1858 (Dec. 31) Charleston, S.C. to Tarragona, Spain, folded letter with blue "Charge Box 625 H & Co." straightline, "Charleston S.C. Dec 31 1858" origin cds with matching "Paid" h.s. and manuscript "21" rating, "New York 'Paid 18' Jan 5" exchange h.s. with credit obliterated and restruck "Br. Pkt." exchange cds, carried by Cunard Line Asia from New York Jan. 5 to Liverpool arriving Jan. 16, London (1.17) arrival backstamp, Tarragona (1.22) arrival backstamp with "4 Rs" reales due h.s.; light vertical fold, Very Fine. Estimate  $200 - 300. Letter paid 21¢ for a single rate (¼ oz) letter by French mail. New York credited France 18¢ with the exchange office datestamp, then realized letter weighed more than ¼ oz. and required two rates. The credit was obliterated and the letter sent in the British open mail by British packet (5¢ rate), a 16¢ overpayment. London sent letter through France to Spain, where it was marked for 4 reales postage due, the rate for a single letter (less than 7½ grams). Letter must have weighed over ¼ oz. (7.08 grams) and under 7.5 grams. $0 (Image)