Americana Stamps

Winter 2025

January 3-5

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Found 2 Results
US Stampless, Exchange Offices

Lot #: 3152

1836 Port Hope, Upper Canada to London, England

Port Hope, Upper Canada to London, England, 3 February 1836.

Per Post Office Department Circular, 6/29, 5th January 1829:
"As the postmaster at Kingston, Upper Canada acted also as a postmaster for the United States no Canadian postage was charged on letters posted at his office, only a threepence Currency ferriage fee, higher than that at other exchange offices to cover the more complex crossing of the St. Lawrence River. Letters from further afield, however, were charged postage to the border."

This letter was prepaid to New York: one shilling Currency, comprising ninepence Currency inland postage' plus threepence ferriage, and elevenpence halfpenny Currency the Currency equivalent of eighteen and three-quarters cents.' From New York the letter was sent by private sailing ship to Liverpool where it was marked as a ship letter and charged a further one shilling and sevenpence to London.

Opening: $450
Estimate: $750 - $1,000
Category: US Stampless, Exchange Offices

Lot #: 3153

1838 Moore, Upper Canada to Aberdeen, Scotland

There were a number of places, not designated as exchange offices, where mail was carried privately to United States post offices, with a considerable saving expense to Canadian correspondents. Although a post office opened at Moore, Upper Canada in 1837, mail was still being exchanged privately to St. Clair the following year.

This letter, from Robert Watson at Moore on the Sydenham River, was carried privately to St. Clair and paid twenty five cents to New York. In New York it was placed aboard a private sailing ship for Liverpool and there charged one shilling and ninepence, eightpence ship letter fee and one shilling and a penny intand postage, plus a halfpenny Scottish mail tax, to Aberdeen.

Opening: $180
Estimate: $300 - $500
Category: US Stampless, Exchange Offices