1870 Bantam, British Asylum Voting Form

1st October 1870 Bantam, plate 1, London WC1 CDS. British Asylum for Deaf and Dumb Females voting form.

The Half-Penny Bantam was introduced to serve the reduction in the postal rate for newspapers and postcards. It remains the smallest ever British stamp to be issued & stayed in use until 1880. The few examples of a Bantam first day cover can be found on these voting forms which had been sent by the British Asylum for Deaf and Dumb Females to their eligible voters for the appointment of committee members. Using the new cheaper postal rate, some were fortuitously sent back on the first day of issue and subsequently kept in the records of the Asylum. Victorian first day covers in general are very hard to find, but this turn of events means that collectors have a chance to own one of these highly collectable first days.