1938 (September 27), Virgin Islands to San Juan, pair of inaugural flight covers of Aerovias Nacionales Puerto Rico, Inc. (ANPRI), franked
1938 (September 27), Virgin Islands to San Juan, pair of inaugural flight covers of Aerovias Nacionales Puerto Rico, Inc. (ANPRI), franked with seven of the eight semi-official air adhesives (5c, 10c, 15c, 40c, 75c, and $1), the 5c red appearing on both covers, plus the SCARCE vertical four-line red surcharge "VALE POR / 15 / CENTAVOS" on the 10c turquoise, all tied by violet double-oval HIDROAVION "KOFRESI" / CORREO 1er DIA (Sep 27) inaugural handstamps from ST. THOMAS and ST. CROIX with matching violet SEP 27 1938 straight-line date marks, each cover additionally franked with U.S. 10c blue Map and Planes airmail stamp tied by SAN JUAN, P.R. / 2 (Sep 28) duplex cancellation on front and reverse, both addressed to "J. Stephen," Liverpool, England, very fine. (Sanabria #1–4, 6–8, 9) The semi-official stamps depict the hydroplane Kofresi over a coastline, issued specifically for ANPRI's inaugural inter-island mail service between Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; the aircraft was named after the legendary 19th-century pirate Roberto Cofresí.
