Linns-Modern-Us-Mail-Part-4.Pdf

MODERN U.S. MAIL A series of columns published in Linn’s Stamp News

Part 4: Jan 13, 2014 – Dec 12, 2016 Columns written by Tony Wawrukiewicz

Extracted or scanned and compiled into these consolidated files by Mike Ludeman 2017

Note: Copyright to these articles is owned by the author. Table of Contents INTRODUCTION 7 7 ***** 2014 ***** 7 7 [Jan 13] Was there ever such a thing as free inernational mail 7 [Feb 10] Uncommon uses of the 1962 4c Malaria eradication Stamp 8 [Mar 10] Uncommon international uses of the 1962 4c Malaria Stamp 10 [Apr 14] Americana Series postal history includes typed labels on mail 11 [May 12] Great American stamps and the nonmachinable surcharge 13 [June 9] Circumstances determined handling, fees for US shortpaid mail 15 [July 14] Methods of US shortpaid mail handling from 1958 to the present 17 [Aug 11] Rules for returning undeliverable domestic postal cards after 1940 19 [Sept 8] Usages of the 65¢ stamp from the Great American Series 21 [Oct 13] Collector turns up unusual usages of the 5c Beacon airmail stamp 22 [Nov 10] Invalid postage on domestic US mail from 1954 to present 24 [Dec 8] Research uncovers new details about use of invalid stamps 26 28 28 ***** 2015 ***** 28 28 [Jan 12](Miniature U.S. domestic mail led to substantial postal rules 28 [Feb 9] Commercial mail receiving agencies cannot use Postal Service forwarding 30 [Mar 9] Great Americans on certificates of mailing offer challenge 31 [Apr 13] Dead Letter rules changed over time, moved fees to addressee 32 [May 11] Long search turns up undeliverable card from 1965-85 period 34 [June 8] Why were some postage due stamps VOIDED on U. S. Mail 35 [July 13] From 1935-41, Honolulu-to-mainland supplementary mail was unusual 37 [Aug 10] No postal rule, but reality of remailing unclaimed, undelivereable mail 38 [Sept 14] Postal cards and postcards remailed as receipts make for good hunting 40 [Oct 12] Transient second-class correcting a listing in the domestic rate book 42 [Nov 9] Interpreting geometric symbols on Dead Letter Office return covers 44 [Dec 14] Use 'Postmaster Finder' to locate city's postmasters and post office history 45 46 46 ***** 2016 ***** 46 46 [Jan 2] Post Office form, letter shed light on 'Request for Better address' process 46 [Feb 8] What postal rule forbade remailing in an undeliverable envelope 47 [Mar 15] Understanding pressure-sensitive package labels on presorted mail, part 1 48 [Apr 11] More about understanding pressure-sensitive package labels on presorted mail 49 [May 9] Elusive 'returned as undeliverable' postal cards and postcards, 1970-1979 50 [June 13] How is fraudulent matter to be handled in domestic mails 51 [July 11] Failure to cover up a bad bar code sends a piece of mail into a loop 52 [Aug 8] International airmail return receipt rules changed over time 53 [Sept 12] Customs and delivery fees revisited with new example found 54 [Oct 10] Cover from 1920 proves D. C. Dead Letter Office was active after rule change 55 [Nov 14] New find is rare evidence of postcard returned prior to 1941 rule change 56 [Dec 12] Examples of postal fees for key or identification return are challenge to locate 57 46 INTRODUCTION

I began to accumulate “tear sheets” of the columns in this series beginning with the first one published in Linn’s Stamp News on Nov 8, 2004. I continued saving these “tear sheets” until January 2008, when Amos Press, Inc. (changed to Amos Media Company on July 1, 2014) began to create and distribute their digital edition of Linn’s Weekly Stamp News, at which time the paper copies were filed away, and I began to extract and save the digital version of each column.

Several years ago, I became interested in compiling some sort of cumulative digital version of these columns. I began to review my paper and digital files to see how complete they might be. Tony kindly supplied me with a copy of his master list of columns, organized by date of publication and his original title, which typically was different from the final published title. With this list at hand, I discovered that over the years, I had failed to “capture” a few columns from several years of publication. I was able to recover all of the missing columns published between 2008 through the present time from the digital archives provided on the Linn’s Weekly Stamp News website at the time.

Tony then offered to provide copies of the earlier columns I was missing. He also informed me that his agreement with Amos Media Company returned the copyright ownership of these articles to him three months after the date of publication, which made this digital collection possible.

The original version of these consolidated columns consists of all columns published by Linn’s through the end of 2016. These were organized into one single, but very large PDF file, which was awkward to distribute. We then broke the file down into a sequence of files, where each PDF file included all columns for a three-year period. The distribution of these files was limited. For a while, a version was available on the website of the American Philatelic Research Library, with a link to them from the catalog entry for Tony’s columns. Unfortunately, that link disappeared during the redesign of their website site. In early 2020, I extracted the files for the years 2017-2019 and created a new PDF file with columns from those years. With Tony’s permission, I contacted Don Denman, operator of the Stamp Smarter website:

http://www.stampsmarter.com/learning/Home_Learning.html and asked if he would be interested in hosting this series of columns in his on-line Stamp Smarter Digital Library, and he agreed to do so.

We have prepared the following set of five PDF files of a smaller, more manageable, size, organized by years, as follows:

Part 1 – Nov. 8, 2004 through Dec. 10, 2007 (46 MB) Part 2 – Jan. 14, 2008 through Dec. 13, 2010 (45 MB) Part 3 – Jan. 10, 2011 through Dec. 9, 2013 (49 MB) Part 4 – Jan. 13, 2014 through Dec. 12, 2016 (28 MB) Part 5 – Jan. 2, 2017 through Dec. 9, 2019 (12 MB)

Several of the columns scanned from my “tear sheets” may have a few words missing from where the sheets were carelessly torn from the issue of Linn’s. I apologize for this. Anyone who did a better job of preserving the column is encouraged to scan their version and send it to me and I will replace it in the combined file.

Each column was scanned at 150 dpi, and when the column was originally published on two or more pages, these were stitched into a single file, and then each column was converted into a PDF file. Some of the illustration images in these files are not as legible as one might like, but experiments with scanning at higher resolutions were not successful at improving the view ability of the illustrations. The columns extracted from the digital edition of Linn’s were cropped to eliminate much of the advertising in order to improve readability.

I have also included one “Forerunner” article published by Tony in the Linn’s Stamp News edition of July 14, 2003.

Those columns created by scanning have been processed by an OCR engine to make them searchable. Columns extracted from the digital edition of Linn’s Stamp News were created with the searchable feature. A series of PDF “bookmarks”, consisting of the date of each column and its title, has been provided, and in addition, there is a detailed Table of Contents which appears at the beginning of each PDF File. You can go directly to any article by clicking on the appropriate Table of Contents entry. Please report any errors to me.

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MODERN U.S. MAIL by TONY WAWRUKIEWICZ Usages of the 65¢ stamp from the Great Americans series Earlier this year, I dis- cause they served to en- the up-to-3-ounce rate in cussed one usage type able the payment of mul- effect from April 3, 1988, — nonstandard mail — of tiple postage rates and to Feb. 3, 1991. the wide-ranging Great fees with just one stamp The domestic letter rate Americans definitive se- value. of the time was 25¢ for ries (Linn’s, May 12, page This month I am illus- the first ounce and 20¢ 22). trating four different ways per ounce for each of the two additional ounces. International business reply mail didn’t become a well-recognized perma- nent service until Jan. 8, 2006. Before this date, the only way in which this service could occur is illustrated by the business reply mail envelope pictured with this column. This up-to-1-ounce U.S. This up-to-3-ounce domestic first-class cover mailed between April business reply mail letter This wrapper, used to mail up to 1 pound of library materials in 3, 1988, and Feb. 3, 1991, required 65¢ in postage. The 65¢ H.H. “Hap” was returned from Canada January 1992, is franked with the 65¢ H.H. “Hap” Arnold stamp to Arnold stamp paid the postage fee of 25¢ for the first ounce and 20¢ on Dec. 18, 1989, at the prepay the corresponding postage rate. per ounce for each of the two additional ounces. 44¢-per-ounce Canadian The Great Americans in which the 1988 65¢ treaty rate of the time. series was a significant H.H. “Hap” Arnold stamp Canada’s 1989 44¢ Walrus part of mail service in the from the Great Americans stamp (Scott 1171) paid United States from 1981 series (Scott 2191) func- that rate. to approximately 1995. tioned as postage pay- When the letter reached One important aspect ment. Fort Wayne, Ind., on Dec. of this series is that many First we have a domestic 22, 1989, the stamp deal- stamps issued during this first-class cover franked er business it represented time were introduced be- with the 65¢ stamp to pay was correctly charged the business reply mail fee of 40¢ plus the first-class letter rate of 25¢ per ounce. These both were paid by the 65¢ U.S. stamp. The January 1992 brown This is a 1½-ounce to 2-ounce airmail letter to Mexico sent in May paper wrapper with label 1993. The rate for this letter was 65¢, once again paid by the 65¢ pictured here was used Great Americans stamp honoring H.H. “Hap” Arnold. to mail up to 1 pound of library materials. The rate Americans stamp. joyable challenge. for this was 65¢, again This series of four dif- Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry paid by our 65¢ stamp. ferent types of service, all Beecher are the co-authors of Finally, we also have a paid by the H.H. “Hap” two useful books on U.S. domestic and international post- 1½-ounce to 2-ounce air- Arnold 65¢ Great Ameri- age rates since 1872. The third This United States business reply mail letter weighing up to 1 ounce mail letter to Mexico post- cans stamp, is quite typi- edition of the domestic book is marked May 10, 1993. cal of the usages found now available from the American was returned from Canada on Dec. 18, 1989, with a Canadian stamp Philatelic Society, while the in- paying the 44¢ per ounce Canadian treaty rate of the time, and the The rate for this airmail for this series. ternational book may be ordered H.H. “Hap” Arnold stamp paying a combination of a 40¢ business letter was 65¢, once again This makes collecting from the web site www.spiritone. reply mail fee and a 25¢ per ounce letter rate. paid by the 65¢ Great uses of this series an en- com/~tonywaw. n

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ZillionsOfStamps.com September 8, 2014 LINN’S STAMP NEWS 25

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4 of 5 10/14/2014 6:25 AM MODERN U.S. MAIL by TONY WAWRUKIEWICZ Invalid postage on domestic U.S. mail from 1954 to the present I recently was asked whether, special delivery service was dis- Let’s look at the history of valid delivery, and special-handling in 2000, special delivery stamps continued because Express Mail postage. I am unable to locate stamps.” were valid as postage on Express service had totally replaced it. any statement before 1954 that The Postal Manual Post Office Mail. So the question is really, in the addresses the validity of postage Services Transmittal Letter 77 of It’s important to note that by the year 2000 could special delivery use of special delivery stamps. Sept. 6, 1960 (and possibly earlier) year 2000, and in fact as of June stamps that a person still had on Only with the Postal Manual Post added boat stamps to item c, cer- 7, 1997 (according to the United hand be used as postage on an Office Services Circular 1 of Oct. tified stamps to d, and included: States Postal Service’s Postal Express Mail item? Were such 18, 1954, Section 141.6, do we “e. United Nations stamps, Bulletin 21946 for May 22, 1997), stamps valid as postage? find: except on mail deposited at the “All postage stamps issued by United Nations, New York. the United States since 1860 are “f. Stamps of other countries.” good for postage from any point Finally, at some point between in the United States or from any the Domestic Mail Manual issue 4 other place where U.S. Mail ser- of Oct. 1, 1980, and the DMM is- vice operates except from the sue 20 of Nov. 14, 1985, stamps Panama Canal Zone where spe- overprinted with an unauthorized cial Canal Zone stamps are used. design, message, or other mark- The following are not good for ing were declared equally invalid. postage: From that date until the present, “a. Mutilated or defaced the list of invalid postage stamps stamps; has remained unchanged. “b. Stamps cut from stamped Therefore, from Oct. 18, 1954, envelopes, letter sheets, or postal until the present, any use of spe- cards; cial delivery stamps as postage “c. Nonpostage stamps (docu- was invalid. This May 11, 1954, letter mailed at Burlington, Vt., was first franked at the 3¢ domestic mentary internal revenue stamps, I cannot illustrate any invalid surface letter rate with a 3¢ United Nations stamp. A postal worker in Vermont con- Migratory-bird hunting stamps, use of special delivery stamps sidered the letter unpaid and unmailable, and marked it “Returned for Postage” and U.S. saving and thrift stamps. as postage; however, I can show “Postage due 3 cents.” The writer paid the correct postage with the 3¢ Thomas Jeffer- etc.); an attempt to use a United Na- son Presidential stamp, and the letter was correctly remailed to the addressee May 14. “d. Postage-due, special- Continued on page 42

ZillionsOfStamps.com November 10, 2014 LINN’S STAMP NEWS 41 MODERN U.S. MAIL Continued from page 41 such a use was invalid is not that Presidential stamp, and the letter ful books on U.S. domestic and international postage rates since 1872. The tions stamp outside of New York unusual. was correctly remailed to the ad- third edition of the domestic book is City that was caught, and the let- The May 11, 1954, Burlington, dressee on May 14. now available from the American Phila- ter was returned to the writer for Vt., letter pictured on page 41 was telic Society, while the international postage due. first franked at the domestic sur- Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry book may be ordered from the web site Beecher are the co-authors of two use- www.spiritone.com/~tonywaw. n Unfortunately, this example is face letter rate of 3¢ for up to one dated May 11, 1954, a date that ounce with a 1954 United Nations predates any official statement 3¢ Ear of Corn stamp (Scott 23). that I am able to find about the va- At least by Sept. 6, 1960, this Buffalo stamp show Nov. 15 lidity of such a use. stamp could only pay postage at On the other hand, John Hotch- the U.N. post office in New York The Buffalo Stamp Club will host its 10th annual Autumn Stamp ner has pointed out to me that he City. Festival Nov. 15 at the VFW Post, 2450 Walden Ave., Cheektowa- knows of a number of uses where As far as the postal worker in ga, N.Y., a Buffalo suburb. invalid postage was disallowed Vermont was concerned, the let- Show hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and admission and parking before any official notice of inva- ter was unpaid, unmailable, and are free. The show will have a 15-dealer bourse (sales area), and lidity was published. Therefore, marked “Returned for Postage” the United States Postal Service will have a substation. this early invalid use of a U.N. and “Postage due 3 cents.” For additional information, contact George Gates at 716-633- stamp that was disallowed before The writer paid the correct post- 8358. n any official announcement that age with the 3¢ Thomas Jefferson

