Hello all,
I have recently managed to win this item at auction and I await its arrival with some anticipation.
This is an example of the 27 cent rate from the United States to the Netherlands (via England) effective from July of 1866 until the end of December 1867.
Question: has anyone seen ANY other examples of this rate during this rate period?
Prior to this, options for sending mail to Holland from the US were limited. Starting in 1849, a person could use British Open Mail and only pay for the US portion of the postage (this would be 5 cents or 21 cents depending on the contract the trans-Atlantic packet sailed under). The Open Mail rate was discontinued at the point this 27 cent rate was started.
French mail provided a 21 cent rate per 1/4 ounce (7.5 grams) starting in April of 1857 (which was still active in 1866/67).
Bremen had a 25 cent rate (per 1/2 ounce) August 1853-July 1857.
A direct mail rate via American Packet was started in October of 1866 for only 17 cents per 1/2 ounce and Bremen/Hamburg Mails introduced a new 18 cents per 1/2 ounce rate in February of 1867. So, while it was nice to be able to finally prepay the entire rate, it was not the best price for mailing long - though it did have the most sailings to take advantage of getting there faster.
Best,
Rob
PS this is a cross post with the US-Holland category. I am hopeful that by catching both ends of the the travel for this item I might see if others have found an item using this rate.
R
