Lot Details

15L1, Philadelphia Despatch Post, 1842 3c Red, octagonal margins, red "Paid" and large "3" with manuscript "R&Co", tied by red "Philadelphia Pa. Apr 20" datestamp on 1843 folded letter to New York, mansucript "12½" rate, extremely fine and especially desirable with the stamp tied by such a crisp datestamp, just 14 covers recorded by Dr. Vernon Morris with this being the second earliest example, in reviewing the photographic census we believe this to be the finest cover with this stamp in existence, made even more appealing by the fact that it has never appeared at public auction, 2022 Philatelic Foundation certificate (Scott $5,000 for untied on cover, not priced tied) A 2013 Penny Post article Dr. Vernon R. Morris, Jr. (Vol. 21, No. 2) records 14 covers with 15L1, all used between February 15 and November 8, 1843 (R.A. Siegel reports 15 covers). The cover offered here is #2 in Morris's census. Following the British "Penny Black" and Greig's City Despatch Post in New York City, the Philadelphia Despatch Post was only the third entity in the world to issue stamps for the prepayment of postage (15L1, 3c red on bluish, and the earlier 15L2, 3c Black), both of which are extremely scarce. To this end, Morris states that "15L1 participated in the advancement of written communication through specialization and innovation of postal service dedicated and restricted solely to local service in one city." Although primitive in design, the Philadelphia Despatch Post stamps represent an important step in the develpment of the American postal system.