Lot 20272 – 1863 (July 13) Entire letter from St. Thomas to Paris, with earliest usage of St. Thomas Paid cds

1863 (July 13) Entire letter from St. Thomas to Paris, bearing « St-Thomas/A Jy 13 63/Paid » cds in red, with oval « PD » and London Paid cds alongside, entering France with Calais transit cds and « 8 » in purple ink due on receipt. According to Parmenter handbook (2016), the earliest recorded strike of this cds (by one day). A very scarce usage during the pre-philatelic period, when the St. Thomas crowned circles were still in use. Extremely fine.