42 LINN’S STAMP NEWS November 10, 2014 Linns.com modern u.s. mail by tony wawrukiewicz Research uncovers new details about use of invalid stamps The previous Modern U.S. Mail stamp (E21), together overpaying column in Linn’s Nov. 10 issue by 1¢ the 49¢ first-class domestic was titled “Invalid postage on do- letter rate. mestic U.S. mail from 1954 to the Needless to say, this invalid use present.” was allowed and, interestingly, is a What drove that column was common occurrence. the question of whether, in 2000, Although I will not show other special delivery stamps were valid such examples of illegal uses for as postage on Express Mail. other types of matter that are of- I was able to document that ficially not allowed as postage, from at least Oct. 18, 1954, to the there are many other examples present, special delivery stamps known. were not valid for postage on Mailers have also questioned United States domestic and inter- the circumstances under which national mail. Only the franking is shown from a Nov. 4, 2014, letter mailed with a 20¢ commemo- airmail postage is valid. I’ve written this follow-up be- rative stamp and a 30¢ special delivery stamp, together overpaying by 1¢ the 49¢ The first mention concern- cause of added research I have first-class domestic letter rate. The invalid use of the special delivery stamp was ing the validity of airmail stamp allowed and, interestingly, is a common occurrence. done, and because of feedback I use is found in Postal Bulletin have received since the last col- From the September 1885 Delivery stamps themselves are 13515 (July 9, 1924): “The air mail umn was published. Postal Guide until the 1902 Post- not valid for the prepayment of stamps have been provided for In this week’s article, I will share al Laws and Regulations of the postage.” use on mails dispatched by the the results of this added research; United States of America, we find: Finding these interim an- new air mail service and their use describe uses that seem to be “Under no circumstances are they nouncements leads me to be- for any other purpose should be common, although not valid; and [special delivery stamps] to be lieve that even though there is discouraged.” discuss the rules for using airmail used in the payment of postage of a hiatus from 1902 until 1944 Postal Bulletin 14282 (Jan. postage that have been reported any description, or of the registry of any announcement stating 17, 1927) states that a new 20¢ over the years. fee … ” that the use of special delivery airmail stamp and other airmail I made the statement in last This statement, or one like it, is stamps for postage was still not stamps are lawfully valid for post- month’s column that I was unable no longer found after 1902. officially allowed between those age on any mail matter, but that to find any earlier statement con- Remarkably, by searching the dates, their use for postage was their use should be restricted, as cerning the validity of the use of Postal Bulletins looking for refer- never allowed between 1885 and far as practicable, to matter that special delivery stamps before the ences related to the publication of the present day. will be dispatched by airmail, for Oct. 18, 1954, Postal Manual. That various special delivery stamps, On the other hand, in spite of which the stamps are specifically is no longer true. I found two interim references. these statements that such uses intended. The U.S. Post Office Depart- Specifically, Postal Bulletin 18761 were invalid, such uses of invalid The Postal Bulletin 14473 (Aug. ment published its U.S. Official (dated Oct. 10, 1944), which an- postage where the misuse was 29, 1927) clarified matters even Postal Guides from October 1874 nounced the new Motorcycle not caught are common. further, stating, “ … the use of air- until 1953. The yearly volumes are Delivery 13¢ (Scott E17) and 17¢ For instance, the day before this mail stamps in payment of post- known to many philatelists, but (E18) special delivery stamps, and column was written, a mailed en- age, or the special-delivery fee what may not be so universally Postal Bulletin 19490 (Nov. 27, velope arrived franked only with or special-handling postage, on known is that from 1874 to 1880 1951), which announced the 20¢ a 20¢ Louisiana World Exposi- other than air-mail, is exceedingly there were also quarterly supple- Hand to Hand (E20) special deliv- tion stamp (Scott 2086) and a 30¢ objectionable and not approved. ments published, and from 1880 ery stamp, stated that: “Special Hand to Hand special delivery Postmasters should advise their until 1953, monthly supplements patrons accordingly and make were published. every possible effort to confine These supplements eventually the use of air-mail stamps to the will be made available to the col- payment of the postage and fees lecting public in some form. The on matter which is to be given air- documents don’t convert well mail service.” through optical character recogni- Note that the Post Office De- tion, and it might be that they will partment referred to this mail clas- be made available as PDF docu- sification as “air mail” before the ments only. 1950s, “air-mail” also prior to the At present I am overseeing the 1950s, and “airmail,” during the publication of all of these vol- 1950s and after. umes. So far, only those from In Postal Bulletin 14687 (May 1874 to 1900 have been scanned. 11, 1928) we find the most de- What I have discovered in read- finitive statement concerning the ing each and every issue is that permitted use of airmail stamps there are significant reports in that was also subsequently many of these where the informa- found in the 1932, 1940, and tion is not found in other docu- 1948 editions of Postal Laws and ments such as the Postal Bul- This postal card demonstrates a valid post-1975 use of airmail postage to pay a first- Regulations of the United States letins. (I have made the Postal class rate. The 21¢ airmail Bicentennial Era card was mailed in October 2014. A 10¢ of America: “The use of air mail Bulletins available online at www. airmail stamp and a 3¢ definitive were correctly used in combination with the postal stamps on other than air mail is uspostalbulletins.com). card’s imprinted postage to fully pay the 34¢ first-class postcard postage of the time. Continued on page 30 ZillionsOfStamps.com December 8, 2014 LINN’S STAMP NEWS 27 modern u.s. mail Continued from page 27 postage and fees on all classes at the United Nations Post Of- 1960, order mentioned in the Nov. not permissible.” of U.S. mail. fice Station. Should any articles 10 article. Considering the earlier state- Incidentally, since the Nov. 10 of mail matter with United Na- ments from 1927, I believe this article, there is one more piece tions stamps affixed thereto be Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry later regulation still allowed the of personal research I have done deposited at any United States Beecher are the co-authors of two use- payment of special fees on air- that uncovered the following in- post office, including those in our ful books on U.S. domestic and inter- mail items with airmail stamps. formation. As of Oct. 24, 1951 (re- possessions and Territories, they national postage rates since 1872. The This remained true until the Dec. ported in Postal Bulletin 129480 will be considered as unpaid and third edition of the domestic book is now available from the American Phila- 15, 1975, Post Office Services of Oct. 18, 1951): “United Nations treated in accordance with the ex- telic Society, while the international Transmittal Letter 39 that stated postage stamps will be valid for isting regulations.” book may be ordered from the web site in Section 142.125 that “Airmail postage only on mail deposited This order predates the Sept. 6, www.spiritone.com/~tonywaw. n postage stamps may be used to pay regular postage and fees for special services.” Cachets and Covers This remains true today. Data must be submitted on the Completed forms should be stamped envelope (SASE) required. The postal card shown on page special Cover Seal Offer form. submitted approximately eight Dec. 1, 15 Submarine inactivation 27 demonstrates such a valid use Copies of the form may be ob- weeks before the event being USS Nathan Hale Chapter of the Uni- versal Ship Cancellation Society will of airmail postage to pay first- tained by writing to Cachets, Cov- commemorated is to take place. sponsor a cacheted cover to note the class postage. ers and Seals, Box 29, Sidney, Every effort will be made by inactivation of the U.S. submarines USS The 21¢ airmail Bicentennial Era OH 45365, and enclosing an ad- Linn’s to assure announcements La Jolla and USS Norfolk. $2.50 each. Wil- liam Everett, 52 Pumpkin Delight Road, card (Scott UXC16) was posted in dressed, stamped envelope. appear correctly. Milford, CT 06460. SASE required. October 2014. The form also can be accessed Collectors ordering cacheted Dec. 2 Rudolph Along with the 21¢ postage im- on Linn’s website at www.Linns. covers, souvenir cards or seals The Postal History Foundation will printed on the card, a 10¢ First com. from this column should allow at sponsor a set of four commemorative covers honoring Rudolph the Red-Nosed Man on the Moon airmail stamp Philatelic and philanthropic or- least six to eight weeks from the Reindeer. $6 for the set of four. Postal His- (Scott C76) and a 3¢ Eastern ganizations may offer cachets, date of issue, and even longer for tory Foundation, Attn: Alex, 920 N. First Bluebird definitive (2478) were covers and souvenir seals for covers requiring a first-day can- Ave., Tucson, AZ 85719. SASE required. correctly used to fully pay the upcoming events in this column. cel, for delivery. Dec. 13 Wilt Chamberlain The Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame 34¢ domestic first-class postcard Offers marking past events are in- Nov. 1-Dec. 31 Batman will sponsor a commemorative cover hon- postage of the time. eligible. The Long Beach Stamp Club will spon- oring Wilt Chamberlain’s induction into In other words, since 1975, This free listing will appear only sor a commemorative cover for Batman. the hall of fame. $3 each, checks payable $2.50 each, set of four at $4.50. Lloyd to the hall of fame. Michael Fesnak, 6575 airmail postage was allowed to once. For additional publicity, con- Baumann, 8191 Grant Drive, Huntington Tabor Road, Apt. 212, Philadelphia, PA pay first-class postage as well as tact Linn’s advertising department. Beach, CA 92646. No. 10 addressed, 19111. SASE required. n

30 LINN’S STAMP NEWS December 8, 2014 Linns.com MODERN U.S. MAIL by TONY WAWRUKIEWICZ Miniature U.S. domestic mail led to substantial postal rules Many of us have seen or col- quantities of very small envelopes and cards are lected small to tiny envelopes. put into the mails with the These miniature mailpieces often result that all postal work are called “ladies’ covers,” with is very much retarded and mail disfigured and muti- embossed or other decorative el- lated. ements, but may just be different This is not generally types of ordinary covers. known to the public, and we want you to help us to Since 1860, United States post- do a little educating. al laws and regulations regarding The minimum size the minimum size of first-class of cards and envelopes should not be below 2¾ items mostly were mute concern- by 4 inches for the following letter mail, although in 1898 ing reasons: came the first official statement 1. Addresses will be obliterated by cancellation concerning postcards. mark. Specifically, the United States 2. Too small to be run Post Office Department’s Postal through facing table, ne- cessitating three extra Bulletin 5581 (dated June 18, handlings with consequent 1898) announced that postcards delay not only to this but (private mailing cards) were al- other mail. lowed in the U.S. mails at postal 3. Delay in cancellation because of awkwardness card rates. The rule stated that the in putting through cancel- private mailing card’s minimum ling machines. 4. Delayed through dif- allowed size was 25/16 inches by ficulty in sorting. 15 4 /16 inches. 5. Liability to loss or Despite being correctly franked for the first-class letter rate, this mid-1981 small envelope (actual This minimum-size postcard al- damage as small sizes do size) did not meet the minimum-size standards effective since July 1979. lowance changed to 2¾ inches by not fit letter packages and cannot be tied securely. 4 inches as of Postal Bulletin 8233 These odd and diminutive sized inches) envelope shown here ac- “The minimum size restriction of (Mar. 4, 1907). Subsequent Postal pieces of stationery have come tual size. 2¾ by 4 inches, effective July 1, Laws and Regulations of the Unit- into use in the past few years and This 1939 item was first mailed 1959, for envelopes and cards is only appear now in any quantities ed States of America repeated this at Christmas time when the whole at the third-class single-piece rate hereby suspended indefinitely.” limitation but never commented postal institution is keyed up to top of 1½¢ for up to 2 ounces, paid Subsequently, Post Office Ser- upon the minimum size for first- speed and trying to keep on top of with the top-right-corner copy of vices Transmittal Letter 87 (March the load. class letters. We will greatly appreciate, there- the 1938 Presidential 1½¢ Martha 1, 1961), stated: “Effective Jan. 1, In fact, the only mention of en- fore, your cooperation in helping us Washington stamp (Scott 805). The 1963, Section 131.32 will read: The velopes’ size limitations that I can to get the public to use stationery of cover was rubber-stamped “TYPE- following standards apply to enve- the proper size in order that the han- find were in very infrequent ad- dling of all mail may be expedited. WRITING INSIDE,” a fact that made lopes, cards, and self-mailers having monitions, such as that in Postal it first-class matter, and it was thus postage paid there-on at the first- Bulletin 12707, Nov. 8, 1921. This Note that the minimum size held for 1½¢ added postage, to class postage rate: a. Pieces less warning was concerned with the mentioned, 2¾ inches by 4 inch- make up the 3¢ postage for up-to- than 3 inches in width (height) or 4¼ Christmas mailing of small-sized es, the official size limitation for one-ounce first-class mail. inches in length are nonmailable.” cards and envelopes, and was di- postcards, was only a suggested The “11995” marking was the Additional limitations were cited rected at newspapers, asking for limit for envelopes and, as we’ll Chicago, Ill., “Held for Postage” that are omitted here for lack of their help in alerting the public. see, didn’t become official for listing number. space, but it’s important to note The Post Office always needs them until 1963. The addressee sent the due that as of 1963, official minimum- your assistance, but in one particular This latter fact is emphasized postage, as indicated by the sec- size limitations for postcards and especially, just at this time. During the holiday season large by the tiny (3.6 inches by 2.3 ond affixed Martha Washington envelopes finally were identical. stamp and the handstamp “THIS Eventually, all of the concerns first IS THE MAIL/FOR WHICH YOU mentioned in Postal Bulletin 12707 SENT POSTAGE.” of Nov. 8, 1921, were resolved, driv- Only in the Oct. 18, 1954, Postal ing the new size standards stated Manual United States Post Office in Postal Bulletin 21196 (June 28, Dept., do we first see any defini- 1979), effective July 15, 1979, be- tive comment concerning first- cause “Nonstandard mail often re- class letter-mail size: a statement sults in delays and damage to mail that there was “No Limit to size.” because it does not lend itself to A few years later, in Postal Bulletin machine processing.” 20119 (Dec. 11, 1958), came the First, as of July 1, 1979, items announcement that “Postmasters that did not meet minimum size are being furnished a supply of standards (at least 0.007 of an inch lobby posters, Nos. 85 and 85-A, thick and 3½ inches high and 5 reminding postal patrons that ef- inches long) were unmailable. And, fective July 1, 1959, the minimum first-class mail weighing 1 ounce or size for envelopes and cards will less was considered to be of non- be 2¾ × 4 inches.” standard size and subject to a 7¢ This tiny 1939 cover, shown actual size, was underpaid at the third-class rate: However, in Postal Bulletin surcharge if the height exceeded a typewritten enclosure made it first-class mail, requiring 3¢ postage. 20140 (May 7, 1959), we find that, Continued on page 43 24 LINN’S STAMP NEWS January 12, 2015 Linns.com

31012p008 24 38 41 42 43.indd 24 12/24/14 10:36 AM commemorative series. sign of stacked archways. AUCTIONS 1020 Ramirez created almost 300 Trading Posthorn Announcements Martin Ramirez LIVE BIDDING drawings during his time at the TRADING POSTHORN 1000 ANNOUNCEMENTS 1010 AUCTIONS Artist Martin Ramirez will be hospital, according to the Ameri- SEND 100-200 different, undamaged A TAX DEDUCTIBLE. Veterans State COMPRISED OF ABOUT 1500 LOTS commemorated late in March with can Folk Art Museum. stamps from Ireland, Sweden, N.Z., Aus- Nursing Home needs stamps, albums, tralia, unused or postally used, large or collections, supplies. Tax deductible. RUSSIA AND ASIA five stamps showing details from The pane of 20 stamps will be small. Receive same amount, quality Veterans, 2200 Kings Hwy. PMB 3-L Western europe & from Western Europe, Australia, NZ, Can- #27, Port Charlotte, FL 33980-5760 British his artwork. issued in New York City, Tackett ada, UN, Israel, US, other countries. CommonWealth The self- said, probably March 30 or 31. Choice where possible. Kelmans, PO Box BOYS TOWN invites donations of U.S. 1078, Pocono Pines, PA 18350. APS and foreign stamp collections, coins, WorldWide taught Mex- member. currency, and mint U.S. postage. Help stamps and postal history us help kids! Leon Myers Stamp Center, AUCTION #64 i c a n - b o r n New envelope varieties ALWAYS TRADING:used only by want 13628 Flanagan Blvd., Boys Town, NE February 27-28, 2015 list. Most major countries. Write first. Ri- 68010. email: Order your FREE, well illustrated Catalogue artist was New varieties of two envelopes chard Fehler, 319 West 108th Street, [email protected]. Ph: 402- diagnosed originally offered in 2013 are being New York, NY 10025 or 498-1143. Raritan Stamps, Inc. [email protected] POB 557, Dayton, NJ 08810-0557 as schizo- issued Jan. 12, according to Tack- INNER-CITY CHILDREN need stamps, PH: 732-422-2124 phrenic and ett: a Barn Swallow forever enve- PRECANCELS WITH cities wanted. Also mounts, albums, FDCs. Help youngsters! Fax: 732-422-2125 foreign perfins. Will trade better U.S. or You’ll be glad you did! Philately’s future E-mail: [email protected] foreign stamps. Keep all. Phil Cayford, c o n f i n e d lope, and a Folk Art Eagle forever is a long term investment, please help www.raritanstamps.com POB 497, Dublin, NH 03444 our children. Happy Face Stamp Club, to DeWitt envelope. 103 Richmond St., Brooklyn, NY 11208- TRADE OUNCE for ounce. Pound for 1322 State Hos- Tackett explained that the en- pound. My foreign for your U.S. pital in velopes were printed to restore commens on paper. Limit 5 pounds. Lueck, 305 State Rd. 35, Osceola, WI Auctions Maresch n o r t h e r n declining envelope inventories, 54020. Maresch C a l i f o r n i a but since the time when original TRADING 100 baseball cards for $7.50 AUCTIONS 1020 mint US postpaid. Send to: Charles for much envelopes were issued (Scott Roth, 11952 Clacite Ave., Hesperia CA of his adult 92345. H.R. Harmer CANADA’S life. AD ABBREVIATIONS Taking Consignments PREMIER T h e r e BC ��British Commonwealth AUCTION HOUSE he created CMS ��Complete Matched Set Call or write for a free catalogue. CTO ��Cancelled to Order what the CV ��Catalog Value r. maresch & son Ducks ��Federal Duck Hunting Stamps 5th Floor-6075 Yonge St A m e r i c a n (Scott RW #’s) Toronto ON M2M 3W2 Folk Art Dune ��Trucial States or South Arabian issues, most not listed by Scott 416-363-7777 New varieties of the 2013 envelopes Top Prices Realized Museum in EFO’s ��Errors, Freaks and Oddities www.maresch.com showing a barn swallow and a folk art FDC ��First Day Cover for Collections! New York FFC ��First Flight Cover Call our Philatelic Experts eagle are being issued Jan. 12, with no IC ��Iron Curtain d e s c r i b e s Today for More Information. first-day ceremony, but a Kansas City IRC ��International Reply Coupon as “com- LP ��Line Pair 2860 Walnut Avenue, Suite AB, plex, mul- first-day cancel will be offered. The enve- MI ��Marginal Inscription Tustin CA 92780 lopes have a new imprint on the reverse. MNH ��Mint Never Hinged 800.782.6771 t i l a y e r e d MS ��Matched Set [email protected] NG ��No Gum www.hrharmer.com drawings.” U680-U681 and U682-U683), the OG ��Original Gum PB ��Plate Block The five envelope paper supplier changed PFC ��Philatelic Foundation Certificate ail AMERICA’S PREMIER s t a m p s , hands, resulting in a new imprint PNC ��Plate Number Coil M each in a on the back of the envelope. PS ��Plate Strip uction RG ��Regummed a #183 AUCTION HOUSE square for- The new issue will include an SAE ��Self-Addressed Envelope Closing date Feb. 2, 2015 Robert A. Siegel SASE ��Self-Addressed Stamped mat, show a FSC logo for the Forest Steward- Envelope 15,000 lots from 500 AUCTION GALLERIES, INC. floral design, ship Council. The previous enve- SCV ��Scott Catalog Value countries (No U.S.). 60 East 56th St., 4th Floor S/S ��Souvenir Sheet New York City, NY 10022 Prices range from $10 to $3,000. The a man rid- lopes were marked with a logo for SSAE ��Stamped, Self-Addressed Ph: (212) 753-6421 Envelope best source for the intermediate ing a horse the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. and advanced collector. Fax: (212) 753-6429 or burro, a According to USPS officials, the NO COMPARATIVE Mail your catalog request to: Email: [email protected] moving lo- stamp imprint on the envelope will PRICE ADS WILL Bond AffordAble. Details of artwork by c o m o t i v e be unchanged. EntErprisEs Martin Ramirez will be with train The Linn’s United States Stamp BE ACCEPTED BY Box 4610, Scottsdale, AZ 85261 VISIble. car, a stag, Program in this issue on page 38 Email: [email protected] shown on five stamps Tel: 480-998-0007 • Fax: 480-998-8080 Classifieds work. scheduled to be issued and a geo- has been updated to include the www.bondstampauctions.com Linns.com in March in a pane of 20. metric de- information reported here. n BUYING Linn's will not accept advertising copy offering to buy by MODERN U.S. MAIL comparison with any other advertised buying prices. Any such reference will be Continued from page 24 ter (up to 1 ounce rate, 18¢) shown deleted from advertiser's copy. 61/8 inches, length exceeded 11½ actual size, 4.5 inches by 3.1 inch- inches, or thickness exceeded es, from mid-1981 (dated by its “B” SELLING Linn's will not accept advertising ¼-inch, or height-to-length aspect nondenominated coil stamp, Scott copy offering to sell by ratio did not fall between 1 to 1.3 1820), demonstrates the 1979 comparison with any other advertised selling prices. and 1 to 2.5, inclusive. rules, being nonmailable because Any such reference will be Urgently I have truncated these laws and it was not within the minimum size deleted from advertiser's copy. regulations somewhat for brevity. of 3½ inches by 5 inches, as the ALL ADS IN LINN'S For instance, there were some lim- applied message on the envelope MUST CONFORM itations to the rules, and they also points out. Thus, it was correctly TO THIS POLICY! Linn's has adopted this policy as applied for some types of third- “RETURNED TO SENDER.” we believe permitting such ads is class mail. Also, in subsequent not fair to an advertiser who is willing years, the surcharge amount in- Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Beecher to state a definite buy or sell price. are the co-authors of two useful books on Use of the phrase “Paying top prices. creased, and the limitations for Write for firm quotations,” will be U.S. domestic and international postage considered acceptable. unmailable and surcharged items rates since 1872. The third edition of the changed. domestic book is now available from the American Philatelic Society, while the in- The other cover illustrated on ternational book may be ordered from the P.O. Box 4315 page 24, a first-class domestic let- web site www.spiritone.com/~tonywaw. n Sidney, OH 45365 ZillionsOfStamps.com January 12, 2015 LINN’S STAMP NEWS 43

