Lot 70090 – 1858-62 (9d) dull magenta re-issued as 1d., on 1863 (5 Jan.) soldier’s envelope

1858-62 (9d) dull magenta re-issued as 1d., with good to very large margins, on 1863 (5 Jan.) envelope from “Pte. John Smith No. 1019 No. 9 Company” to England, countersigned by the Commanding Officer, neatly cancelled with “B53” duplex, Harrogate arrival c.d.s. (10.2) on reverse; the envelope with a light vertical fold clear of the adhesive, and other small imperfections.

A very rare and important soldier´s rate franking. One of only two covers known using the 1d. dull magenta for the soldier´s letter rate. Cert Holcombe (1990).

Provenance: Wren and Gerald Sattin

Expertise: Cert Holcombe (1990).

Note: 2nd. Battalion H.M. 24th. Regiment embarked at Cork, Ireland for Mauritius on 12th. March 1860 where it remained for nearly six years The Britannia stamp without face value was first issued as a 9d. stamp in 1858. It was replaced in 1860 by a stamp showing the money value and the balance of the (9d.) value were placed in store. These were re-issued as stamps with a value of 1d. in November 1862 during a brief period of shortage of the current 1d. stamp.