About This Stamp
The New York & Liverpool United States' Mail Steamship Company was founded in 1848. The Collins Line, as it was known, traveled between New York and Liverpool in a little more than 13 and a half days on the line’s first voyage in 1850. Unfortunately, over time the company had many problems with delays due in part to ship disrepair and a rare collision. Its last commissioned ship, the Adriatic, was delivered late, further complicating the company’s finances. The 351-foot-long, 4,145-ton S.S. Adriatic made one voyage for the company and was then sold in a bankruptcy sale to the Royal Atlantic Steam Navigation Company. In 1868 the ship was sold to Bates & Co. of Liverpool, which converted it into a sailing ship. A modern marvel at the time of its completion, the ill-fated Adriatic ended its service beaching ignominiously on the west coast of Africa in 1885.
The 12-cent stamp’s ornate frame shares a similar design to the frames of the 2- and 3-cent 1869 stamps, all engraved by George W. Thurber. The stamp typically paid the double-weight rate for letters going to Great Britain. National Bank Note Company issued a total 3,012,950 stamps of this 12-cent issue.