1871, 100 mon blue, plate II, position 34, middle period printing, slightly touched at upper right frame, used in combination with 200 mon plate I, position 32, late printing in damaged state, cancelled by framed tensho-style non-standard marking of Hongo, Aki Province, on the reverse of a cover to Saikyo.

Alongside, framed non-standard "Hongo / postal receiving and handling agency". Manuscript dateline "3rd month 2nd day" of Meiji 6.3.12 (12 March 1874). Addressed within Honganji Temple.

The earliest known cover from Hongo, and a scarce and appealing example of this unusual tensho-style fancy cancellation.

Rate: Within 100 ri = 3 sen, second rate period.

Reference: Illustrated in Dragon Covers, p. 172.