Sale 1248 — The Magnolia Collection of U.S. Mail in China and Japan: Part 1
Sale Date — Thursday, 16 December, 2021
Category — Mail Between United States Post Offices in Japan


VERY FINE. ONE OF SIX RECORDED 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE COVERS SENT BETWEEN UNITED STATES POST OFFICES IN JAPAN, OF WHICH FOUR HAVE 3-CENT STAMPS. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE "X" IN CIRCLE CANCEL USED AT THE HIOGO POST OFFICE.
This is one of six recorded 1869 Pictorial covers sent between United States post offices in Japan. One has two 2c 1869 stamps overpaying the 3c rate by 1c. Another has three 2c 1869 stamps paying the double 3c interconsular rate. The other four each have a single 3c 1869 stamp paying the interconsular rate, including the cover forwarded from Yokohama to Nagasaki offered in lot 2095. The rate between consular post offices in Japan was reduced from 10c to 3c in mid-1870, as evidenced by the earliest recorded cover showing the new rate, dated July 15, 1870, from Hiogo-Osaka to Yokohama (see Frajola-Perlman-Scamp book, p.174).
Illustrated in Frajola-Perlman-Scamp book (p. 175).
Ex Ishikawa and Coulter. With 2006 P.F. certificate.