Lot
4036 
"Los Angeles, Feby 22d /50" (Los Angeles), manuscript postmark with matching "Paid 40¢" rating on gray 1850 folded letter to Whitesville, East Florida, sent via San Francisco with additional orange red "San Francisco, Mar 5" cds and matching "40" rating handstamp adjacent crossed out ms. rating; light creasing, Very Fine. Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
THE EARLIEST REPORTED EXAMPLE OF THIS LOS ANGELES POSTMARK AND THE ONLY 40¢ RATE COVER, USED PRIOR TO POSTMASTER'S APPOINTMENT ON APRIL 9, 1850.
The San Francisco post office thought Los Angeles was not a post office yet, so it crossed out the Los Angeles "Paid 40¢" and added their cds and large "40" rating handstamp. This is one of the most important 40¢ rate covers in existence.
References: Illustrated in Letters of Gold.
Realized: $1,450