Lot
582 
Hong Kong, 1863 Shanghai to South Boston, Mass., Mail Delay and Depreciated Currency Mark. Blue envelope with blurred "Shanghae Paid" cds (Proud PD7: 3,000 points) in dull, red-brown shade, very scarce. prescribed red, manuscript "Via Marseilles", red crayon "1/4" (32 cents US), manuscript "Insuf. Paid 10 ½" (shillings), with manuscript "21" cents Great Britain debit subsequently struck out, blue crayon "26/40" with "In U.S. Notes" hand-stamp, and pencil "Due 40" added by Boston Exchange Office, on back: "Shanghai No 8 63" cds (in black only Jan 63 - Oct 64, per Pearson), blue "Hong Kong No 13 63" transit cds, red "London Ja 9 64" transit cds, partial "Boston Br Pkt" Exchange Office cds, partial "South Boston Jan 27" receiving cds, and manuscript "Recd Jan 28.", rate of 1/4 correctly paid British and French charges for up to a half ounce letter to GB, but transatlantic packet (16 cents) and U.S. inland (5 cents) parts of rate were not prepaid, as indicated by "Insuf. Paid 10 ½" (21c), and left to be collected in US. Additional 5 cents added to 21c for total due of "26" cents is unexplained. Depreciated currency ratio of 1.53 was applied to arrive at total due of 40c "In U.S. Notes.", Very Fine. Estimate $750 - 1,000.
Only about a half dozen depreciated currency covers from British Post Offices in China have been seen, per P&O Pekin: Shanghai 9 Nov - Hong Kong 13 Nov; Ottawa: Hong Kong 15 Nov - Galle 29 Nov. After departing Galle 1 Dec, Rangoon was stranded near Aden on 10 Dec. It was reported that "the ship is in a very critical position, but making no water", however, she was freed without damage 14 days later. Sultan transported mail from Rangoon to Suez, arriving 27 Dec, the only time that Sultan carried China mails east of Egypt. Then Valetta: Alexandria 30 Dec - Marseille 7 Jan 1864. Per Cunard Line Canada: Liverpool 9 Jan - Boston 27 Jan 1864. Only about four China covers delayed by grounding of Rangoon have been seen.
Realized: $4,250