Via Nicaragua/Ahead Of The Mails. Blue box handstamp on cover to Rochester, New York franked with 1851 12¢ black diagonal bisect tied by New York "Steam Ship" straight line handstamp, the cover entered the mails in New York where the bisect was not recognized & treated as a non-contract ship letter with "New-York Ship, Sep 25, 7cts" large cds applied (2¢ ship fee plus 5¢ postage from New York to Rochester collect), endorsed "per Vanderbilt Line, Sep 1st", reverse shows clear "Supplied From J. W. Sullivan's Newspaper Office" San Francisco blue double-lined oval handstamp, cover strengthened with paper inside, edge faults, F.-V.F.; with clear 1977 P.F. certificate. Estimate  $750 - 1,000. The San Francisco Post Office experienced a shortage of 3¢ stamps beginning in July of 1853 and, so, began using bisected 12¢ stamps on letters subject to the 6¢ transcontinental rate where postage was to be prepaid, which included all letters to be carried outside of the mails from San Francisco via Panama or Nicaragua to New York on non-contract ships. Most of the 1853 bisect uses were recognized. This cover is an example of one that was not. The matter was settled by the Post Office Department in a circular dated November 10, 1853, which concluded that bisects were not permitted. $0 (Image)

Via Nicaragua/Ahead of the Mails. Red boxed handstamp on blue cover to Massachusetts franked with horiz. pair 1851 3¢ dull red tied in transit by bold "New York" cds, Very Fine, carried from the SS Sierra Nevada which departed San Francisco on 6/1/1854 and then by the SS Northern Light which arrived in New York on 5/25/54. Estimate  $500 - 750. $0 (Image)