 P.F. certificate.

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