Ocean Penny Post Valentine Envelope, Unused

Valentine Ocean Penny Post envelope. Showing the god Mercury and icons of peace including a dove and shaking hands. The inscription reads 'Britain! From thee the world expects an Ocean Penny Postage to make her children one fraternity'. Very fine & unused original.

Due to the high costs of sending mail across the Atlantic, a campaign for the ‘Ocean Penny Post’ was established to reduce the cost of such mail from 1/- down to 3d.  Their main method to spread their message was to use beautifully illustrated envelopes as a delivery system and several designs were printed for use, which are now highly collectible. This 3d was broken down so that it would effectively be 1d for the sending of mail from its original position to the ships port of departure, 1d for the passage across the Atlantic, and a further 1d from its port disembarkation to the final destination.