Arago: 10-cent Washington

used; right vertical half bisect. This piece of cover originated at New York City on November 30, 1850. It was addressed to the famous firm of Corcoran & Riggs at Washington, D.C., although the town of destination has been cut off with the rest of the lower half of the cover.

The 5¢ single rate for a distance of less than 300 miles was prepaid with a right vertical bisect of a 10¢ stamp. The manuscript "Paid" above the stamp is not a postal marking but rather a nudge to the New York City postmaster to recognize the bisect as a 5¢ rate prepayment. The other half of this same stamp was used to prepay another cover to the same addressee on December 5, 1850.