31012p008 24 38 41 42 43.indd 43 12/24/14 10:37 AM TOOT! TOOT! TOOT! MODERN U.S. MAIL by TONY WAWRUKIEWICZ Every business blows its own horn from time to time. We prefer to show you first-hand what our Commercial mail receiving agencies stock covers. That is, the world. All of it. 55 years of growth. Write to us with your interests. cannot use Postal Service forwarding And then tootle that horn. Not too loud. I am developing an exhibit that presents the Forte’s experience-based theory is actu- Beep! Beep! Beep! history of the treatment of unmailable and un- ally a fact, corroborated by Section D042.2.7 deliverable United States domestic first-class of the July 7, 1997, Domestic Mail Manual in THE BEDFORD COMPANY mail. my home library. Further evaluation found this Box 6076, Stuart, Florida 34997-0076 This exhibit begins with the introduction of re- statement began only with the new format e-mail: [email protected] turn addresses (also known as corner cards) in of the DMM, starting with DMM 46 of July 1, 1860, because only with their introduction did it 1993. It also can be found in the latest DMM But, just to be certain, become possible for unmailable and undeliver- of Jan. 26, 2014. able mail to be readily returned to the sender, The pertinent DMM section is found under HONK! HONK! HONK! rather than sent to the dead letter offices. “Forwarding/Forwardable Mail,” and states Direct return of such mail to the address in as follows: “2.2.7 Mail Addressed to CMRA Customers – Mail addressed to an addressee at a commercial mail receiving agency (CMRA) is not forwarded through the USPS. The CMRA customer may make special arrangements for the CMRA operator to remail the mail with payment of new postage. A CMRA must accept and remail mail This Nov. 1, 2013, cover was undeliverable and returned to sender because of a United States Postal Service rule that dates back at least to 1993. to former customers for at least 6 months the corner card was a much less cumbersome after termination of the agency relationship. Af- and costly process than the return of matter the six-month period, the CMRA may refuse ter via the dead letter offices, and eventually, mail addressed to a former customer.” branch post offices. This discussion of CMRA undeliverable mail is Although the practice of returns from DLOs not found in the first DMM of July 1, 1979, or in (known as mail recovery centers since July 30, the manuals before number 46. However, Forte 1994) continues because some mail still car- indicates that, again from his experience, even ries no corner card, the vast majority of returns though rules concerning forwarding from CMRAs occur directly. are not found in earlier manuals, such forwarding I am always searching out unusual exam- did not ples of the direct return process, and the cover occur for shown here illustrates such a use, though one at least that required some detective work on my part some pe- in order to understand it. riod be- This domestic U.S. letter postmarked Nov. fore 1992. 1, 2013, was mailed to an address in Santa It was Fe, N.M., that was crossed out with a marker, interest- and the word “Homewise” was written below ing and The rubberstamped marking, shown here the address. A rubberstamped marking stat- frustrat- at full size for legibility, explains why the ing “UNDELIVERABLE/COMMERCIAL MAIL ing to me cover was returned to the sender. RECEIVING AGENCY/NO AUTHORIZATION that the postmaster at my local post office TO RECEIVE/MAIL FOR THIS ADDRESSEE” was unable to tell me about this postal rule, was applied to the cover, with the finger in the although he did mention that post offices are marking pointing to the sender’s corner card. no longer supposed to use pointing hands The marking is illustrated here in actual size. or to obliterate addresses on undeliverable Homewise is the name of a nonprofit hous- mail. ing organization in Santa Fe, for which this en- The cover and its marking discussed here are velope likely was intended. indications that there is important modern postal I could not get a good explanation for this history yet to be discovered and understood, cover from my local U.S. Postal Service staff, even up to the present day. Happy hunting! but dealer and postal history expert Jim Forte was able to tell me that, from his experience, Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Beecher are the co-au- the USPS will not forward mail addressed to a thors of two useful books on U.S. domestic and interna- commercial shipping and mailbox service, such tional postage rates since 1872. as those at Mail Boxes Etc. The marked-out ad- The third edition of the domestic book is now available from the American Philatelic Society, while the in- dress on the cover is for a franchise location ternational book may be ordered from the web site www. of the Pak Mail shipping and mailbox business. spiritone.com/~tonywaw. n 18 LINN’S STAMP NEWS February 9, 2015 Linns.com

31022p018.indd 18 1/23/15 8:40 AM MODERN U.S. MAIL by TONY WAWRUKIEWICZ Great Americans on certificates of mailing offer challenge In past columns, I’ve demon- During the period of use of the strated how finding different us- Great Americans series and up to ages of the same denomination of the present day, this service has the 1981 to 1995 Great American been available for any class of series of definitive stamps is one mail as well as registered, insured interesting way to collect the se- and C.O.D. mail. The certificate of ries. mailing was a fee-based service Alternatively, this series’ dura- from 1915, but was available be- tion of use spans five different fore this date without the require- United States postal rate/fee pe- ment of a fee payment. riods, and this means that there Illustrated here is a certificate of are multiple rates or fees for which mailing dated Feb. 4, 1985, mak- examples can be collected. ing it a use late in the fee period. In this column I show uses of The 40¢ fee was in place from

Certificates of mailing cost 50¢ from Feb. 3, 1991, to Dec. 31, 1994. The 50¢ Chester W. Nimitz Great Americans stamp paid the fee on this Aug. 26, 1994, receipt.

1985, until Feb. 2, 1991. The ex- 1869) to pay the fee in place from ample shown here from that rate Feb. 3, 1991, to Dec. 31, 1994. period is dated April 16, 1990, In summary, there were so paid with the 45¢ Harvey Cush- many issues in the 1981 to 1995 ing Great Americans series stamp Great Americans series that there (Scott 2188). is ample possibility for collecting It was a receipt for what, in my examples of fees and rates paid experience, is the most common by solo values of the series. This use of certificate of mailing ser- column has described just one of vice: to indicate that one’s tax these many fees or rates, the cer- forms were in the mail to the Inter- tificate of mailing, that was paid Certificates of mailing cost 40¢ from March 22, 1981, to Feb. 16, 1985. The 40¢ Lillian nal Revenue Service. April 15, the using this stamp series. M. Gilbreth stamp paid the fee for this Feb. 4, 1985, example. normal federal tax deadline, was a the three different fees for a certifi- March 22, 1981, until Feb. 16, Sunday in 1990. Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Beecher are the co-authors of two useful books on cate of mailing extant from 1981 1985. The final example of the cer- U.S. domestic and international postage to 1995: 40¢, 45¢ and 50¢. On this example, the 40¢ Lil- tificate of mailing service shown rates since 1872. The third edition of the A certificate of mailing is, as you lian M. Gilbreth Great Americans is dated Aug. 26, 1994. It uses domestic book is now available from the American Philatelic Society, while the in- would surmise, a receipt that rep- series stamp (Scott 1868) paid for the 50¢ Chester W. Nimitz Great ternational book may be ordered from the resents proof of mailing of a piece this service. Since it was the re- Americans series stamp (Scott web site www.spiritone.com/~tonywaw. n of mail to a particular addressee, ceipt for a piece of mail to a schol- but it carries with it no insurance arship service, it presumably was or indemnity, and no return receipt obtained to prove that the appli- Trickies by Joe Kennedy is obtained from the addressee. cation for a scholarship was sent. This service also does not repre- The 45¢ fee for a certificate of Rearrange the letters below to form words familiar to stamp collectors. sent a mail-tracking method. mailing was in place from Feb. 17, Then arrange the boxed letters to complete the stamp-related quip.

T AVAIL _ _ _ _

T ROPE _ _ _

T LAMA _ _ _

T ALF _ _ United States Children’s books T SPAM _ _ _ Scott 3987

If biologists could cross this with a lightning bug would they call

the result ______? Possibly the most common use for certificates of mailing is to prove the mailing of taxes to the Internal Revenue Service, as with this April 16, 1990, example, with fee 536. Solution on page 50 paid by the 45¢ Harvey Cushing Great Americans series stamp. 26 LINN’S STAMP NEWS March 9, 2015 Linns.com

31032p026.indd 26 2/20/15 1:22 PM MODERN U.S. MAIL by TONY WAWRUKIEWICZ Dead letter rules changed over time, moved fees to addressee Many collectors probably are by the two letters shown here. aware that the United States Post- Both of these letters were unpaid. al Service’s dead letter offices (or Therefore, according to the Postal branches, as they are sometimes Service Manual, Transmittal Letter called) use penalty envelopes 32, Sec. 146.121, Nov. 17, 1974: nowadays to return letters that “Mail of any class, including that were mailed without the sender’s for which special services are in- card (return address) on the enve- dicated, received at either the lope, and which therefore are un- office of mailing or the office of mailable or undeliverable. address without postage, will be Such letters cannot be directly endorsed Returned for Postage returned to the sender, and are and returned to the sender with- then sent to a dead letter office out an attempt at delivery. If no re- or branch, where they are opened turn address is shown, the piece and, if possible, the sender is de- will be disposed of in accordance termined and the letter is returned with 159.4.” (Sec. 159.4 says first- to the sender. class matter was to be sent to the Until May 20, 1920, these re- dead letter office.) turns were done without charge. Therefore, with no return ad- After that date, some fee was dress, the March 10, 1975, letter charged for the return. Officially, was to be sent to the appropriate This 1975 unpaid letter with no return address went through the Atlanta dead letter of- that fee was first 3¢, then 5¢, and dead letter office — in this case, in fice and then on to the addressee, who was charged for postage and the handling fee. eventually as much as 70¢ as of Atlanta, Ga. At the dead letter of- March 22, 1981. The fee was elim- April 12, 1976, contained this an- announced as being effective fice, when the letter was opened, inated on Feb. 17, 1985. nouncement: “A fee of 13 cents April 18, 1976, and meant that as the marking indicates, it “CON- There was a very interesting is charged for delivery to sender the return fee could now also be TAINED NO RETURN ADDRESS,” change in this unpaid, unreturn- or addressee of each letter and charged for delivery to the ad- and so it was “FORWARDED able letter process in 1976. first-class parcel opened in the dressee. POSTAGE DUE 20¢/(10¢ POST- The Postal Bulletin 21075 of dead mail office.” This policy was The new process is illustrated AGE + 10¢ HANDLING FEE)/

20 LINN’S STAMP NEWS April 13, 2015 Linns.com

31042p020 21.indd 20 3/27/15 12:18 PM MODERN U.S. MAIL by TONY WAWRUKIEWICZ letter or first-class parcel opened have been a varied number of in the dead mail office.” dead letter branches, from three A second, similar letter is shown in late 1917; to many from 1935 to here to make an additional point. 1945; down to only 14 as of 1975; This October 1977 letter also was and only one at present, in Atlan- unpaid, and as there was no return ta, now called the Mail Recovery address, it was not possible to be Center. “RETURNED FOR POSTAGE.” This From 1975 to 1985, since there letter was sent to the Dallas dead were multiple dead letter branch- letter office, where it was opened es, when examples are found of but no return address could be the type of return illustrated here, determined. The piece could now they are known from a number of lawfully be sent to the addressee the remaining dead letter branch- as “POSTAGE DUE 33¢.” es. For instance, I have examples The letter was sent on and the from the following dead letter 33¢ was collected, as indicated branches: San Francisco, Atlanta, Reflecting the then-current first-class rate and the increased handling fee for for- by the affixed postage due meter Dallas, Cincinnati and Boston. warded unpaid mail, this 1977 letter cost the addressee 33¢ upon receipt. stamp. Note that the stamped mark- Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Beecher are the co-authors of two useful books POSTAGE DUE 20¢.” be made. This letter is dated March ing on the 1977 letter calls it the on U.S. domestic and international post- Incidentally, the obliterated 10, 1975, more than a year before “Dead Letter Office, Dallas.” Since age rates since 1872. The third edition of handstamp on the letter read “RE- the April 12, 1976, Postal Bulletin 1917, when there was only one the domestic book is available from the American Philatelic Society, while the in- TURNED FOR POSTAGE,” and announcement mentioned above. officially named “Dead Letter Of- ternational book may be ordered from the was marked out because the let- However, its handling was clearly fice” (in Washington, D.C.), there website www.spiritone.com/~tonywaw. n ter could not be returned as it had a permitted procedure as early as no return address. Jan. 17, 1975, because the follow- Two press sheet varieties sell out quickly The canceled postage due ing is found in the Postal Service Press sheets without die cuts for issued. The sellout was confirmed stamps (Scott J97) on this letter Manual, Post Office Services (Do- the United States Civil War 1865 March 27 by U.S. Postal Service indicate that the 20¢ due was col- mestic) Transmittal Letter 33, Sec. issue and the Gifts of Friendship spokesman Mark Saunders; the lected by the post office from the 159.73b, dated Jan. 17, 1975: “A Dogwood and Cherry Blossom is- issue dates are April 9 for the Civil addressee. fee of 10¢ is charged for delivery sue have sold out during the preor- War set, and April 10 for the Gifts Here, an important point must to sender or addressee of each der period before the stamps were of Friendship issue. n

