East India Company, Bengal Presidency, Patna (Azimabad): Patna Post, copper Two Annas, 1774, patna post two anns 1774 in four lines, rev. azimabad dak do ani [Azimabad post two annas], 25mm, 8.81g/2h (Prid. 363 [Sale, lot 682]; Stevens –; KM. –). About fine, very rare £900-£1,200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Puddester Collection.

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Collection

Bt Baldwin (London) June 1985, ticket.

Owner’s ticket and envelope.

This and the following lot are copper tickets issued by the Patna postmaster at the inception of the General Post Office in Bengal in April 1774. The need for them arose because of problems in realising payment for post-paid letters that recipients, in many cases, refused to receive. Full details of the background to the issue was provided by Pridmore (SNC June 1977) who inferred that the use of the tickets was discontinued by government order on 14 September 1774