U.S. City Despatch Post, New York N.Y., 3c Black on Blue Green Glazed (6LB5). Five singles incl. four overlapped, tied by orange-red "U.S." octagonal handstamps, matching "New-York Nov. 1" circular datestamp on folded letter to Pleasant Valley N.Y., blue ms. "12/" rate, expertly restored horizontal fold affects four stamps

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF EIGHT RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE U.S. CITY DESPATCH POST CARRIER STAMP USED TO PREPAY INTER-CITY POSTAGE. AN OUTSTANDING POSTAL HISTORY ITEM.

This cover and seven other similar examples mark the beginning of prepayment of inter-city postage by adhesive stamps in the Western hemisphere. In each case, the United States City Despatch Post stamps prepaid the regular postage and carrier fee for delivery to the New York City post office, where the letters were marked "Paid" in full.

Our records contain eight inter-city covers with full prepayment, including one front and one with a stamp missing (listed chronologically by New York postmark date): 1) May 25 datestamp, 1843 folded letter to Henry Morris, Philadelphia, strip of 3 + pair, ex Caspary, Middendorf, Kapiloff, Siegel 1995 Rarities sale (realized $37,500); 2) May 30 datestamp (1843), folded cover to F. Packard, Philadelphia, 2 pairs + 1, ex Caspary, Pope, Kapiloff, Siegel 1995 Rarities sale (realized $42,500) and Kuphal (Siegel Sale 925, lot 1218, realized $50,000); 3) Jun. 16 datestamp, 1843 folded letter to Henry Morris, Philadelphia, strip of 4 + 1, ex Caspary, Hall (Siegel Sale 830, lot 144, realized $32,500 hammer), Gordon N. John (Siegel Sale 868, lot 2015, realized $42,500 hammer); 4) Jul. 5 datestamp, 1843 folded letter to Henry Morris, Philadelphia, strip of 5, ex Caspary, Middendorf (1990 private treaty sale at $30,000); 5) Aug. 23 datestamp, 1843 folded letter to Henry Morris, Philadelphia, 4 singles (1 missing), ex Seybold, Hall (Siegel Sale 830); 6) Nov. 1 datestamp, 1843 folded letter to Julia Welling, Pleasant Valley N.Y., 5 singles, creased and restored, from a recent find, the cover offered here; 7) Oct. 18 datestamp (1844), folded cover to Dr. Wheeler, Athens N.Y., strip of 3 + 1, ex Caspary, Hall, Gordon N. John (Siegel Sale 868, lot 2015, realized $42,500 hammer); and 8) Jun. 13 (ca. 1845), front only to Lewis Riley, Ridgefield Conn., ex Caspary, Middendorf, Kapiloff, Siegel 1995 Rarities sale. Three of the covers have stamps on Blue paper (6LB5b) from the later printing. The others are Green or Blue Green (1843 printings).

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