ZillionsOfStamps.com April 13, 2015 LINN’S STAMP NEWS 21

31042p020 21.indd 21 3/27/15 12:19 PM

modern U.S. MAIL by TONY WAWRUKIEWICZ No postal rule, but reality of remailing unclaimed, undeliverable mail In this column I will discuss un- was returned to sender could be claimed, undeliverable mail (i.e., not remailed only with the payment of delivered because it was not claimed new postage is evident only by not- at the office of delivery) that was ing covers, such as the one shown subsequently remailed. here in the first illustration. The process by which this mail was This Aug. 14, 1913, undeliverable handled is not clearly and directly letter from one New York City ad- expressed in official postal docu- dress to another was “RETURNED ments, whereas the manner in which TO SENDER” because the addressee misdirected (misaddressed), unde- “CANNOT BE FOUND.” And, more im- liverable mail was to be handled was portant, we also see the following clearly communicated in the regula- admonition on the letter: “DO NOT tions as early as 1881. POST AGAIN IN THIS ENVELOPE OR For instance, in the May 20 to WRAPPER.” So, to remail this letter, June 20, 1881, United States Official a new envelope and new postage Postal Guide, we find this instruc- were required. tion in Ruling 523: “If the address of As clear as this admonition is (and the person is insufficient (the item it was needed often enough that a This Aug. 14, 1913, misaddressed, undeliverable letter exemplifies the postal regulation specifying is misaddressed or misdirected), rubber stamp had been made for it), that such items could be remailed only in a new envelope with new postage. and the letter is returned to the I am unable to find a specific official writer as uncalled for, it cannot be rule or regulation that confirms such In actual fact, using a new enve- the original envelope. remailed without a new payment statements, which are frequently lope with new postage is only one This remarkable Jan. 24, 1944, of postage.” found only on letters such as this way in which unclaimed, undeliver- letter was mailed via airmail from This statement is eminently clear one. able letters may be remailed. Washington, D.C., to New Orleans for misdirected mail that is undeliv- To date I have seen such an admo- Another way in which this re- using a 6¢ Transport airmail stamp erable. Misdirected, undeliverable nition on letters mailed as early as mailing can occur is shown on the (Scott C25) to pay the 6¢ up-to-one- mail clearly could not be remailed 1899. I believe I have seen examples remailed, unclaimed, undeliverable ounce domestic airmail rate of the without a new payment of postage. on letters from the mid-1880s, but I letter in the second illustration, time. The letter was unclaimed at the In contrast, the fact that un- don’t have such a cover available to where the remailing was accom- New Orleans Roosevelt Hotel and re- claimed, undeliverable mail that me at this moment. plished by applying new postage to turned to Washington, D.C. SAVE ON SHOWGARD MOUNTS Packages of SHOWGARD SECOND QUALITY MOUNTS sell for the same price as first quality mounts but have TWICE AS MANY MOUNTS PER PACKAGE for a 50% savings. The defects, where they exist, consist of minor irregularities but are never of a nature to harm stamps. The number of strips per package listed below is twice the number in the standard package. Please include 5% for shipping and handling with a minimum of $4.00. VISA and MASTERCARD accepted on orders over $25.00. Black background only. Florida residents please add sales tax. Size #Strips Cost Size #Strips Cost Size #Strips Cost Size #Strips Cost 20 44 ...... 9.25 33 44 ...... 9.25 57 30 ...... 9.25 105 20 ...... 15.50 22 44 ...... 9.25 36 30 ...... 9.25 61 30 ...... 9.25 107 20 ...... 15.50 24 44 ...... 9.25 39 30 ...... 9.25 63 20 ...... 11.50 111 10 ...... 10.25 25 44 ...... 9.25 41 30 ...... 9.25 70 20 ...... 15.50 120 14 ...... 11.50 Revenue 27 44 ...... 9.25 44 30 ...... 9.25 74 20 ...... 11.50 127 10 ...... 11.50 28 44 ...... 9.25 48 30 ...... 9.25 80 20 ...... 11.50 158 10 ...... 13.75 Eric Jackson Stamped Paper 30 44 ...... 9.25 50 30 ...... 9.25 89 20 ...... 11.50 204/153 10 ...... 10.75 P.O. Box 728 • Leesport PA 19533-0728 See our vast stock of these 31 44 ...... 9.25 52 30 ...... 9.25 100 14 ...... 11.50 260/40 20 ...... 9.95 (610) 926-6200 • Fax: (610) 926-0120 wonderful items on our site or Email: eric @revenuer.com send us your want list! ROY SMITH www.ericjackson.com P.O. Box 21117-L, Sarasota, FL 34276-4117 b Phone (941) 378-4881

MAIL AUCTIONS...... Especially for Collectors Our catalogs feature U.S. & Foreign including: mint and used singles and sets from classics to modern, fancy cancels, errors & freaks, revenues, FDC’s, stampless covers, illustrated advertising covers, postal history covers, collections, post cards, autographs, paper ephemera, philatelic literature, dealer stocks, and much more. Write or call for our illustrated catalog today! DOWNEAST STAMPS 52 Fern Street, Bangor, ME 04401-5599 • 207-942-3825 • Fax 207-942-0808 E-mail: [email protected] • www.destamps.com 20 LINN’S STAMP NEWS August 10, 2015 Linns.com

31082p020 21.indd 20 7/24/15 12:43 PM modern U.S. MAIL by TONY WAWRUKIEWICZ Americover Aug. 14-16 in Ohio The American First Day Cover So- Also meeting at the show are the ciety brings Americover 2015, its American Ceremony Program So- annual show and convention, to ciety (Chapter No. 58), the Cachet Columbus, Ohio, Aug. 14-16 at the Makers Association (Chapter No. DoubleTree by Hilton Columbus/ 65), the Maximum Card Study Unit Worthington, 175 Hutchinson Ave. (Chapter No. 67), the 7-1-71 Affair The AFDCS last met in Columbus (Chapter No. 50), and the Art Cover in 1992, the year before it began its Exchange (Chapter No. 79). The Americover series of shows. American Association of Philatelic Americover 2015 will host the Exhibitors will hold an open forum. largest gathering of FDC dealers at As a World Series of Philately any one venue this year, as well as show, the winner of the grand award This Jan. 24, 1944, airmail letter sent from Washington, D.C., to New Orleans was unclaimed at the largest cachetmakers’ (new-issue at Americover 2015 will be part of the original address and returned to the sender, who used the same envelope to mail it, with FDC producers) bourse of the year. the Champion of Champions com- new postage added, to the Legation of Finland in Bern, Switzerland. Admission and parking are free. petition at Stampshow 2016, to take The bourse hours are 10 a.m. to 5 place Aug. 4-7 in Portland, Ore. There it was remailed by ad- marking and the original 6¢ postage p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. The day before Americover 2015, dressing it to the Finnish Legation ALL were overwritten in blue pencil, to 4 p.m. Sunday. The cachetmakers’ many of those attending the show in Bern, Switzerland, franking with thus indicating that the remailing bourse is 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday. will take a tour of the National Mu- the required new postage — 5¢ in was a new process that was inde- Highlights include a seminar with a seum of the U.S. Air Force near Day- five 1¢ Liberty Holding the Torch of pendent of what happened before representative from the United States ton. On Sunday evening, quite a Freedom and Enlightenment stamps to the letter. In my experience, such Postal Service’s Cancellation Services few show participants will dine at (Scott 908) paying the 5¢ surface remailing is rarely seen. unit, which handles FDCs; a World Se- Schmidt’s, a well-known restaurant rate for an up-to-one-ounce letter to ries of Philately national-level exhibi- in Columbus’ German District. These a Universal Postal Union country. For tion; and the announcement of the two events are open to the public. the remailing, new postage payment Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Beecher are winners of the AFDCS cachet contest. There is a fee involved, however. the co-authors of two useful books on U.S. do- was made, but the original envelope mestic and international postage rates since A dedication ceremony for the El- More information on Americover was reused. 1872. vis Presley Music Icons stamp will be 2015 is available on the AFDCS web- Note that the “UNCLAIMED AT The third edition of the domestic book held Sunday at 10 a.m. site www.afdcs.org, by e-mail from is now available from the American Phila- ROOSEVELT HOTEL” marking, Wash- telic Society, while the international book The American First Day Cover So- [email protected], or by regular ington and New Orleans postal may be ordered from the web site www. ciety will conduct its annual meeting mail from the AFDCS, Box 16277, markings, the ”Return to Writer” spiritone.com/~tonywaw. n during Americover 2015. Tucson, AZ 85732. ■ MalTa 1 u ...... 275.00 28 nh ...... 12.00 68 h ...... 4.00 191, 194a, 195a, 221 u ...... 3.50 2 h ...... 750.00 28 h ...... 6.00 69 h ...... 5.50 196a, 197a-8 223-4 u ...... 27.50 1 h ...... 550.00 28 u ...... 1.50 70 u ...... 27.50 h ...... 25 ea 224 h ...... 27.50 2 u ...... 400.00 30 h ...... 4.00 71 h ...... 25.00 192, 196 h ...... 1.25 232-4 nh ...... 1.75 3 h ...... 50.00 32 h ...... 2.50 84 u ...... 65.00 193 h ...... 2.50 240 nh ...... 70 7 h ...... 14.00 33 h ...... 9.00 90 nh ...... 1.75 197 h ...... 85 243-5 nh ...... 55 7 u ...... 40.00 34 nh ...... 6.50 93 u ...... 175.00 199 h ...... 70 246-54, 256-7 8 h ...... 3.00 34 h ...... 3.50 109 nh ...... 13.00 200 h ...... 60 u ...... 25 ea 9 h ...... 7.00 34 u ...... 4.50 112 u ...... 32.50 200 u ...... 40 255 u ...... 70 9 u ...... 25 35 h ...... 22.50 113 h ...... 45.00 201 u ...... 2.75 257 h ...... 7.00 9a u ...... 20.00 36 h ...... 4.50 116-7 h ...... 50 ea 201, 203-4 h .. 3.50 ea 258 h ...... 7.00 10 h ...... 6.00 37 h ...... 9.00 118 h ...... 70 202 u ...... 4.00 258 u ...... 2.00 13 nh ...... 80.00 39 h ...... 40.00 119 h ...... 85 202 h ...... 1.75 259 u ...... 1.75 13 h ...... 40.00 41 u ...... 60.00 120 h ...... 55 203 u ...... 3.75 260 u ...... 2.25 13 u ...... 15.00 41 h ...... 50.00 121 h ...... 1.00 204 u ...... 5.50 261 u ...... 10.00 14 h ...... 85.00 43 h ...... 3.50 123 h ...... 12.00 205 u ...... 11.00 261 h ...... 20.00 14 u ...... 60.00 44 h ...... 27.50 124 h ...... 2.25 208-22 h ...... 50.00 262 nh ...... 25.00 15 h ...... 16.00 44 u ...... 5.00 126 h ...... 40.00 208-10 nh ...... 25 ea 266-8 nh ...... 50 15 u ...... 11.00 45 h ...... 3.50 131 h ...... 60 211-2, 214 272-4 nh ...... 90 16 h ...... 32.50 49 h ...... 85 132 h ...... 50 nh ...... 1.00 ea 275-80 nh ...... 2.50 16 u ...... 13.00 50 h ...... 1.75 133 h ...... 2.50 213 nh ...... 60 281-3 nh ...... 70 17 h ...... 32.50 51 h ...... 1.25 133 h ...... 2.50 215 u ...... 1.25 291 nh ...... 1.50 17 u ...... 10.00 52 h ...... 8.00 134 h ...... 1.50 215 nh ...... 2.00 293 nh ...... 2.00 20 h ...... 1.00 53 h ...... 1.75 135 h ...... 3.50 216 nh ...... 2.50 298-9 h ...... 65 20a u ...... 1.25 54 h ...... 2.00 136 h ...... 3.00 216 h ...... 1.75 298-9 u ...... 65 21-7 h ...... 100.00 58 h ...... 9.00 137 h ...... 3.50 216 u ...... 30 300-2 nh ...... 1.25 21 h ...... 6.50 58 u ...... 14.00 138 h ...... 2.50 217 u ...... 50 303-8 nh ...... 5.00 22 h ...... 12.00 59 h ...... 9.50 139 h ...... 2.75 217 nh ...... 2.50 309-11 nh ...... 85 22 nh ...... 25.00 59 nh ...... 20.00 140 h ...... 3.50 217 h ...... 2.00 312-7 nh ...... 25 ea 23 h ...... 22.50 59a u ...... 20.00 141-2 h ...... 5.00 ea 218 u ...... 85 318-9 nh ...... 1.00 ea 23 u ...... 5.00 60 u ...... 27.50 151 h ...... 3.50 219 nh ...... 4.00 319a-20, 321a-2, 24 h ...... 22.50 61 h ...... 70.00 153 h ...... 3.50 219 h ...... 3.00 321, 324-6 nh .40 ea 24 u ...... 3.75 62 h ...... 11.00 184-7 nh ...... 30.00 219 u ...... 2.00 323, 327-8 25 h ...... 1.25 63 h ...... 12.00 184-7 h ...... 18.00 220 nh ...... 10.00 nh ...... 1.25 ea 27 h ...... 20.00 64 h ...... 50.00 184-7 u ...... 25.00 220 h ...... 7.00 329 nh ...... 2.25 27 u ...... 5.50 65 w cent nh .. POR 191-205 h...... 32.50 221 nh ...... 20.00 330 nh ...... 4.00

Terms: 10-day return privilege. Prices subject to email: [email protected] change. Checks OK, but subject to clearance. VISA, MC & Amex accepted. P O Box 300, Belle Meade, NJ 08502 Dr. Kevin Custis Tel: 908-281-7591 • Fax: 908-431-9329 Postage/Handling: Add $3.50 for orders $25-$49.99; Extensive stock available of French Colonies $4.50 for orders $50-$99.99; $5.50 for orders $100- STAMP MAN & Worldwide. Please send want lists. $299.99; $6.00 for orders over $300. (Stampmen, Inc.) ZillionsOfStamps.com August 10, 2015 LINN’S STAMP NEWS 21

31082p020 21.indd 21 7/24/15 12:43 PM MODERN U.S. MAIL by TONY WAWRUKIEWICZ Postal cards and postcards remailed as receipts make for good hunting The period from April 15, 1925, to probably until 1902, when postal July 1, 1928, is an interesting one for cards were used as domestic re- postal cards and postcards because ceipts, cards were remailed at the 2¢ the domestic rate for postal cards domestic letter rate. was 1¢ during this period, while the With this column I show two inter- postcard rate was 2¢. esting uses of postal cards as receipts, The difference between these two in 1926 and 1937, demonstrating items is this: postal cards bear an im- how the remailing henceforth was at printed stamp and are sold by the post the postcard rate of the time. office, while postcards are usually sold The first, a postal card mailed March without postage by a retail outlet, and 6, 1926, was used to send a request the sender has to apply a stamp. for an assessment of $4.40 for the Fort The disparity of these two differ- Worth Mutual Benevolent Association. ent rates resulted in a number of The 1¢ postal card was correctly used. anomalies in uses during this period. This card was returned with the It’s always interesting to me to find $4.40 payment, and the card was postal cards and postcards handled remailed on Mar. 9 at the correct 2¢ differently during this interval. For This 1¢ postal card mailed Mar. 6, 1926, requested a payment to the Fort Worth Mutual Benevolent postcard rate because the card had example, from 1924 until 1941, only Association. The recipient returned the card with her payment, and affixed a 2¢ stamp to pay the lost its identity as a postal card and undeliverable domestic local postal postcard rate for remailing it to her as a receipt. The reverse of the card firmly stated, “If you desire was now a postcard. The payer duti- and postcards could be returned to a receipt PUT A 2 CENT STAMP ON CARD.” fully placed a 2¢ stamp over the post- the writer for postage free of charge. (from the 1880s until 1937) where the were introduced in the United al card indicium as ordered on the Therefore, it’s great to find a local remailed cards are used as a receipt. States) until the 1902 Postal Laws reverse of the card: “If you desire a re- postcard returned to the writer be- The postal card would be mailed as and Regulations, we find the follow- ceipt PUT A 2 CENT STAMP ON CARD.” tween April 15, 1925, and July 1, 1928, some type of dues or dunning notice, ing, from the 1893 PL&R, Sec. 278: “A The second remailed postal card and thus paid at the 2¢ postcard rate, the card would then be returned by postal card once delivered can not was a 1¢ card mailed on Sept. 18, 1937, because this situation occurred dur- the recipient in a letter with payment, be remailed as such.” requesting a $2 assessment payment ing such a limited period of time. and finally the original card would be That is, the postal card could be for the Immediate Relief Association. I have seen interesting instances of remailed as a receipt to the payer. remailed only at the letter rate, not The card was returned with the remailing of postal cards over the years From 1873 (when postal cards at the lower postcard rate. Therefore, Continued on page 25

NEW 16th Edition Scott Catalogue of Errors on U.S. Postage Stamps The 16th edition of the Scott Catalogue of Errors on U.S. Postage Stamps has been thoroughly reviewed by author Stephen R. Datz. The new edition features hundreds updated values, new or improved illustrations and more than 60 new listings. For ease of use, this new edition is spiral-bound inside a hard cover. Item# Retail AA* ERSTPE16 $49.99 $39.99 Visit AmosAdvantage.com Call 1-800-572-6885 Outside U.S. & Canada call: (937) 498-0800 *AA prices apply to paid subscribers of Amos Media titles, or orders placed online. Prices, terms and product availability subject to change.

