COV-4362
18 December 1826 Penang Cover

Scan or Photo Courtesy of Spink
Date
18 December 1826
Description
Straits Settlements Early letters and Handstamps Penang 1826 (18 Dec.) entire (215x95mm.) to London, rated "7/10", showing very fine circular intaglio "prince of wales island/post office" h.s. in red with manuscript date inserted and, on reverse, framed "india letter/weymouth" and red arrival c.d.s. (10.5/1827); the entire with some faults though a very early example of this marking. Photo Estimate S$ 800-1,000 provenance: Sidney Harris, April 1968
Auction
Provenance
Sidney Harris
Same office
Other recorded marks at Penang
11 marks11 other pre-1854 postal markings of Penang are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Penang FP 1handstampBlack1806–1817
- Penang FP 2handstampBlack1820–1821
- Penang FP 4handstampRed1836–1846
- Penang FP 5handstampBlack1840–1850
- Penang FP 6handstampBlack1849–1855
- Penang FP 7handstampBlack1854–1858
+5 more at this office.View all Penang marks and postal history →
About this Penang pre stamp cover
COV-4362 is a Penang pre stamp cover of 18 December 1826 bearing the Penang FP 3 handstamp, struck in black, recorded in the census of Penang postal history, Straits Settlements. What is a pre stamp cover?
Straits Settlements Early letters and Handstamps Penang 1826 (18 Dec.) entire (215x95mm.) to London, rated "7/10", showing very fine circular intaglio "prince of wales island/post office" h.s. in red with manuscript date inserted and, on reverse, framed "india letter/weymouth" and red arrival c.d.s. (10.5/1827); the entire with some faults though a very early example of this marking. Photo Estimate S$ 800-1,000 provenance: Sidney Harris, April 1968
Its recorded auction history runs through Spink 9018 lot 509 (2009).
1 image of COV-4362 is recorded; the Penang FP 3 mark itself is recorded in use 1826–1836.
Questions about COV-4362
- What is COV-4362?
- COV-4362 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Penang, Straits Settlements of 18 December 1826, bearing the Penang FP 3 handstamp in black. Straits Settlements Early letters and Handstamps Penang 1826 (18 Dec.) entire (215x95mm.) to London, rated "7/10", showing very fine circular intaglio "prince of wales island/post office" h.s. in red with manuscript date inserted and, on reverse, framed "india letter/weymouth" and red arrival c.d.s. (10.5/1827); the entire with some faults though a very early example of this marking. Photo Estimate S$ 800-1,000 provenance: Sidney Harris, April 1968
- How scarce is the Penang FP 3 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Penang FP 3 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1826–1836.
- What is the provenance of COV-4362?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Spink 9018 lot 509 (2009).
- When was COV-4362 posted?
- COV-4362 is dated 18 December 1826, within the recorded period of use of Penang FP 3 (1826–1836).
About this record
This 18 December 1826 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Penang FP 3 handstamp of the Straits Settlements, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 21 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Spink, 9018, lot 509, (2009).

