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This letter predates the introduction of Mexico’s first postage stamps in 1856 and represents genuine Mexican pre-philatelic postal history.
The address appears to read:
Sr. Dn. Antonio Alexander
ausente: a Dn. Anselmo del Parra
San Luis Potosí
The front bears a large red boxed Mexico City postal handstamp, applied inverted in relation to the address. The marking appears consistent with the type catalogued as Yag-Bash M16, although this catalogue attribution has not been independently expertised.
A faint manuscript “3” is also visible on the front and is consistent with the contemporary 3 Reales postal rate.
Under the Mexican postal tariff introduced in November 1842, a single letter travelling 101–200 leagues was charged 3 Reales. Contemporary distance tables place Mexico City to San Luis Potosí at approximately 114 leagues, making the 3 Reales rate appropriate for this route.
The complete original correspondence is still present.
The letter contains commercial correspondence concerning a bill of exchange/payment, financial arrangements and livestock-related business matters. The name Gregorio Sánchez also appears in the text.
The reverse retains part of the original closure/seal or wafer, and the sheet retains its original postal folds.
Condition: original 1843 folded letter with normal age toning, folds, minor spotting and small imperfections consistent with its age. Please examine all photographs carefully for the exact condition and postal markings.
IMPORTANT: The folded letter offered in this listing is exactly the item shown in the FIRST photograph. The buyer will receive the exact same original 1843 folded letter shown in the photographs. No substitutions or replacements.
All additional photographs show details of the exact same item.
An attractive specialist piece for collectors of Mexico pre-philately, stampless mail, Mexican postal markings, Yag-Bash cancellations and 19th-century postal history.