ZillionsOfStamps.com September 14, 2015 LINN’S STAMP NEWS 23

31092p023 24 25.indd 23 8/28/15 1:10 PM STAMPS DOWN UNDER by JANET KLUG If you are lucky, during your imagi- 400, issued in 1990. Various tourist videos about Wal- nary visit to the islands someone will If you are longing for more Wallis lis and Futuna are available online at invite you into a fale. And you might and Futuna stamp information, check www.youtube.com. Type “wallis fu- be even luckier, finding the residents out the France and Colonies Philatelic tuna vacances” in the search box and are preparing a feast for you, such as Society at www.franceandcolps.org. enjoy the journey. n the traditional meal being made on Scott 464, from 1995. MODERN U.S. MAIL Your visit could get even better if you are offered a drink: On Wallis and Preparation of a traditional local meal is seen Futuna the drink of choice is kava, on a Wallis and Futuna stamp of 1995. And you might want to go scuba diving to see the colorful fish along the reef that surrounds Wallis Island, as shown on Scott 426, a stamp from 1992. The fish is a saddleback butter- flyfish (chaetodon ephippium). Many of the locals live in traditional Polynesian thatched-roof houses called “fales,” one of which is pictured on Scott 299, from 1983, shown here. The perfect end to a day of South Pacific tourism: a beach sunset such as this one on a 1990 stamp. made from the ground-up roots of This 1¢ postal card mailed on Sept. 18, 1937, requested a payment for the Immediate Relief As- kava plants. Scott 155, from 1960, de- sociation. The recipient affixed a 1¢ stamp on the card and returned it with his payment, so the picts the kava ceremony. The muddy- correctly paid postcard could be sent back to him as a receipt. looking beverage, described as having Continued from page 23 “sedative and anesthetic properties,” is payment with a 1¢ stamp affixed, be- Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Beecher are the co-authors of two useful books on almost certainly an acquired taste. cause the postcard rate was again 1¢. U.S. domestic and international postage rates It has been a long day as a phila- The postal card, now with the charac- since 1872. The third edition of the domestic telic tourist, so it may be time to go ter of a postcard and correctly paid book is available from the American Phila- The kava ceremony, in which the local drink telic Society, while the international book may made from ground-up kava roots is prepared, is to the beach and relax and watch at the current 1¢ postcard rate, was be ordered from the website www.spiritone. shown on a 1960 stamp. the sun set, as portrayed on Scott returned as a receipt on Oct. 7, 1937. com/~tonywaw. n SAVE ON SHOWGARD MOUNTS Weekly Offer #275 Packages of SHOWGARD SECOND QUALITY MOUNTS sell for the same price as first quality mounts but Stampmasters have TWICE AS MANY MOUNTS PER PACKAGE for a 50% savings. The defects, where they exist, consist of minor irregularities but are never of a nature to harm stamps. The number of strips per package listed below is twice the number in the standard package. Please include 5% for shipping and handling with a minimum of $4.00. Black background only. Florida residents please add sales tax. Incorporated Size #Strips Cost Size #Strips Cost Size #Strips Cost Size #Strips Cost 20 44 ...... 9.25 33 44 ...... 9.25 57 30 ...... 9.25 105 20 ...... 15.50 22 44 ...... 9.25 36 30 ...... 9.25 61 30 ...... 9.25 107 20 ...... 15.50 24 44 ...... 9.25 39 30 ...... 9.25 63 20 ...... 11.50 111 10 ...... 10.25 TEST STAMP 25 44 ...... 9.25 41 30 ...... 9.25 70 20 ...... 15.50 120 14 ...... 11.50 27 44 ...... 9.25 44 30 ...... 9.25 74 20 ...... 11.50 127 10 ...... 11.50 28 44 ...... 9.25 48 30 ...... 9.25 80 20 ...... 11.50 158 10 ...... 13.75 30 44 ...... 9.25 50 30 ...... 9.25 89 20 ...... 11.50 204/153 10 ...... 10.75 Eric Jackson 31 44 ...... 9.25 52 30 ...... 9.25 100 14 ...... 11.50 260/40 20 ...... 9.95 P.O. Box 728 • Leesport PA 19533-0728 Stampmasters, Inc. Test Stamp (610) 926-6200 • Fax: (610) 926-0120 Scott TD74 Single, Mint, VF • $15.00 ROY SMITH Email: eric @revenuer.com Pair, Mint, VF • $30.00 P.O. Box 21117-L, Sarasota, FL 34276-4117 b Phone (941) 378-4881 www.ericjackson.com PA resident add 6% sales tax. Universal Black 3-Ring Metal-Hinged Binder MAIL AUCTIONS...... Especially for Collectors New and improved Universal Binder offers unsurpassed durability. The metal piano-style hinge system runs the full length of the binder and across the spine to prevent separation. This binder was designed for years of reliable use. In fact, Our catalogs feature U.S. & Foreign the government uses this same technology for its long-term storage. Thick sturdy including: mint and used singles and front and back panels provide added protection. Hinges and panels are black for a classic, monochrome look. Keep your collection safe for years to come. sets from classics to modern, fancy cancels, errors & freaks, revenues, FDC’s, Retail $24.99 AA $19.99 stampless covers, illustrated advertising covers, postal history covers, collections, post cards, autographs, Call 1-800-572-6885 paper ephemera, philatelic literature, dealer stocks, and much Outside U.S. & Canada Call: more. Write or call for our illustrated catalog today! 1-937-498-0800 Visit AmosAdvantage.com DOWNEAST STAMPS 52 Fern Street, Bangor, ME 04401-5599 • 207-942-3825 • Fax 207-942-0808 *AA prices apply to paid subscribers of Amos Media titles, or orders placed online. Prices, terms and product availability subject to change. Shipping and handling rates will apply. E-mail: [email protected] • www.destamps.com ZillionsOfStamps.com September 14, 2015 LINN’S STAMP NEWS 25

31092p023 24 25.indd 25 8/28/15 1:13 PM MODERN U.S. MAIL by TONY WAWRUKIEWICZ Transient second-class: correcting a listing in the domestic rates book Bob Hohertz recently e-mailed me sient second-class rate? matter available to a subscriber at The next entry in Table 21, of July regarding his concern about some The transient second-class rate less than 50 percent of the subscrip- 1, 1928 (PB 14714, June 13, 1928), items that he had acquired. These is a domestic one used for five pur- tion price or if copies of the item is incorrect, because as of that date, items supposedly were mailed at poses: first, to forward second-class were made available for the use of the transient second-class rate was the transient second-class rate dur- matter; second, to return second- an advertiser in the publication. 1¢ for each 2 ounces, with no limit ing the period from 1940 to 1945, class matter to its publisher; third, Now back to Hohertz’s query. On in weight. The rate table incorrectly but did not rate out correctly when by unregistered news agents to April 15, 1925 (per Postal Bulletin indicates that the rate was not ap- he used the transient second-class mail second-class items; fourth, by 13714, March 5, 1925), as correctly plicable to items that weighed rate table (Table 21) in my book, a publisher if he was sending more stated in Table 21, the transient sec- more than 8 ounces — this is not U.S. Domestic Postal Rates, 1872- sample copies than equaled 10 per- ond-class rate was used on items up true. This new, corrected rate re- 1999. Hohertz was correct. cent of his normal mailing; or fifth, to 8 ounces in weight, at a rate of mained in effect until April 1, 1952, First, though, what is the tran- if the publisher made second-class 2¢ per each 2 ounces. What was not and Table 21 is correct from this stated in the rate table is that items date on. more than 8 ounces in weight were The two illustrations here show to be mailed at the fourth-class rate. sections of two copies of Life maga-

This issue of Life magazine weighed up to 16 ounces, and the 1938 8¢ Presidential series stamp paid This issue of Life magazine in 1942 weighed up to 22 ounces, and the 1938 11¢ Presidential series the transient second-class postage at the rate of 1¢ per 2 ounces in 1942. stamp paid the transient second-class postage at the rate of 1¢ per 2 ounces. SubScribe today... Linn’s Stamp News • Late-breaking news • In-depth analyses • Regular features • The world’s largest stamp marketplace one year $ 99 52 issues 59 800-448-7293 Linns.com/Subscribe LSWHA2015

34 LINN’S STAMP NEWS October 12, 2015 Linns.com

31102p034 35.indd 34 9/25/15 12:29 PM MODERN U.S. MAIL by TONY WAWRUKIEWICZ Linn’s 2015-16 U.S. Stamp Program zine sent from Chicago to Wichita weighing some amount up to 22 in 1942, from the same correspon- ounces. The 1938 11¢ James K. Polk Linn’s 2015-16 U.S. Stamp Program does not have any significant dence. The mailer appears to be an Presidential series stamp (Scott changes from the program published last week on page 42 in the Oct. 5 unregistered news agent, which 816) paid the transient second- Linn’s. As a result, the U.S. stamp program does not appear in this issue. explains the use of the transient class postage at the rate of 1¢ per It will return in a future Linn’s issue. second-class rate. 2 ounces. Linn’s subscribers can always view the complete U.S. stamp programs The two magazines are of differ- By the way, relatively up-to-date for 2015 and 2016 and previous years online by registering at www. ent weights, and were sent under errata for both my domestic and in- linns.com and clicking on this box in Linn’s digital edition. the transient second-class rate of 1¢ ternational rate books can be found per up to 2 ounces. The magazine in at www.spiritone.com/~tonywaw/ the first illustration weighed some errata.html. U.S. $200, $500 documentary revenue stamps amount up to 16 ounces, and the In the September issue of The ful stamps ever produced. The $500 1938 8¢ Martin Van Buren Presiden- Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Beecher American Philatelist, Michael Mahler stamp of the 1871 second issue is of- are the co-authors of two useful books on tial series stamp (Scott 813) paid the U.S. domestic and international postage rates traces the history of the United ten called the “Persian Rug.” transient second-class postage at since 1872. The third edition of the domestic States $200 and $500 documentary The American Philatelist is the jour- the rate of 1¢ per 2 ounces. book is available from the American Phila- revenue stamps. nal of the American Philatelic Society, telic Society, while the international book may In the second illustration is a be ordered from the website www.spiritone. These large, intricately engraved the largest club for stamp collectors section of a copy of Life magazine com/~tonywaw. n stamps are among the most beauti- in the United States. n

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[email protected] MAIL: Complete this order form and mail 4 FAX: Complete this order form and include with your payment to: LINN’S STAMP NEWS, your credit card number and expiration date. CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING, PO Box 4129, 8 Fax to 1-937-493-0924. Sidney, OH 45365. 12 WEEKLY ADVERTISING DEADLINE: 16 MONDAY, 4PM EST (21 Days Prior to Issue Date) 20 CLASSIFIED WORD AD RATES 24 Rates are for consecutive insertions of the same ad in the same classification. 28 1-3 weeks 4-12 weeks 13-25 weeks 26-51 weeks 52 weeks 32 Words Per Week Per Week Per Week Per Week Per Week 36 Up to 25 $9.84 $9.27 $7.94 $7.47 $7.00 40 26-30 $11.77 $11.20 $9.57 $8.99 $8.40 PLEASE INSERT MY AD AS FOLLOWS: 31-35 $13.73 $13.07 $11.09 $10.50 $9.80 Ad Rate Cost Per Week (refer to rate table above) ...... ______A 36-40 $15.68 $14.94 $12.72 $11.90 $11.20 Number of Weeks Ordered ...... ______B 41-45 $17.64 $16.80 $14.24 $13.42 $12.60 TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED (Multiply Line A x Line B) ...... ______C 46-50 $19.61 $18.67 $15.87 $14.94 $14.00 PAYMENT BEINg MADE vIA (payment must accompany order) Minimum order $9.84 51-55 $21.57 $20.54 $17.50 $16.45 $15.40 ❑ Cash ❑ Check ❑ Money Order ❑ Visa ❑ MasterCard ❑ Discover ❑ American Express 56-60 $23.53 $22.41 $19.02 $17.97 $16.80 Card #______Over 60 per word .37 .36 .34 .32 .29 Expire Date ______Card Verification # ______*For ads over 60 words, use the 56-60 rate PLUS the additional word rate for each word over 60. Name on Card ______Zip Code ______TRADING POSTHORN u.S. FOR SALE COVERS FOR SALE FOREIGN STAMPS FOR SALE TOPICALS FOR SALE PHILATELIC SERVICES Trading Posthorn ...... 1000 U.S. Postal Stationery ...... 1160 Handpainted ...... 1325 Great Britain ...... 1650 Miscellaneous ...... 1790 Want Lists Filled ...... 1990 ANNOuNCEMENTS U.S. Precancels ...... 1165 Historical...... 1330 India ...... 1654 SPECIALIZED GROuPINGS Miscellaneous ...... 1995 Announcements ...... 1010 U.S. Revenues ...... 1170 Postal History ...... 1335 Ireland ...... 1655 FOR SALE MISCELLANEOuS FOR SALE AuCTIONS USPS Souvenir Pages, U.S. Space ...... 1340 Israel ...... 1660 Christmas Seals ...... 1800 Baseball Cards ...... 2000 Auctions...... 1020 Commemorative Panels ...... 1175 Miscellaneous ...... 1345 Japan & Ryukyus ...... 1665 Cinderellas ...... 1805 Coins & Currency ...... 2005 EMPLOYMENT Confederate States ...... 1180 NEW ISSuES FOR SALE Latin America...... 1670 Ducks/Foreign Telephone Cards...... 2010 Help Wanted ...... 1030 U.S. Miscellaneous ...... 1185 New Issue Service ...... 1400 Conservation Stamps ...... 1810 Mexico ...... 1675 Miscellaneous ...... 2015 Position Wanted ...... 1035 APPROVALS FOR SALE Miscellaneous ...... 1405 Middle East ...... 1680 Maximum Cards ...... 1815 MAIL BIDS U.S. & UN ...... 1200 MIXTuRES FOR SALE Postal Stationery ...... 1820 WHOLESALE Oceania ...... 1685 Accessories ...... 2050 Mail Bid Sales ...... 1040 Africa & Asia ...... 1205 United States ...... 1450 Russia ...... 1690 Postmarks ...... 1825 STAMP SHOWS Brit. & Commonwealth ...... 1210 Foreign...... 1455 Dealer to Dealer ...... 2055 Scandinavia ...... 1695 POSTCARDS Stamp Shows ...... 1050 Canada ...... 1215 Worldwide ...... 1460 For Sale ...... 1850 Sets & Packets ...... 2060 United Nations ...... 1700 WEBSITES Europe ...... 1220 PACKETS, LOTS, & COLLECTIONS Wanted ...... 1855 Miscellaneous ...... 2065 Vatican City...... 1705 Websites ...... 1060 Latin America...... 1225 Packets ...... 1500 ACCESSORIES WANTED TO BuY Booklets ...... 1710 u.S. FOR SALE Covers ...... 1230 Lots ...... 1505 Accessories ...... 1900 United States ...... 2100 Revenues ...... 1715 U.S. Unused ...... 1100 New Issues ...... 1235 Collections ...... 1510 Catalogs ...... 1905 United Nations ...... 2105 Souvenir Sheets ...... 1720 U.S. Used ...... 1105 Penny-Nickel ...... 1240 FOREIGN STAMPS FOR SALE Philatelic Literature ...... 1910 British Commonwealth ...... 2110 Worldwide ...... 1725 U.S. BEP Cards ...... 1110 Personalized Approvals ...... 1245 Africa ...... 1600 Philatelic Software ...... 1915 Canada ...... 2115 U.S. Booklets...... 1115 Topical ...... 1250 Antarctic Territories...... 1605 TOPICALS FOR SALE PHILATELIC SERVICES Animals ...... 1750 Israel ...... 2120 U.S. Coils ...... 1120 Worldwide ...... 1255 Asia ...... 1610 Expertizing ...... 1950 Accessories ...... 2125 U.S. Essays & Proofs ...... 1125 Miscellaneous ...... 1260 Australasia ...... 1615 Art ...... 1755 Investments ...... 1955 Collections ...... 2130 U.S. Federal & State Ducks ...... 1130 COVERS FOR SALE Brit. & Commonwealth ...... 1620 Flowers, Trees ...... 1760 Newsletters ...... 1960 Covers ...... 2135 U.S. FD Ceremony Programs .... 1135 United States ...... 1300 Canada ...... 1625 Religion ...... 1765 Philatelic Societies ...... 1965 U.S. Locals ...... 1140 U.S. & UN FDC ...... 1305 Channel Islands ...... 1630 Scouts ...... 1770 Price Lists ...... 1970 Worldwide ...... 2140 U.S. Mint Sheets ...... 1145 U.S. Special Events ...... 1310 Europe ...... 1635 Space ...... 1775 Stamp Insurance ...... 1975 Miscellaneous ...... 2145 U.S. Plate Blocks ...... 1150 Foreign FDC ...... 1315 France...... 1640 Sports ...... 1780 Stamp Publications ...... 1980 We reserve the right to change U.S. Possessions ...... 1155 FDC Service ...... 1320 Germany ...... 1645 Transportation ...... 1785 Stamp Stores ...... 1985 the requested classification.

