This stampless folded letter was sent from Charleston, South Carolina to New York City.

The letter would have been transported 547 miles on Mail Route No. 2 to
Washington, D.C., and then 226 miles on to New York via Mail Route No. 1.
The total of 773 miles exceeded 300 miles therefore the letter was rated at 10¢ for ½ oz.
This rate was in effect from July 1, 1845, to July 1, 1851.

It was prepaid and stamped PAID and 10.
Normally, red stamps indicated collect rates; however,
the PAID would have overridden the red collect indicator.

There is a single Charleston CDS.

The docketting at the left indicates receipt by the addressee on January 14.
I suspect that today's service is probably only one day better.

Index

Today in Postal History
January February March April May June
July August September October November December

Pastnotes Index - The First 300 and the Next 208
provides more tidbits about stamps and collectors.

Comments? Send me an e-mail
Please include a reference to this item.