1877 6c PRE-UPU to Bermuda. One of three recorded covers.

1877 #39 6c Small Queen tied by cork cancel on cover from Summerside, PEI (JA 11 1877) to St. Georges, Bermuda, paying the 6c PRE-UPU letter rate via Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Reverse with Halifax, Nova Scotia (JA 15). The cover has edge loss at top near “Via Halifax” and a second larger edge piece missing below “Bermuda”, with small replacement piece of cover paper very lightly glued in place..

The 6c per 1/2 oz PRE-UPU letter rate to Bermuda via Halifax by British packet, once every four weeks, was in effect from Oct. 1872 to July 1878 with mandatory prepayment.

I have two recorded examples of this rate. One of the covers was franked with a straight edged 6c Small Queen (faulty) and sold for $1,600 + buyer’s premium in my auction #4, in 2001.

This would represent the third recorded example.

Obviously rare and missing from most collections.