1872 (Nov. 27) New Orleans, La. to Malaga, Spain, folded letter bearing 1870, 10¢ brown tied by "New Orleans La. Nov. 22" duplex, carried by HAPAG Line Vandalia from New Orleans on Nov. 27th to Santander arriving Nov. 23rd, Malaga (8.24) backstamp and "1 Peseta" due handstamp; horizontal fold affects 10¢, F.-V.F., the only recorded example of this scarce rate. Scott No. 150  Estimate $300 - 400. Post Office Department notice of 25 October 1871 established a 10¢ per ½ ounce direct rate for letters from the United States to Spain on the HAPAG steamships operating between New Orleans, Havana, Cuba, and Santander, Spain. While there was no postal convention with Spain to allow letters to be paid to their destination, the 10¢ fee was essentially the outgoing steamship fee. Postage was due in Spain. This service may have ended by mid-1873 as there is no record the route was used in 1874 and 1875 according to the Annual Reports of the Postmaster General. $0 (Image)