Lot 90008 – 1871, 48 mon reddish brown, 100 mon (2) and 200 mon on fragment

1871, 48 mon reddish brown, plate 1, position 38, 100 mon dark blue, plate 1, positions 11 and 12 in two singles, and 200 mon vermilion, plate 1, intermediate printing, all tied by large “Tokyo Kensazumi” handstamp to large fragment during the first rate period, all with good margins except for the 100 mon at bottom, which has one margin touched.

An extremely scarce usage of the 48 mon value in the first rate period, which was required to pay fractions of higher weight rates. (JSCA ¥3.000,000+ on complete cover).

Note: The total postage of 448 mon paid the 300 mon distance rate for the 5 momme basic weight; the additional 5 momme of the double weight were paid with 148 mon, or half the distance rate (48 mon being accounted as 50 mon). Consequently, single frankings of this stamp were not possible in the first rate period (Meiji 4.3.1-4.12.4), as 100 mon was the basic letter rate.