Cape of Good Hope 1864 1d Triangle Port Elizabeth "Drop" Letter

1864 PORT ELIZABETH PENNY RATE LOCAL "DROP" LETTER:
Folded blue wrapper posted locally within Port Elizabeth (oval datestamp JA 4 1864 on reverse) to "R J Miller / Port Elizabeth".
Franked 1d rose (SG 5a) triangular clear to full margins neatly tied by triangular defacer leaving Hope unobscured.
VF, fresh, the adhesive with lovely colour attractively offset on the blue wrapper.
An exceedingly rare example of this local 1d franking (within the Colony's second city) of which we record only five examples.
An exhibition piece for the postal history connoisseur.
Photo-cert: PFSA. Ex collections Johnson & Dillaway. See additional image and of certificate.
The term "Drop Letter" refers to those letters mailed within the municipal boundaries of a town providing the service/rate.
It was effective in Cape Town from 15th September 1860 and from 1st May 1861 in Port Elizabeth, a requirement being that at least twice-daily services existed between the dispatch/receiving offices.
PILLAR BOXES were provided in select locations, thus the term "Drop Letter".
As postal services expanded the reduced rate came to apply to regional mailings, examples still uncommon, but not to be confused with true within-city-limits Drop Letters.

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