Lot
6 
California Pony Express, Paid, red oval handstamp of New York applied on 1860 3¢ Star Die entire and address to "Messrs Crosby & Dibbler" in San Francisco, manuscript directive "Pony Express" at bottom left and "Paid" at upper left, Pony Express pencil rate "500" indicating that the double $2.50 rate had been paid, oval handstamp of The Central Overland California & Pike's Peak Express Company, St. Joseph, Mo., Oct. 18 applied on the date of departure of the Westbound Pony arriving in San Francisco on October 30, 1860, flap missing and tiny mended tear at top, Extremely Fine. Estimate $10,000 - 15,000.
A STUNNING PONY EXPRESS COVER PAYING THE DOUBLE RATE DURING THE SECOND PERIOD FROM THE FAMOUS CROSBY-DIBBLER CORRESPONDENCE.
This is an outstanding usage with two very interesting features. Westbound Pony covers are rarer than eastbound with only twelve listed in the Frajola-Kramer-Walske census with the red New York oval "California Pony Express, Paid" handstamp. This cover demonstrates the under 3,000 miles loophole that allowed westbound mail to be sent in bundles from the East Coast to St. Joseph by mail with only 3¢ domestic postage prepaid. This loophole was closed by the Act of February 27, 1861 that eliminated the mileage provision and required 10¢ postage on any letter crossing the Rocky Mountains.