June 1893 Consular cover from Ningpo, China, via Shanghai, to Boston
entered mails at U.S. Postal Agency in Shanghai with pair 5¢ 1892 issue adhesives

The United States established a consular postal agency in Shanghai, China in 1867 and stamps sold. The above cover was carried by consular courier from Ningpo to Shanghai where it entered the mails to the United States.

1875 trade dollar minted in San Francisco, Chinese chop marks

In 1873 the minting of the trade dollars commenced with the expectation that they would replace Spanish coins then prevalent in the China trade. Their legal tender status in the United States was soon revoked after silver prices dropped in 1876. Most were shipped to China and Chinese merchants often added their "chop" marks after verifying purity.