ZillionsOfStamps.com October 12, 2015 LINN’S STAMP NEWS 35

31102p034 35.indd 35 9/25/15 12:29 PM MODERN U.S. MAIL by TONY WAWRUKIEWICZ Interpreting geometric symbols on Dead Letter Office return covers I collect Dead Letter Office return from it were almost always returned envelopes, and many of them have free. various geometric figures stamped on After 1917, there were anywhere them: circles, squares, triangles and from three to hundreds of Dead Let- Stars of David. I am frequently asked ter Branches. From 1917 until 1985, what these figures symbolize, so that returns from these offices or branch- will be the subject of this column. es required payment of a fee. According to Thomas R. Wegner in A return envelope with triangle

The Property Division of the Dead Letter Office used a square symbol, such as appears on this 1888 return envelope containing a dead letter of foreign origin. It was sent back to Scotland in this return envelope with 5¢ postage due for the return, for the up-to-one-ounce Universal Postal Union rate.

turned foreign letters. For instance, the last illustration shown here is of an 1888 example of a Property Division return envelope to Scotland. Note that the penalty A 1934 Chicago Dead Letter Branch return envelope bears a triangle marking, indicating that envelope could not pay the postage the Chicago branch Returning Division sent back the dead letter. The 3¢ postage due stamp for overseas service, and a 5¢ James shows that the Denver, Colo., office collected the 3¢ return fee. A. Garfield stamp (Scott 205) paid his 1994 book, The Washington D.C. marking is shown in the first illus- the Universal Postal Union rate for a Dead Letter Office to 1920: A Mono- tration, sent from the Chicago Dead letter weighing up to 1 ounce. graph of Postal History, these symbols Letter Branch in 1934. Examples of this type of envelope first appeared on dead letter mail in The triangle symbol indicated that with the square symbol are much 1877. I have seen them used as late as the Chicago Branch Returning Divi- less common than envelopes carry- 1956, and so far have not seen them sion returned the dead letter, while ing the other three symbols. A symbol of a circle (this one from a 1904 Minor used on any Dead Letter Office return the 3¢ precanceled postage due Division return envelope) indicated that the In this case, the return was free envelopes beyond that date. stamp (Scott J72) indicates that the dead letter was opened and found to contain to the sender, but the Post Office The triangle geometric figure is Denver, Colo., office collected the no enclosure of value. Department had to pay the return the one that is most commonly seen. pre-1935 return fee of 3¢. postage of 5¢ for the up-to-1-ounce It was used to identify an item that Use of the six-pointed Star of Da- the Dead Letter Office or Branch UPU rate. was sent back to the original mailer vid symbol indicated that the Minor used a square to identify items of a by the Returning Division of the Division of the Dead Letter Office or bulky sort. This division handled let- Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Beecher Dead Letter Office or Branch. Branch handled the return of a dead ters not advertised and marked un- are the co-authors of two useful books on Before 1917, there was only one letter. claimed and undeliverable parcels, U.S. domestic and international postage Dead Letter Office, in Washington, A report to the United States Sen- except those that were registered rates since 1872. The third edition of the domestic book is now available from the Ameri- D.C., and domestic returned items ate regarding business methods of mail. can Philatelic Society, while the international federal government agencies stated Inspection of known Property book may be ordered from the web site www. that some clerks in the Minor Divi- Division envelopes also reveals re- spiritone.com/~tonywaw. n sion handled “minor letters – that is, letters which contain inclosures of sufficient value to sender to require 2016 March Party exhibitor’s prospectus record, though not directly convert- The exhibitor’s prospectus is avail- cluding approximately 10 one-frame ible to money,” such as papers, pho- able for the Garfield-Perry Stamp exhibits, and a 55-dealer bourse. tographs and postage stamps. Club’s March Party stamp exhibition The Eire Philatelic Association, Other clerks in the Minor Division and bourse to take place March 10- dedicated to the stamps and postal handled dead letters containing 12, 2016, at La Villa Conference and history of Ireland, will conduct its valuable items, such as “unsigned Banquet Center, 11500 Brookpark annual meeting at the show, and ad- deeds, wills, soldiers’ discharges, in- Road, Cleveland, Ohio. ditional meetings and presentations surance papers, etc.” The illustration March Party is an American Phila- are planned. here showing an example of a star telic Society World Series of Philat- The March Party accepts all classes was stamped on a 1935 Minor Divi- ely show. The grand-award winner of exhibits, and exhibitors are invited sion return envelope. qualifies for the APS Champion of to a complimentary luncheon in ad- This Star of David marking appears on a 1935 The Minor Division also used a cir- Champions competition to be held dition to other show events. return envelope from the Minor Division of the cle to identify letters that had been at Stampshow 2016 Aug. 4-7 in Port- The prospectus can be found on- Dead Letter Office. Minor Division clerks opened opened and found to contain no en- land, Ore. line at www.garfieldperry.org, or dead letters and sorted them according to con- closure of value. March Party will host approxi- send an e-mail to Greg Shoults at tents, either of little or no value, or valuable. Finally, the Property Division of mately 190 frames of exhibits, in- [email protected]. ■ 24 LINN’S STAMP NEWS November 9, 2015 Linns.com

31112p024.indd 24 10/23/15 8:46 AM modern u.s. mail by tony wawrukiewicz Use ‘Postmaster Finder’ to locate city’s postmasters and post office history One of the most frequent reasons the history of the changes in a city’s that people use my Postal Bulletin name. In this example, the name and Postal Laws and Regulations is now Poland, but it originated as website (at www.uspostalbulletins. South Poland (with a postmaster) com) is to locate the names of post- in 1862; became Poland Spring May masters who served at a particular 9, 1939; and finally became Poland place. Jan. 1, 1996. Let me add that this website is A Wikipedia search finds that available to anyone in the world, South Poland was incorporated in and its use is free of any charge. 1797, so there was no post office Recently I was asked who was there until 1862. the postmaster of the post office at There is other important informa- South Poland, Maine, an office sup- tion available on this USPS website. posedly established in 1862. Note the admonition on the first The Postal Bulletin, an official pub- page shown: “Remember! Not all lication of the United States Post Of- Post Offices established before 1986 fice and its successor, the U.S. Postal are listed. See FAQs [Frequently Service, is a great source of informa- Asked Questions] about Postmaster tion regarding when post offices Finder.” were established and who the post- I found four of the Postmaster masters were for a particular post Finder FAQs to be particularly inter- office over the years. esting, and have excerpted parts of Unfortunately, while the Postal them below. Bulletin is still published today, it Q: Why is some information prior was not published before 1880, and to 1986 not available in Postmaster the post office and postmaster in- Finder? formation published in the various A: The Postmaster Finder data- issues is incomplete. base was created in 1986. Since that However, there is another re- time, it has served as the Postal Ser- source for this information: the vice’s national record of postmasters “Postmaster Finder” function of the by Post Office. Pre-1986 informa- USPS website. The address is http:// tion is researched and added to the webpmt.usps.gov/pmt002.cfm. This Postmaster Finder database upon address brings one to the informa- request on a case-by-case basis. tion and entry point shown nearby. Q: How can I get information on The search results for “Poland, Maine” on the United States Postal Service’s “Postmaster Finder” Entering “Poland” in the city field a postmaster or a Post Office that is include postmaster names and useful information about name changes for this town. and then selecting Maine from the not in Postmaster Finder? drop-down state menu results in A: The National Archives [http:// USPS Historian. Additionally, histo- also required that postmasters live the information shown in the sec- www.archives.gov/research/post- rians have compiled books on Post in the delivery area of their Post Of- ond illustration, presenting the offices] will provide information on Offices for many states, some of fice. Since 1971, postmasters have names of the postmasters or offi- postmasters and Post Offices prior which include postmasters’ names been selected through the merit cers-in-charge, and years of service. to 1971 upon request. Information and appointment dates. A partial system. Just as important, one also gets after 1971 can be obtained from the list of such books is available in Q: How were Post Offices estab- Publication 119, Sources of Historical lished? Information on Post Offices, Postal A: Citizens of a community who Employees, Mail Routes and Mail Con- desired a new Post Office gener- tractors. Your local library should be ally submitted a request to the Post able to assist you in obtaining these. Office Department stating reasons Q: How were postmasters ap- why they thought a Post Office pointed and what were the neces- should be established, the number sary qualifications? of patrons who would be served, A: From 1836 to 1971, postmas- and the names proposed for the ters at the larger Post Offices were Post Office. Other factors consid- appointed by the President, by ered were the nearness of existing and with the consent of the Sen- postal units and the relative cost ate. Postmasters earning less than involved, including the estimated $1,000 per year were appointed by expense of mail transportation to the Postmaster General, generally the proposed office. upon the advice of the local con- gressman or townspeople. Regula- Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Beecher are tions required that postmasters ex- the co-authors of two useful books on U.S. do- ecute a valid bond and take an oath mestic and international postage rates since of office. Minors were ineligible, and 1872. The third edition of the domestic book is now available from the American Philatelic U.S. citizenship was required for ap- Society, while the international book may The data entry point of the United States Postal Service’s “Postmaster Finder” website is simple and pointment to all but the smallest be ordered from the web site www.spiritone. straightforward. You enter the city name, and then find the state’s name in the drop-down box. Post Offices. Prior to 1971, it was com/~tonywaw. n 28 LINN’S STAMP NEWS December 14, 2015 Linns.com

31122p028.indd 28 11/25/15 7:24 AM MODERN U.S. MAIL by TONY WAWRUKIEWICZ Post Office form, letter shed light on ‘Request for Better Address’ process For years I have studied and ex- This type of message had to have hibited the return of unmailable been placed by the delivery office, and undeliverable mail. A year or so as only that entity would be in a ago, I was able to buy the “REQUEST position to say that “the party is un- FOR BETTER ADDRESS” Form B-22 known to us.” shown nearby. One month ago, I was able to This request form was sent to the purchase the Jan. 6, 1922, letter il- writer of a letter or postcard when lustrated here. It is franked with a This is an enlargement of the handstamped marking, previously unknown to the author, on the the office of delivery recognized 1910 2¢ Washington-Franklin series undeliverable 1922 letter shown in the second illustration. that the letter’s address was inad- stamp paying the up-to-1-ounce equate and the item, therefore, was domestic letter rate. that in the first illustration was then dress correction. undeliverable. The letter also carries a hand- mailed to the writer of the letter, in Second, if the circular datestamp an attempt to obtain a better ad- is “JAN 6 1922,” it is the same as the dress. red handstamped date to its left on The letter was mailed on Jan. 5 or the letter. 6, 1922, in Niland, Calif., (the post- In guessing that this second, mark date is not entirely clear) and handstamped date is the one on the second dated handstamp, the which the letter was placed in Gen- red “JAN 6 1922,” suggests to me eral Delivery, it is difficult to under- that this is the date that the letter stand that these two dates were ap- was placed in General Delivery in plied at the mailing office and the Orange, Calif. delivery office on the same day in The postcard form is for another, January 1922. much earlier letter (it’s dated Feb. An online mapping site indicates 26, 1894), but one can assume that that Orange is 194 miles from Ni- a similar one was sent to the writer land via a state highway, for a trip of of this 1922 undeliverable letter, re- about 3½ hours at today’s speeds. questing a better address. It is possible, however, that the Even though I do believe that the unclear postmark date is actually 1922 letter was placed in General Jan. 5 — the day before the second Delivery at the delivery post office, I dated handstamp. This is a Feb. 26, 1894, example of Post Office Department Form B-22, sent by the delivery post have difficulty with this scenario for Independent of these concerns, office to the writer of a letter with an inadequate address, seeking information to make delivery two reasons. these items are, to me, a remark- possible. Meanwhile, the undeliverable letter was placed in General Delivery. First, this was an undeliverable able juxtaposition of postal history In part, the form states: “As the stamp I have never seen before, one item. Time and time again, I have ephemera. address contains no street and that relates to the “Request for Bet- found that for undeliverable mat- number, and the party is unknown ter Address” form. ter, new postage was required for Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Beecher are the co-authors of two useful books on U.S. do- to us, we are unable to deliver the Note that the 1922 letter had no remailing. mestic and international postage rates since letter, and have placed it in Gen- street address, and thus was consid- There is no comment anywhere 1872. The third edition of the domestic book eral Delivery subject to call. If you ered undeliverable. on the form or letter that suggests is now available from the American Philatelic Society, while the international book may be can supply a better address, please Therefore, the delivery office the requirement for new postage ordered from the web site www.spiritone. fill the blanks at the bottom of this placed the letter in General Delivery if the letter was remailed after ad- com/~tonywaw. n card and return it to this office, giv- with the handstamp, shown enlarged ing street or number, or occupation nearby, reading, “Placed in General great BRITAIN PHILATELY or title, or some clue that will help Delivery/Because Address Incorrect.” the letter carriers to find the party.” Presumably, a form similar to Continued from page 22 The last plates used to print en- four corners, thick white lines, graved 2d blue stamps were plates plate numbers 7, 8, 9 or 12 in de- 13, 14, and 15. sign (1858). These plate numbers also were There were two significant engraved in the scroll work on the changes in the design of the 2d left and right. line-engraved stamp after 1858: Any example with letters in all Check letters appeared in all four four corners engraved with any of corners, and plate numbers were these plate numbers is Scott 30. engraved in the engine-turned Another difference between scroll work to the left and right of Scott 29 and 30 is the thickness of the queen’s profile. the white lines. Scott 29 is any example bearing The lines are thicker on examples plate numbers 7, 8, 9, or 12. These of Scott 29 than they are on Scott numbers were engraved vertically 30. in the fine detail of the pillars be- By establishing correct charac- hind the queen’s head and in front teristics of design, watermark, per- of her face. foration gauge, and tinted paper, This letter mailed Jan. 6, 1922, in Niland, Calif., was undeliverable because it had no street ad- Scott 30: letters in all four cor- you can accurately identify 2d blue dress. It was placed in General Delivery, and presumably a form similar to that illustrated above ners, thin white lines, plate num- stamps by correct Scott catalog was sent to the writer, attempting to obtain a good address. bers 13, 14 or 15 in design (1870). numbers. ■ 24 LINN’S STAMP NEWS January 11, 2016 Linns.com

31012p022 24.indd 24 12/23/15 10:42 AM great BRITAIN PHILATELY bY david alderfer modern u.s. mail by tony wawrukiewicz What postal rule forbade remailing in an undeliverable envelope? Because I ask, or am asked, nu- velope or wrapper. merous questions about the func- The first statement, finally located tions of the United States Post Of- in the 1913 Official Postal Guide, suc- fice Department, I am fortunate to cessfully explains the handstamp have available a number of official “DO NOT REMAIL IN THIS ENVELOPE publications that somehow or other OR WRAPPER,” but I believe that the relate to those functions. statement (also repeated in all the These include: the Postal Bulle- yearly Official Postal Guide volumes tin; United States Postal Laws and from 1907 to 1915) is ambiguous Regulations (PL&R); United States enough that the two examples I Statutes at Large (laws and resolu- have found that were remailed with tions passed by the U.S. Congress); new postage, but in the original en- the Annual Report of the Postmaster velope, are legal. And the 1882 PL&R General; the United States Official statement has no ambiguity at all in Postal Guides, yearly volumes and regard to not requiring a new enve- monthly supplements; the United lope or wrapper. States Mail and Post-Office Assistant; This Oct. 8, 1945, letter was undeliverable because the addressee was “Out of Business.” It was re- In any event, I was overjoyed to and the Postal Manuals, including turned to the sender with a warning applied not to remail it in the same envelope. finally find a reference that justifies the domestic and international ser- the type of handstamp on the cover vice manuals. ounce, was undeliverable, as indi- of the person is insufficient, and shown here. The first two resources, the Postal cated by the Chicago carrier “B215” the letter after being carried to the Bulletin and the PL&R, are available marking, because the addressee place designated is returned to Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Beecher are the co-authors of two useful books on U.S. do- online and free on my website, was “Out of Business.” writer as uncalled for, it cannot be mestic and international postage rates since which is now hosted by the Ameri- The letter was “Returned to Writ- remailed without a new payment of 1872. The third edition of the domestic book can Philatelic Society at www.us- er” on Oct. 10 with the admonition, postage.” is now available from the American Philatelic Society, while the international book may be postalbulletins.com. “DO NOT REMAIL IN THIS ENVELOPE Note that this statement makes ordered from the web site www.spiritone. I am in the process of writing a OR WRAPPER.” no comment about reuse of the en- com/~tonywaw. n new book that will contain, I hope, I have searched high and low over what many people in philately will many years to find a source for this CACHETS AND COVERS consider to be a series of ground- admonition/regulation. I even have breaking articles that utilize the two such covers that, in spite of this Data must be submitted on the rial cancel and multicolor cachet. $3. Lyle Boardman, 3916 Wyldwood Road, Austin, TX various resources listed above. The notice, were remailed in the original special Cover Seal Offer form. 78739. SASE required. Copies of the form may be ob- book also will explain how to locate envelope, with new postage. Feb. 27-28 Post office centennial most of these resources. I’m certain that there are other tained by writing to Linn’s Ca- The Clearwater (Florida) Stamp Club is For instance, I am visiting the U.S. such remailings that I cannot recog- chets and Covers, Box 4129, Sid- celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first U.S. open-air post office in St. Petersburg, Postal Service library in Washing- nize because a new envelope was ney, OH 45365, and enclosing Fla. Two cachets available. $3.50 each, $6 ton, D.C., where I am scanning and used for the remailing. an addressed, stamped enve- for both. Clearwater Stamp Club, Box 5442, preserving much pertinent postal Anyway, just by chance, I finally lope; or with an e-mail request to Clearwater, FL 33758. SASE required. history information in the Postal noted the following statement in [email protected]. Feb. 27 Black Elk sesquicentennial Lincoln Stamp Club is offering a color Manuals, both domestic and inter- the July 1913 annual volume of the Philatelic and philanthropic orga- cachet with pictorial cancellation and color national, so that they can be placed U.S. Official Postal Guide under the nizations may offer cachets, covers Zazzle.com stamp celebrating the 150th an- online on my website. category “Rates of Postage,” Section and souvenir seals for upcoming niversary of Black Elk, Lakota holy man. $3. This month’s column will con- 29(g): “A letter which — after a prop- events in this column. Offers mark- Joel Johnson, 3240 Sheridan Court, Lincoln, sider one piece of information that er effort has been made to deliver ing past events are ineligible. NE 68506-6142. SASE required. Feb. 27 National Parks anniversary I recently found in the 1907 to 1915 it — is returned to the sender, may This free listing will appear only Springfield Stamp Club is offering a color yearly volumes of the Official Postal not be remailed without a proper once. For additional publicity, con- cachet of the National Parks logo to honor Guides, and a similar announcement repayment of postage, and it should tact Linn’s advertising department. the 100th anniversary, with a triangle-shape cancel. $2. Calvin McWhirter, Box 544, Spring- in the 1882 PL&R. be enclosed in a new envelope, to Completed forms should be sub- field, VA 22150. SASE required. Over the years, I have seen a sig- secure proper transmission.” mitted approximately eight weeks be- Feb. 28 Repeal of the Stamp Act nificant number of covers similar to This type of instruction is amaz- fore the event being commemorated Springfield Stamp Club is offering a color the one illustrated here. This Oct. 8, ingly difficult to locate, but I even is to take place. cachet honoring the 250th anniversary of the 1945, letter, mailed in a 3¢ stamped Collectors ordering cacheted cov- repeal of the Stamp Act with “No Taxation found a similar version in Section Without Representation” cancel. $2. Calvin envelope (Scott U439f) at the 3¢ 413 of the 1882 PL&R (but in no ers, souvenir cards or seals from this McWhirter, Box 544, Springfield, VA 22150. domestic surface rate for up to one other PL&R volume): “If the address column should allow at least six to SASE required. eight weeks from the date of issue, March 4 Cold War anniversary and even longer for covers requiring For its Apex 2016 show theme, the An- great BRITAIN PHILATELY chorage Philatelic Society is commemorat- a first-day cancel, for delivery. ing the 25th anniversary of the end of the to find through Internet research in- tact me by email at dapennyblack@ Cold War with a cachet showing a fighter jet formation about the 1911 Glasgow aol.com. Feb. 5-April 10 Year of the Monkey over Nike missile site. $3. Patrick Hoffmann, Exhibition, I still have some unan- If you would like to learn The Long Beach Stamp Club is offering a 11160 Trails End Road, Anchorage, AK 99507- cachet for the Year of the Monkey. $3. Lloyd 6497. SASE required. swered questions. Who designed more about poster stamps in Baumann, 8191 Grant Drive, Huntington March 6 National Park Service centennial the labels? Who printed them? general, visit the website cre- Beach, CA 92646-2018. No. 10 addressed, Sno-King Stamp Club is offering a ca- What was the intended meaning of ated by Charles Kiddle, a well- stamped envelope (SASE) required. cheted cover featuring the National Park the metaphorical female figure? known British expert on cinder- Feb. 26-28 Texpex 2016 Service centennial with pictorial cancel and Texpex Foundation is offering a show informational insert. $2.50. James Siscel, If anyone can provide answers to ella material, http://posterstamps. cover featuring the Texpex 2016 theme of 19322 73rd Place W., Lynnwood, WA 98036. any of these questions, please con- org.uk/posterstamps.html. ■ “Buffalo, beef and barbed wire,” with picto- SASE required. n ZillionsOfStamps.com February 8, 2016 LINN’S STAMP NEWS 25

