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Auction: 16USA - The Frederick R Mayer Collection of Costa Rica
Lot: 83

#2, 1863 2r Scarlet, a single example used as postage due on a spectacular inbound folded letter to Puntarenas, Costa Rica from New York, cover originating in New York on November 22, 1864 and franked with two copies of the 1861 Ten Cent Green (#68) correctly paying the double weight rate to Costa Rica, stamps tied by two strikes of New York Foreign Mail fancy circular postmarks, red ""Schepeler & Co./New-York"" sender´s handstamp cachet at bottom left, manuscript ""pr. Str. Ocean Queen"" routing instruction at top, upon arrival in Puntarenas a single Costa Rica 1863 2r Scarlet first issue was applied as postage over one of the U.S. 10c stamps and cancelled by a barred numeral postmark of Puntarenas (Pun-Can2), one U.S. 10c stamp with inconsequential corner fault at top right, overall a very fine and stunning combination cover.[cr][lf][cr][lf]This complete letter, which weighs slightly over one-half ounce, was posted from New York for carriage by American steamship to Puntarenas. It was correctly prepaid for double weight with the two Ten Cent U.S. stamps and carried on the ""Ocean Queen"" to Aspinwall. After a trip across the isthmus, the letter was taken from Panama to Puntarenas by Panama Railroad Company steamer. Upon arrival is when it was franked with the single Costa Rican ""dos reales"" stamp as postage due (over one of the Ten Cent U.S. stamps) and tied with the Puntarenas barred numeral cancel. Why the postmaster in Costa Rica only charged it 2r postage due can only be attributed to a slight off postage weight scale, or he was in an accommodating mood, as it was rated as single weight.[cr][lf][cr][lf]This gorgeous cover is not only one of the great rarities of Costa Rican philately, but is also one of the most extraordinary United States combination covers bearing 1861 adhesives in existence. It is the sole recorded inbound cover to Costa Rica bearing a Costa Ri Estimate US$ 12,500-15,000

Sold for
$45,000