-40%
1862 Civil War Letter From North To South With Federal Ten-Cent Coin As Postage
$ 100.31
- Description
- Size Guide
Description
1862 Civil War Letter From North To South With A Federal Ten-Cent Coin As PostageA wonderful and very rare Civil War artifact.
Very few of these exist - the Southern postal rate was 10 cents, the Northern postage was 3 cents. Neither side would carry or honor the other's postage. "DUE 3" and "DUE 10" were often seen on envelopes where the recipient paid the postage. It would travel to the line with the appropriate stamp and receive the due imprint on the other side. In some rare instances, people used glue or sealing wax to attach a coin in lieu of a stamp. These were treated in an assortment of ways:
What theoretically should have happen to this letter heading North to South, is that a 3 cent stamp should have carried it to the lines, the attached dime would then be removed to purchase the Southern stamp for the remainder of the letters trip. That was the theory; the war time reality created uncountable irregularities. No 3 cent stamp being present indicates that this entire letter was likely enclosed in a second envelope mailed to the front. It then proceeded south at some point.
The dime was removed and only its imprint in the glue remains.
It appears to have been covered in paper, since there is a second ring of glue around the central dime imprint.
Part of a cancel shows beyond the edge of the paper.
The letter itself is two sided with apparently the recipient's mother writing on one side and the father on the other. Both letters are sentimental and religious. One of the grandparents of the recipient has passed away. There is also an excellent Civil War reference, "Cannot but hope that light will soon dawn upon the nation, the clash of arms brake no more upon our ears May God in his wisdom grant this."
It was mailed from Hamilton on December 17, 1862. There are too many Hamiltons to identify a State, but it was sent from North to South.
The letter itself has some splits, a few of which are repaired with stamp hinges. The envelope's flap is torn from opening, but with no paper loss
. Inside the flap is written, "10 cents glued to envelope for Confederate postage."
#A33
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