31022p024 25.indd 25 1/22/16 11:37 AM MODERN U.S. MAIL BY TONY WAWRUKIEWICZ Understanding pressure-sensitive package labels on presorted mail, part 1

In my last column (Linn’s, that I have been able to Feb. 8, page 25), I mentioned flesh out beautifully and the new book I am research- more completely thanks to ing and writing. One of the all of the above. topics in the book is the his- Effective July 1, 1968 — tory of the process of pre- mainly because of the in- sorting mail to enable more troduction of ZIP codes on efficient delivery. July 1, 1963 — presorting Starting Aug. 1, 1974, a of mail began in a new, or- series of pressure-sensitive ganized manner, because it package labels (PSPL) was sorted pieces into bundles introduced that made this (packages) with associated This key identifies the five different green “3” type of labels and their approximate times of introduction. sorting more effective. facing slips on them (except The first illustration pic- those made up for a five- umns, but in this first install- es with a unique three-digit then sectional center facility tured here shows an official digit ZIP code area). ment I’ll point out some of ZIP code. sorting, and so on. United States Postal Service The facing slips were the new conclusions I have The first label style was Finally, as of July 6, 1976, notice from June 1974 with used initially only by post come to. In a second col- introduced Aug. 1, 1974. At the definitions of the sort- approximations of the first office workers, but their use umn, I will point out areas the start, residual first-class, ing groups were different set of five PSPLs along with was extended to the private that are still incompletely second-class, and third- for each class of mail. brief comments defining sector on Aug. 22, 1968. understood. class mail was sorted into So, it can be seen that them, though somewhat The facing slips were We now know that there packages or bundles using over the years, from 1974 imprecisely. somewhat ineffective, are five different label types these labels. Initially, the to the present, the types of I am pleased to say that, however, and as of Aug. 1, or styles, including the bar- advantage of this presort- presorting, and labels used, just in the month of Janu- 1974, many of the facing coded style introduced in ing was only in continuing varied among the classes ary 2016, I’ve become fairly slips were replaced with the late 2003. The second illus- to expedite the delivery of of mail, in a complicated knowledgeable about these aforementioned PSPLs. tration on this page shows the mails. fashion that is too involved labels, thanks to several fac- Presently, much of the the five types of the green Initially, as we have seen to present here, but will be tors: articles from 1970-80 matter that is presorted is “3” label, as well as indicat- in the first illustration, there explained in my new book. by Stuart Gitlow, H.E. Men- first sorted and placed in ing approximately when were five different labels Thanks to the covers that ker and R.J. Mazzaferro; the trays and sacks. We are not they were introduced. that corresponded to pre- have been made available willingness of John Hotch- interested in these sorted At various times, the sorting pieces to five-digit to me, especially those pro- ner, Tom Breske, and Doug items because labels were green “3” label on a bundle ZIP code areas (each with a vided by Hotchner, I have Quine to lend me their cov- not placed on them and indicated that letters within red label “D”), to cities with been able to add what I be- ers for study; and, finally, therefore they carry no in- were presorted by all three- multiple ZIP Codes (each lieve to be some important the availability of the USPS dication of the sorting that digit ZIP codes of a single with a yellow label “C”), to dating information con- Postal Bulletin and Postal took place. sectional center facility, by sectional center facilities cerning when the second Manual, including the do- The whole story is so only a single three-digit ZIP (each with a green label “3”), to fourth label types were mestic service manuals. complex that I can’t explain code of a single sectional all residual pieces to single introduced. This is a fascinating story it all here, even in two col- center facility, or by all piec- states (each with a orange For instance, from what I label “S”), and pieces to sin- have read, it seems to have gle firms (each with a blue been believed that the label “F”). second label type (seven- Eventually, other types eighths-inch round dots) of labels were introduced, was first used around Janu- including the purple label ary 1976. However, Hotch- “CR,” a pink label “A,” a tan ner has numerous examples label “MS/MXD” and, finally, on cover used in the second the whole group of bar-cod- half of 1975 — as early as ed labels. June 3, 1975. Only from July 6, 1976, In my next column, I will was first-class, second-class, discuss two areas of pre- and third-class mail first sorting that are still not un- presorted to trays and sacks, derstood, as well as some not using these labels. Then, areas where I know sorting if there was any presorted existed, but where no ex- residual, it was sorted into amples of pressure-sensi- packages or bundles using tive package labels on piece the labels. are known to me. In addition, as of this later date, first-class mail, if Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Beecher are the co-authors of two use- presorted, was eligible for ful books on U.S. domestic and inter- discounted rates, and the national postage rates since 1872. The presorting occurred in an third edition of the domestic book is organized fashion starting now available from the American Phil- atelic Society, while the international This United States Postal Service notice from June 1974 illustrates and partly defines the uses of some of the first with five-digit ZIP code ar- book may be ordered from the web pressure-sensitive labels to be applied to packages of presorted domestic mail. eas, followed by city sorting, site www.spiritone.com/~tonywaw. n 26 LINN’S STAMP NEWS March 14, 2016 Linns.com

31032p026.indd 26 2/26/16 9:22 AM MODERN U.S. MAIL by TONY WAWRUKIEWICZ More about understanding pressure-sensitive package labels on presorted mail

Labels used in identifying the first only one was not a first-class use. item in a sorted package or bundle The first cover illustrated here is for the presorting of the various an example of a first-class use, from classes of United States domestic the collection of Thomas Breske. It’s mail were described in my column a first-class letter postmarked Feb. 1, in Linn’s March 14 issue (page 26), 1982, paying the up to 1-ounce rate which introduced the pressure-sen- of 20¢ with the nondenominated sitive package labels (PSPL). (20¢) C-rate stamp (Scott 1946). The A series of pressure-sensitive la- type 2 blue “F” label affixed to the bels have been used to indicate that letter indicates that it was presorted the package identified with the PSPL to the addressee business firm, The received a certain type of presorting Nurse’s Book Society. that expedited its delivery. Another type of cover with a PSPL These packages represented re- affixed that doesn’t correspond to sidual bundling that occurred only if any regulation I can find is an incom- there were items left over after pre- ing foreign cover, such as that pic- sorted trays and sacks were filled. tured in the second illustration, from In this column, I discuss two areas the collection of John Hotchner. This 1974 airmail letter to the United States with franking from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania has of PSPL use that are still not under- This circa Oct. 17, 1974, airmail let- the type 1 yellow “C” label, indicating presorting all for multicoded cities. Wawrukiewicz sees no stood, as well as some areas where ter to the United States, franked with reason for this “C” label, as such mail did not originate from a U.S. firm. I know the sorting to have existed, the 2.50-shilling Kenya, Uganda and label use. Perhaps a Linn’s reader can digit sorting were allowed then. but where no examples of PSPL on Tanzania UPU Loading Mail stamp explain this type of use? Finally, at least by Postal Bulletin pieces are known to me. (Scott 295), has the type 1 yellow “C” Next, I would like to describe 22114 (Oct. 30, 2003), label sorting of After July 6, 1976, it is clear from PSPL affixed, indicating presorting four other types of mail for which media mail and library mail began. the literature (USPS domestic service all for multicoded cities. presorting with labeling has been Full sorting and labeling for these manuals and the Postal Bulletin) that I cannot see any reason for this, announced over the years, but for two mail classes included that for business-firm (blue label “F”) PSPL as such mail did not originate from which I have yet to see any exam- five-digit ZIP Codes (bar-coded red were not to be placed on sorted a U.S. firm, yet John Hotchner and ples. label “5”), for three-digit ZIP Codes first-class pieces. In spite of this rule, Tom Breske both have a significant Permitted labeling of bound (barcoded green label “3”), for Area of the five “F” examples I have seen, number of examples of this type of printed matter was first announced Distribution Centers (barcoded pink in Postal Bulletin 21372 (Oct. 7, 1982). label “A”) and for Mixed ADCs (bar- Only red label “D” and green label “3” coded tan label “X”). presorting were allowed then for this To repeat: for these latter four class of mail. classes of mail where sorting and The label sorting of Priority Mail labeling occurred at various times, began as of Jan. 24, 1991, announced I have seen no examples with PSPL in Postal Bulletin 21718A of that date. affixed. If anyone has seen examples, The red label “D” for five-digit pack- I would appreciate knowing about aging and green label “3” for three- them. n Jewish airmen contributions to Battle of Britain Robert A. Moss, writing in the win- Philatelists publishes The Israel Phi- ter 2016 issue of The Israel Philatelist, latelist four times a year. explores the contributions made by An SIP membership application This Feb. 1, 1982, first-class letter has a type 2 blue “F” pressure-sensitive package label affixed, indi- Jewish airmen in the pivotal series of is available from Howard Chapman, cating that it was presorted to a business firm; in this instance, The Nurse’s Book Society. Postal his- aviation engagements known as the 28650 Settlers Lane, Pepper Pike, OH tory researcher Tony Wawrukiewicz has been unable to find a postal regulation allowing such a use. Battle of Britain. The Society of Israel 44124-5000. ■ MAIL AUCTIONS...... Especially for Collectors Our catalogs feature U.S. & Foreign including: mint and used singles and sets from classics to modern, fancy cancels, errors & freaks, revenues, FDC’s, stampless covers, illustrated advertising covers, postal history covers, collections, post cards, autographs, paper ephemera, philatelic literature, dealer stocks, and much more. Write or call for our illustrated catalog today! DOWNEAST STAMPS 52 Fern Street, Bangor, ME 04401-5599 • 207-942-3825 • Fax 207-942-0808 E-mail: [email protected] • www.destamps.com

ZillionsOfStamps.com April 11, 2016 LINN’S STAMP NEWS 23

31042p023.indd 23 3/24/16 8:42 AM MODERN U.S. MAIL by TONY WAWRUKIEWICZ Elusive ‘returned as undeliverable’ postal cards and postcards, 1970-79 Postal cards and postcards re- allow me to use the images here livery endorsed thereon. The card quested is forwarded to a new ad- turned as undeliverable and un- and in my book. serves as the address correction dress, the sender is notified on Form mailable always have been handled This June 2, 1975, 8¢ precan- notice. The charge for this notice 3547, Notice to Mailer of Correction differently from letter mail, so much celed postal card (Scott UX66) was is 10¢. There is not an additional in Address, of the new address. The so that I’m writing this process up in mailed from the Campbell Public charge for return postage.” charge for this notice is 10¢.” my new book. This differentiation Library in Campbell, Calif., with the Thus, the handstamps on this The same Transmittal Letter also postal card follow these rules, indicated what would happen if the giving the reason for the return card contained the endorsement (“MOVED LEFT NO ADDRESS”) and “Return Postage Guaranteed,” did the charge for the card being re- not contain either the latter en- turned as a return notice (“Postage dorsement or an address correction Due 10”). request, was a double card, or if the If the card requesting address card was underpaid. correction were forwarded to a new To repeat: As clear and impor- address, the following would have tant as the literature is in regard to occurred, according to Transmittal handling undeliverable cards from Letter-1: “d. When a card bearing 1970 to 1979, examples of their the words Address Correction Re- handling are very rarely seen. n U.N. plans joint issue with Australia The United Nations Postal Admin- Goals set to be issued Oct. 27 in istration’s International Day of U.N. three panes of six stamps each (one Peacekeepers stamps will be a joint pane for each U.N. post office in New Postal handling of this June 2, 1975, 8¢ precanceled postal card followed existing rules for an unde- issue with Australia Post, according York City; Geneva, Switzerland; and liverable postal card with “ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED” endorsement. The card was returned to an announcement in Fascination, Vienna, Austria). to the sender, and 10¢ was collected for the notification of nondelivery. UNPA’s bulletin for collectors. The tradition of the Olympic truce was true from 1970 to 1979. Even endorsement “ADDRESS CORREC- The stamps will be issued May 28 will be commemorated on the U.N. more interesting is how difficult it is TION REQUESTED” placed in the re- in a ceremony at World Stamp Show- Sport for Peace and Development to locate examples of such returned turn address. The card was returned NY 2016 at the Javits Center in New stamps to be issued July 22. items from this period of time. with multiple handstamps: “MOVED York City. On March 30, a pane of The World Heritage/UNESCO I have none. Fortunately, there LEFT NO ADDRESS,” “RETURN TO stamps and labels commemorating stamps scheduled to be issued Sept. are other collectors out there who SENDER” and “Postage Due 10.” the 65th anniversary of the UNPA/ 8 will focus on the Czech Republic. are aware that I am searching for According to the United States New York post office also will be is- The Sept. 23 Endangered Species these uses, both for a book and for Post Office Dept. Services Transmit- sued at the international show. issue will honor the 17th Conference an exhibit of this material. tal Letter-1 (Oct. 1, 1970): “b. A card The bulletin included further in- of the Parties to the Convention on Roland Austin recently found four bearing the words Address Correc- formation about upcoming UNPA International Trade in Endangered postal cards like the one illustrated tion Requested is returned to the stamps, including the announce- Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Sept. here and has been kind enough to sender with the reason for nonde- ment of a Sustainable Development 24-Oct. 5 in South Africa. ■

