Lot no. 1956

California Penny Post, 1855 (29 June) PAID 2 Type I frank, intended to be deposited into a San Francisco street letter box, variant with “CIRCULAR” imprint at upper right corner, additionally franked with four 1851 3 c. red, from San Francisco, with August 23 despatch c.d.s. on reverse, to the Post Master at Mount Ophir, backstamped “HELD FOR POSTAGE” in black, “care of” in printed instructions crossed-out, docketed as received 17 October, some creasing, adhesion marks at corners, a rare cover, one of only six Type I franks recorded in the Frajola census, and the only one showing the “CIRCULAR” variant; with 1976 Philatelic Foundation certificate.

Note: J.B. Goodwin founded the California Penny Post in June, 1885, for the conveyance of mail between San Francisco, Sacramento, Stockton, and Marysville. In the case of the PAID 2 type frank, these envelopes were intended to be deposited into a Penny Post street letter box, from which the company would convey the mail to the Post Office, the government postage for which was to be prepaid by adhesive stamps.

Provenance: Marc Haas Collection.