Lot no. 8184

1865: Short paid cover addressed to Batavia Java (Dutch East Indies), franked with 1863, 24¢ gray, vertical strip of three, showing boxed “SHORT PAID” handstamp at upper left; manuscript “Via Marseilles” at lower left and red N. York Am Pkt and London transit marks at center; proper Batavia receiving back stamp; stamps cancelled with indecipherable Pennsylvania straightline marking; Very Fine and unusual cover; 72¢ does not pay any multiple of a rate to Batavia which was 53¢ per ½ oz at this time; the sender may have tried to pay three times the 24¢ rate to England intending the cover to go unpaid from there and this caused the cover to be unpaid for the entire trip; uses to Batavia in any time period are very scarce. 2016 Philatelic Foundation certificate (Scott 78b).