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VERY FINE. ONE OF FOUR RECORDED COVERS FROM THE UNITED STATES TO THE NETHERLANDS THAT WERE POSTED BY SUPPLEMENTARY MAIL AND SENT BY BRITISH MAIL AT THE 10-CENT "PHANTOM RATE".
A similar cover from the Laarman correspondence was illustrated and described in an article by George E. Hargest ("New Light on the Operation of the Dockside Offices", Chronicle, May 1971, pp. 103-105). Hargest states: "In May 1874 the only published rate to the Netherlands was a 10 cent rate by direct closed mail via England. Letters by this route bear no British markings. Although existing U.S.-British conventions provided a 10 cent rate by British mail, regulations did not authorize its use. The markings on this cover, however, indicate that the dockside office sent it in a supplementary British mail, i.e., by an unauthorized route, at an unannounced 'phantom' rate." Each of the four recorded British Mail "Phantom Rate" covers to Holland has two 10c stamps, one of which paid for Supplementary Mail service. All four covers have a "6" credit marking crossed out and re-rated "5", which we cannot explain, since the correct credit to England was 6c. The covers are dated Aug. 13, 1873, May 16, Aug. 29 and Sep. 12, 1874. (Image)
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