1871, 48 mon brown, earliest printing, plate I, position 34, frame cut at left, bottom luped margin to touched, otherwise large margins, tied by large "Yokohama Kensazumi" to the reverse of a cover with manuscript dateline "10th month 19th day", Meiji 4.10.19 (1 December 1871), from Yokohama to Tokyo-Ushigome.

On the address side at lower right, vermilion circular framed hakoba-in "No" (野) of the Nogemachi letter box, recorded in use from Meiji 4.7 to Meiji 6.3 (1871–73).

This special rate applied only between Yokohama and Tokyo. It was set deliberately low in an effort to displace the private courier services then operating on the route. At the time, the local postal rate remained 100 mon; from the second rate period onward, beginning Meiji 4.12.5, the rate between the two places was standardised at 100 mon.

The scarcest of all 48 mon single frankings of Meiji 4, of which only a handful are recorded.

Rate: Yokohama-Tokyo special in-between rate of 48 mon per 2 momme weight, period Meiji 4.8 to 4.12.4 (19th Century, commentary volume, pp. 57/60).

Reference: Illustrated in Dragon Covers, p. 132.