1785 (Dec. 3) Liverpool, England to Philadelphia Pa. Datelined folded letter with London "7/DE" bishop mark backstamp and red "POST/PAID" in circle handstamp with prepaid "1/6" 1sh6d rating for 6d inland plus 1sh packet, "204 LIVER/POOL" postmark for 204 miles Liverpool-London, carried by Packet Shelburn from Falmouth Dec. 16th to New York Feb. 4th, New York manuscript "2" dwt inland postage due, Very Fine.
Estimate; $300 - 400.

After the American Revolution, British authorities asked Benjamin Franklin to reinstate the New York packets under the old terms, including that no U.S. ship fees were to be charged on incoming packet letters. Anxious to restart commercial relations, the American government agreed. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

1786 (Feb. 2) London England to Philadelphia Pa. via New York. Datelined folded letter endorsed "Via New York / Feby Pacquet", London "2/FE" bishop mark backstamp and matching "POST/PAID" in circle handstamp with red manuscript "1oz" and "p 4/-" prepaid rating for four-times the 1sh packet rate, carried by Packet Speedy from Falmouth Feb. 14th to New York arriving Apr. 18th, New York manuscript "8" dwt rating for inland postage (4x 2dwt for 60-100 miles), Philadelphia manuscript "3/6" 3s6d due rating in local currency (8dwt = 24d sterling, so: 24d x 1.67 = 40d local + 2d delivery = 3s6d), docketed "Recd 21 August 86"; some edge wear, F.-V.F.
Estimate; $2,000 - 3,000.

A RARE PREPAID QUADRUPLE RATE PACKET LETTER. Est. $2,000-3,000 (Image)

Est. $2,000-3,000

1786 (Dec. 6) London, England to Philadelphia Pa. Datelined folded letter with London "7/DE" bishop mark backstamp and matching "POST/PAID" in circle handstamp with red manuscript "P 1/-" rating, carried by Packet Lord Hyde from Falmouth Dec. 17th to New York arriving Feb. 5th, New York manuscript "2" dwt due rating for 60-100 miles, Philadelphia manuscript "1/" due rating in local currency (2dwt = 6d stg. x 1.67 = 10d local + 2d delivery = 12d = 1sh); file fold reinforced, F.-V.F.
Estimate; $200 - 300. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300

1790 (Jan. 19) Liverpool, England to Philadelphia Pa. Folded letter endorsed "Pr favour Nereus, Capt Thompson" at bottom left, carried as endorsed by Ship Nereus from Liverpool Jan. 20th to New York arriving Mar. 20th, entered mails with "New-York * march*20" straightline and manuscript "Sh 2" rating for 2d stg. ship fee, Philadelphia "1/-" due in local currency ([2d stg. ship plus 4d stg. inland] x 1.67 inflation = 10d; 10d plus 2d delivery = 1/-); some separation at top, Very Fine.
Estimate; $200 - 300. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300

1794 (c., Mar. 1) London, England to Philadelphia Pa. Folded cover with manuscript "Rec'd & forwarded, yr. hbleServt., F. Pigice" on flap and endorsed "Geo Barclay", sent unpaid by Ship George Barclay from London Mar. 1st 1794 to Philadelphia arriving May 1st (62 days), entered mails with bold strike of Philadelphia "4" cents due 8mm handstamp for port of arrival ship letter, Very Fine and scarce.
Estimate; $500 - 750.

Philadelphia was the only city to use a handstamp 4 device. Four sizes of typeface were used to indicate this rate; a census records that all four comprise only 26 examples. The Philadelphia 8mm "4" rating handstamp is recorded from 1793-1794 with only fifteen recorded examples. Est. $500-750 (Image)

Est. $500-750

1800 (Feb. 6) Nassau, Bahamas to Philadelphia Pa. via New York. Datelined folded letter written and signed by Jacob Weiser to merchant Manuel Tyer with interesting content "…the Schooner Weymouth which is now called the Eliz. She was captured on her passage from Cape Francois to Baltimore by a French Privateer and afterwards re-captured by the U.S. Frigates General Green and Boston, put into this port in distress…thoroughly overhauled and now in compleat order.", cover endorsed "Via New York" at lower left, carried by private ship, entered mails with "New-York, Mar 14" clamshell postmark and red manuscript "Sh 14½" due rating for 12½¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship fee, Very Fine and interesting privateering content.
Estimate; $400 - 600. Est. $400-600 (Image)

Est. $400-600

1803 (Jul. 21) London, England to Philadelphia Pa. Datelined folded letter with clear strike of "Post-Paid Ship-Letter, London, JUL 21, 1803" double-circle postmark and red manuscript "11" pence prepaid rating for one half of the 1/10 packet rate, carried as endorsed by Ship Pigou from London Jul. 22nd to Philadelphia arriving Sep. 7th, Philadelphia red "6" in circle due handstamp; soiled, Fine.
Estimate; $400 - 600.

THE ONLY RECORDED USE OF THIS LONDON POSTMARK ON A LETTER TO PHILADELPHIA.

Prepayment of ship letters was not permissible until 1799. Act 39 Geo III c 76 allowed private ships to carry mail for the post office at "not less than half the packet rate". This was amended by GPO notice in 1803 to be exactly half the packet rate, and required letters to be held in sealed bags. Prepaid ship letters are very rare, as letters were normally sent unpaid. Est. $400-600 (Image)

Est. $400-600

1804 (Mar. 8) Cape Town, South Africa to Portsmouth N.H. Docketed folded cover carried by Ship Perseverance from Cape Town Mar. 8th to Philadelphia Pa. arriving May 3rd, entered mails with bold magenta "PHI, MY, 4" cds and matching "SHIP" arc handstamp with magenta "22" rating for 20¢ inland 300-500 miles plus 2¢ ship fee; top center flaw, Very Fine, The Earliest Recorded Use of this "SHIP" arc handstamp..
Estimate; $150 - 200. Est. $150-200 (Image)

Est. $150-200