1860 (Mar. 16) London, England to Philadelphia Pa. Folded letter with red "Lombard-Street, Paid, MR 16" cds, "Registered, London, 16 MR 60" oval postmark and matching "Registered" crown handstamp, red manuscript "4/6" prepaid rating for four-times the 1s packet rate plus 6d registration, manuscript "20/6" credit of 26¢ for four-times 5¢ inland plus 6¢ registry fee, carried as endorsed by Cunard Line Arabia from Liverpool Mar. 17th to New York arriving Mar. 30th, red Philadelphia "Phila. Br. Pkt., Paid, Mar 30" exchange cds and magenta "96" quadruple rate restatement, Very Fine and scarce quadruple registered transatlantic use.
Estimate; $150 - 200. Est. $150-200 (Image)

Est. $150-200

1860 (Jun. 8) London, England to Philadelphia Pa. Gray folded cover with red "Lombard-Street, JU 8 '60" origin cds bearing G.B. 6d purple and 1s green for 1s packet plus 6d registry fee, red "Registered, London, 8 Jun 60" oval and matching "Registered" crown handstamp with red manuscript "5/6" credit to U.S. for 5¢ inland and 6¢ registered, endorsed "p Asia, Registered", carried by Cunard Asia from Liverpool Jun. 9th to New York arriving Jun. 21st, red "Phila. Br. Pkt. '24' Paid" exchange cds overstrikes London registered oval.
Estimate; $200 - 300.

Additional articles effective 1 May 1856 allowed exchange of registered letters, provided that registration was fully prepaid, and that the receiving country would bear no liability for loss. Each country was to credit the other with half of their registration fee. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300

1864 (Sep 26) Nassau, Bahamas to Philadelphia Pa. Cover with red "Nassau, Paid, SP 26 '64" cds and red crayon "4" pence prepaid rate to William Rawle, Philadelphia Pa., "N. York Br. Pkt. '5' Oct 1" exchange debit cds, pencil "7" due rating crossed out as delivery fee no longer allowed and updated with pencil pencil "5/c" at top right; cover tear, otherwise Very Fine, possible blockade run cover from the South, but no indication of origin.
Estimate; $300 - 400. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

1865 (Aug. 16) Philadelphia Pa. to Antwerp, Belgium. Cover addressed to Lieut. on U.S. Shawmut bearing 3¢ rose (65) and 24¢ grayish lilac (78a), tied by "Phila. Pa. Aug 16" duplex and red "N.York Am. Pkt. '7 Paid' Aug 19" credit exchange cds, carried by HAPAG Line Germania from New York Aug. 19th to Southampton arriving Aug. 30th, Ostende "AM. PACKET" straightline backstamp, original 1865 letter accompanies; cover opened on three sides for display, small flaws, F.-V.F. and scarce use at the 27¢ closed mail rate via England to Belgium.
Estimate; $200 - 300. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300

1865 (Nov. 3) Manchester, England to Philadelphia Pa. Gray folded letter bearing G.B. 1865, 1sh green, faulty, tied by "498" barred oval duplexed with "Manchester, NO 3, 1865" cds paying the 1sh per ½ letter rate, two-line "Insufficiently/Pre-Paid" handstamp, manuscript notation at left "over 1/2 oz." and matching "38" debit for double the 16¢ packet rate and 3¢ British inland, carried by Cunard Line Persia from Liverpool Nov. 4th to New York arriving Nov. 15th, black "Philadelphia Br. Pkt. Nov 15" exchange cds and matching "48" due handstamp for 38¢ debit plus two-times 5¢ inland, Very Fine, ex-Carlin.
Estimate; $200 - 300.

Letter weighed between ½ and 1 ounce, and contains an affidavit from the U.S. Vice Consul at Bradford, bearing a 5¢ Certificate Revenue Stamp. Mail collected in the Liverpool, London, and Southampton exchanges addressed to Philadelphia were made up in separate bags from 1 Jan. 1854. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300

1868 (Jun. 19) Glasgow, Scotland to Philadelphia Pa. Cover bearing G.B. 1d red (33), strip of four and two singles, tied by three strikes of "Glasgow, JU 19 '68" duplex with "159" barred cancel, on cover to Philadelphia Pa., carried by Cunard Line Scotia from Liverpool Jun. 20th to New York arriving Jun. 30th, purple "Phila, Paid All, Jun 30" arrival exchange cds, Very Fine and attractive, ex-Carlin.
Estimate; $300 - 400.

1867 Treaty, Effective 1 January 1868

Each country was responsible for its own packet contracts and would retain all postage, eliminating the distinction between British and American packets. The letter rate per ½ oz. was reduced to 12¢ in the U.S., 6d in the U.K. The rate breakdown was 8¢ sea, 2¢ to each country for inland. The U.S. was entitled to 3¢ for each letter transiting the U.K. from another country. Philadelphia remained an exchange office. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

1868 (Jul. 14) London, England to Philadelphia Pa. Cover with red embossed crowned "Board of Trade S.W." cameo on back flap, orange red "London Official N Paid C 14 Jy 68" origin cds and blue "Board of Trade" ribbon oval, carried by Inman Line City of Paris from Liverpool Jul. 15th to New York arriving Jul. 25th, purple "Phila., Paid All, Jul 25" exchange cds; tiny edge tear, Very Fine.
Estimate; $300 - 400.

ONE OF ONLY TWO INCOMING OFFICIAL MAIL LETTERS TO PHILADELPHIA ARE RECORDED.

Actual payment was probably not made, but the letter would have been accounted for. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400