Lot 60603 – 1797 (24.2) Folded entire from Philadelphia via Killybegs,

1797 (24.2) Folded entire from Philadelphia via Killybegs, Donegal to Edinburgh, on arrival from it’s transatlantic journey the letter landed at the small fishing port of Killybegs where it was struck by the extremely rare two line KILLYBEGS/SHIP – LETTER in black, rated « 1/1 » paying 1d incoming ship letter rate, Killybegs to Dublin 4d being assessed under the old rate and should have increased to 8d on March the 25th 1797, and finally the Dublin to London route of 8d brought the total to « 1/1 », However, in London, it was discovered that the letter was double, the inland portion to London doubled, but correctly not the ship letter rate, making « 2/1 » finally rated « 3/5 », caluatimng the total London to Edinburgh as « 1/4 » and « 2/1 », an important showpiece

This is one of only two usages of the Killybegs Ship Letter handstamp yet recorded