STAMPS.ORG ZillionsOfStamps.com May 9, 2016 LINN’S STAMP NEWS 23

31052p023.indd 23 4/22/16 1:39 PM MODERN U.S. MAIL by TONY WAWRUKIEWICZ How is fraudulent matter to be handled in domestic mails? The items pictured in this col- could discern, upon evidence sat- umn were purchased on the online isfactory to him (such as through commerce website eBay this past advertisements, legal Dead Letter March. I feel blessed to have found Office/Dead Letter Branch mail- them, because they explain the opening, or other legal sources), very important concept of “fraudu- that mail was fraudulent, and act lent matter” that is first found in the upon it. In this manner, the post- 1873 Postal Laws and Regulations master general could ascertain that (PL&R). matter was fraudulent and inform Beginning around 1900, this official postal marking was applied to mail sent to entities identified This category is now “false repre- all postmasters. as fraudulent by postal authorities, before the mail was sent back to the writer. sentation matter” in today’s domes- Thereafter, a postmaster at any tic service manuals. Thus, although post office, having been notified The business-reply mail enve- pointed geometric star on it. I am this column deals with fraudulent by the postmaster general of any lope without a return address in the guessing that it is equivalent to the mail, it also is discussing what is scheme for obtaining money or first image beautifully illustrates a six-pointed Star of David marking now called false representation property of any kind through the return of fraudulent matter to the shown in my column in the Nov. mail. mails by means of false or fraudu- writer. 9, 2015, Linn’s, that being a symbol In this case, the writer mailed a indicating that the minor division business-reply envelope back to a of the Dead Letter Office or Dead fraudulent enterprise. This was rec- Letter Branch handled the return ognized by the postmaster of the of a dead letter that contained an delivery office of this fraudulent enclosure of importance to the business, who wrote “Fraudulent” sender, but not of great monetary on it, but because the letter had value, such as postage stamps, pho- no return address, the postmaster tographs, papers and so on. could not return it directly to the Incidentally, although accord- writer. ing to the official documents only Thus, it was correctly sent first to registered fraudulent matter was to a Dead Letter Branch in New York be returned from 1873 until 1932, I City where it was opened, the writ- have never seen a registered fraud- er was determined, the envelope ulent item returned. was rubberstamped “FRAUDULENT. Also, although in various official Mail to this address returned by or- documents fraudulent matter was der of Postmaster General,” and the cited as being unmailable, in real- The delivery-office postmaster recognized the addressee of this business-reply envelope as a business-reply envelope was then ity, as this illustration confirms, the fraudulent business, but lacking a return address, could not follow postal rules and return it enclosed in an outer envelope and postmaster at delivery offices most to the writer. A Dead Letter Office Branch opened it, found the sender’s address, stamped the envelope “FRAUDULENT” and returned it to the sender. By postal standards, fraudulent lent pretenses, representations or matter includes any scheme for ob- promises, and encountering any taining money or property of any such mail matter, was to return all kind through the mails by means of of it (only if it was registered mail, false or fraudulent pretenses, repre- according to the 1873 PL&R, but all sentations or promises. such mail, registered or not, as of The next paragraphs are con- the 1932 PL&R) to the postmaster at cerned with how fraudulent mail the office at which it was originally matter can be legally discerned and mailed. acted upon. The word “Fraudulent” was to be With a few exceptions, as will plainly written or stamped upon be noted, these rules of action es- the outside thereof, and all such sentially were in place from the mail matter so returned to such 1873 PL&R through the 1970 Post- postmasters was to be returned by al Manual. These rules of action them to the writers thereof, under The business-reply envelope in the first illustration, addressed to a fraudulent enterprise, was en- changed because by 1967 the use such regulations that the postmas- closed in this envelope for return to the writer, with 5¢ due as the Dead Letter Branch service fee. of the term “fraudulent” was being ter general might prescribe. phased out, and slowly replaced by Note that only the word “Fraudu- returned to the writer as required. commonly noted a fraudulent item the term “false representation.” The lent” was to be placed on the fraud- The addressee on the Dead Let- that he or she had correctly re- same type of matter was involved, ulent matter from 1873 until 1893, ter Branch return envelope, which turned to the writer. just titled differently. and “FRAUDULENT. Mail to this is also pictured here, lived in Miami, That is, the item was returned as No person other than an em- address returned by order of Post- Fla., where the business-reply mail undeliverable, not as unmailable. ployee of the Dead Letter Office master General” from about 1900 letter had originally been post- or Dead Letter Branch, duly autho- onward. marked. The return envelope incor- Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Beecher are the co-authors of two useful books on U.S. do- rized thereto, or other person upon Now, let us discuss essential mat- rectly has no 5¢ postage-due stamp mestic and international postage rates since a search warrant authorized by law, ters from 1873 to 1947, using a on it (to indicate collection of the 5¢ 1872. The third edition of the domestic book was authorized to open any letter 1947 example that conforms to the Dead Letter Branch fee). is now available from the American Philatelic Society, while the international book may be not addressed to himself. laws and regulations of the time This return envelope is the third ordered from the web site www.spiritone. However, the postmaster general (and since 1873). one I have seen with a simple five- com/~tonywaw. n 28 LINN’S STAMP NEWS June 13, 2016 Linns.com

31062p028.indd 28 5/26/16 4:09 PM MODERN U.S. MAIL BY ANTHONY WAWRUKIEWICZ Failure to cover up a bad bar code sends a piece of mail into a loop On its website, the United States associated with the address on the Postal Service states that it is a com- card (the 1 at the end is a “check- mon misconception that mail that sum” number that can aid in cor- is undeliverable as addressed (UAA recting an incorrect Postnet bar mail) — also commonly referred to code). A white return-address barcoded letter-mail labeling machine label can be used to obliterate a as return to sender (RTS) mail — is We will see that because this bar Postnet bar code placed on an item when it was first mailed. also loop mail. code remained visible on the card, erating material. and simply hand-sort it immedi- Rather, as defined on the USPS it was the cause of the card being Placing a PARS label over the in- ately. website, loop mail is “mail sent to loop mail. correct Postnet code apparently Unfortunately, this apparently an incorrect destination as a result Apparently the addressee was was not possible in this case. did not happen, and the result was of a wrong bar code and/or wrong not at the address on the card, but Loop mail thus occurs, as it did a piece of loop mail. ZIP Code.” unfortunately this person appar- in this case, when the addressee Incidentally, notice the green “3” UAA and RTS mail have a correct ently had not submitted a change- bar code is not obliterated by one barcoded presorting label on the bar code, and so, by definition, are of-address form to PARS. Therefore, method or another. card. This indicates that the card not loop mail. it was not possible to forward the What eventually happened, after was on the top of a stack of 10 or Before discussing loop mail, I will card; note the small stamped mark- the item looped around the postal more pieces all sorted to the same briefly comment that the forwarding, “UTF,” which stands for unable automation system one or more three-digit ZIP Code. ing and return of mail are presently to forward. times, was that someone, possibly I commented on the “UTF” no- handled by an automated system When the card was sent to the the person tasked with delivering tation to the right of the address. that expedites these processes. PARS center for appropriate han- this particular item, noticed that Doug Quine and I have discussed The plan currently in operation is dling, no change-of-address form he or she was getting the postcard these types of notations that in- the Postal Automation Redirection was on file, and the automated System (PARS). It is a complex sys- machinery in the PARS center read tem that was explained by Michael the Postnet code and kept return- Ludeman in the April 2006 issue of ing the card to the addressee’s post Auxiliary Markings, the newsletter office. of the Auxiliary Markings Club. And so, it became loop mail. For the moment, it is enough to This “looping” is usually circum- know that, if used, PARS would have vented by obliterating the address- produced a label similar to that ee Postnet code, either by use of a shown here in the third illustration. black marker, or covering it with a Another way to obliterate an incorrect Postnet bar code is with a printed-on-demand black-dot Now, getting back to the discus- thin white return-address barcoded “Nixie” (not deliverable) Postal Automation Redirection System (PARS) yellow return label. sion of loop mail, we will see that letter mail labeling machine sticker back multiple times. clude, but are not limited to, the while it is true that UAA mail is not like the one pictured in the second The postal employee realized abbreviations UTF (Unable to For- by its nature loop mail, it can be- image. that the postcard had to be hand- ward), FWD (Forwarded), NSN (No come loop mail. Alternatively, the incorrect Post- sorted for it to be returned to the Such Number), and ANK (Addressee The 2009 postcard pictured here net code can be covered with a sender. Presumably this hand-sort- Not Known). includes the Postnet bar code at the printed-on-demand black-dot ing included the placement of the As best as we can discern from foot of the card, which converts to (“Nixie” or not deliverable) PARS yel- red-stamped “Return to Sender” examples we have seen, their use 99163-5112-571. low return label (see third illustra- pointing hand. began as early as 2007, but I sus- This is the 11-digit code that is tion), or with another type of oblit- Now that I understand what loop pect that it was even earlier than mail is, I wonder why some postal that. worker wouldn’t immediately rec- Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Beecher are ognize that an item that is unde- the co-authors of two useful books on U.S. do- liverable as addressed, and is to be mestic and international postage rates since returned to the sender, and still has 1872. The third edition of the domestic book the original addressee bar code on is now available from the American Philatelic Society, while the international book may be it, will be a problem for the automa- ordered from the web site www.spiritone. tion return and forwarding system, com/~tonywaw. n Telegraph receipt plastered with stamps In the first quarter 2016 issue of from Manila to London, via Suez, for the Philippine Philatelic Journal, Don 10 words, shows correct payment … Peterson discusses and pictures for stamps totaling 25 pesos, 7 cen- both sides of a large Spanish Phil- timos.” ippine telegraph receipt bearing a The entire telegraph receipt mea- record-setting number of stamps. sures almost 2 feet long. Specifically, Peterson writes that The International Philippine Phila- the receipt, dated March 26, 1889, telic Society publishes the Philippine sets “records for: (1) only known used Philatelic Journal four times per year. sheets of Scott #106 (two sheets, To learn more about IPPS activities without margins), and (2) highest and to receive a membership appli- The addressee on this 2009 postcard moved and left no new address with the U.S. Postal Service. number of telegraph stamps (324) cation, write to Richard Miggins, Box The Postnet bar code for the incorrect address was not obliterated and, when read by the automat- on a Spanish Philippine telegraph 2544, Toluka Lake, CA 91610; email ed postal system, it caused the card to become loop mail, returning repeatedly to the bad address. receipt. The receipt, for a telegram [email protected]. n 26 LINN’S STAMP NEWS July 11, 2016 Linns.com

31072p026.indd 26 6/23/16 12:49 PM modern u.s. mail by tony wawrukiewicz International airmail return receipt rules changed over time The information concerning inter- 1953, they could be returned by air- national return receipts in my and mail if the airmail letter postage was Henry Beecher’s U.S. international attached to the return receipt. [Em- Postal Rates, 1872-1996, and Updat- phasis added] ed United States International Rates, A significant change occurred as 1996-2011, is somewhat inaccurate. of PB 19758, July 13, 1954, which That is, there are significant errors in stated: “If the sender desires that Chapter 19, “Registry Mail Service” his return receipt be sent back to — errors that are corrected in the him by air mail he must pay for this errata page of my website: http:// return, in addition to the return re- www.spiritone.com/~tonywaw/er- ceipt fee, the air mail postage ap- rata.html. plicable to a single post card to the This errata page has been up- country of destination.” [Again, em- dated in the soon-to-be-released phasis added] book (at Stampshow 2016, Aug. 4-7 This change occurred because of in Portland, Ore.), Insights into U.S. the June 1, 1954, introduction of the Postal History, 1855–2016. However, special international airmail rate for the above URL is adequate for the postal/postcards. (Note the use of Chapter 19 corrections. “air mail” in this PB reference; the Before June 23, 1953, internation- term spelled “airmail” wasn’t intro- The back of the international return receipt postal card shown in the first illustration indicates al return receipts could be returned duced into the Postal Bulletins until that it had been mailed with a registered letter from Fort Myers, Fla., on March 20, 1970, to only by surface mail. However, as of sometime in the mid-1950s.) Manila, and mailed back from the Philippines on April 3. Postal Bulletin (PB) 19647, June 23, It is my experience that examples of such airmail returns of interna- Because I have seen no postage on tional return receipts (paid with subsequent airmail international postage) are very uncommonly seen. return receipts, I assume that this The example in this column was marked increase in the fee was made available to me courtesy of meant to include the airmail return Roger Brody. This April 3, 1970, return postage for the receipt. receipt accompanied a registered In conclusion, I need to make a item sent to the Philippines and was point. Although there are errors properly franked with 13¢ postage, concerning return receipts in Chap- paying the 13¢ international airmail ter 19 of my international rates postcard rate of the time. book, they are only for the surface Note that, correctly, U.S. post- return fees; the information in this age was applied to a card being chapter concerning airmail return returned from the Philippines to of these receipts is correct. Florida. The 13¢ postage included the Great American series 3¢ Francis Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Beecher are Parkman (Scott 1281) and the 10¢ the co-authors of two useful books on U.S. do- Andrew Jackson (1286) denomina- mestic and international postage rates since tions. 1872. The third edition of the domestic book is now available from the American Philatelic A 1954 change in postal rules required senders to pay airmail postal card rate postage on an inter- As of Jan. 3, 1976, all international Society, while the international book may national return receipt postal card for their mailing. This airmail return receipt accompanied a regis- return receipts were to be returned be ordered from the web site www.spiritone. tered letter sent to the Philippines. It was properly franked with 13¢ U.S. postage for return to Florida. by air, and the fee increased to 32¢. com/~tonywaw. n CAcHETS AND COVERS Data must be submitted on the spe- fore the event being commemorated No. 10 addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) 18964-2319. SASE required. cial Cover Seal Offer form. Copies of is to take place. required. Aug. 20 Commissioning anniversary Aug. 16 Commissioning anniversary USCS Decatur Chapter 4 is offering a the form may be obtained by writing Every effort will be made by Linn’s Decatur Chapter 4 of the Universal Ship commemorative cover to note the 50th an- to Linn’s Cachets and Covers, Box 4129, to assure announcements appear cor- Cancellation Society is offering a commemo- niversary of commissioning of the U.S. Navy Sidney, OH 45365, and enclosing an rectly. rative cover to note the 30th anniversary of submarine USS Henry L. Stimson (SSBN 655). the U.S. Navy submarine USS Nevada (SSBN $2.50. USCS Decatur Chapter 4, Richard F. addressed, stamped envelope; or with Collectors ordering cacheted cov- 733). $2.50. USCS Decatur Chapter 4, Richard Hoffner, 415 Moyer Road, Souderton, PA an e-mail request to linnseditorial@ ers, souvenir cards or seals from this F. Hoffner, 415 Moyer Road, Souderton, PA 18964-2319. SASE required. n linns.com. column should allow at least six to Philatelic and philanthropic organi- eight weeks from the date of issue, Norway honors Kristiansand Zoo 50th anniversary zations may offer cachets, covers and and even longer for covers requiring a Norway issued two stamps June Moseid and his family. souvenir seals for upcoming events first-day cancel, for delivery. 10 commemorating the 50th anni- The other stamp shows fictional in this column. Offers marking past versary of the Kristiansand Zoo and pirate Captain Sabertooth, based on July 16 Home state ceremony events are ineligible. The Minnesota Federation of Stamp Amusement Park. a character created by Terje Formoe. This free listing will appear only Clubs is offering a cover for the federal duck One stamp shows Julius the chim- Both stamps are nondenominat- once. For additional publicity, contact stamp home state ceremony for Joe Haut- panzee holding an ice cream cone. ed; the “A innland” inscription indi- Linn’s advertising department. man, winning artist of the 2016-17 federal Rejected by his mother shortly af- cates that they pay the basic domes- duck stamp. $2 with postage stamp, $27 Completed forms should be sub- with duck stamp. Minnesota Federation of ter his birth on Dec. 26, 1979, Julius tic letter rate. The website of Norway mitted approximately eight weeks be- Stamp Clubs, Box 291, Wayzata, MN 55391. was adopted by zoo director Edvard Post is www.posten.no. ■ 24 LINN’S STAMP NEWS August 8, 2016 Linns.com

31082p024.indd 24 7/22/16 1:17 PM MODERN U.S. MAIL by TONY WAWRUKIEWICZ Customs and delivery fees revisited with new examples found This column for Linn’s issue of cel post, the collection and delivery April 14, 2008, presented a discus- fees were combined.) sion of customs clearance and de- In the first illustration is an undat- livery fees and custom duties for a ed Treasury Department, Bureau of July 6, 1971, parcel item. Customs, official-business envelope That column offered a fairly de- with 33¢ in postage due stamps on tailed description of the process for it (the 3¢ Scott J91 and the 30¢ J98, handling the fees in question, and I both issued June 19, 1959). mentioned that, in my experience, In the International Mail Trans- examples of such after mid-1950 mittal Letter 38 (March 8, 1961), we were very uncommon. find: “Post offices will collect the I still feel that this is true, but I fee of 33 cents from the addressee now do have two examples of the of every parcel post package on 33¢ collection and delivery fees, which customs duty or internal rev- and present them here. enue tax is collected. … The fee is Neither item is dated, but the retained by the Postal Service, and Also undated, this Treasury Department, Bureau of Customs, official-business envelope has markings 33¢ amount in fees collected places is accounted for by affixing post- indicating that 33¢ in collection and delivery fees plus $1 in customs duty were paid on a parcel. both items in the May 15, 1957, to age-due stamps to the parcel or to Jan. 14, 1968, time period. (As a re- a postage-due bill and canceling.” indicated the payment of the fee by a postage-due bill. minder, from July 1, 1930, until Jan. On the item in the first illustra- the addressee were not placed in 2, 1976, for small packets and par- tion, the postage due stamps that the correct location. Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Beecher are the co-authors of two useful books on U.S. do- In the second illustration we have mestic and international postage rates since another undated and somewhat 1872. The third edition of the domestic book different example of a Treasury De- is now available from the American Philatelic Society, while the international book may be partment, Bureau of Customs, offi- ordered from the web site www.spiritone. cial-business envelope indicating com/~tonywaw. n the collection of the 33¢ collection and delivery fees. This envelope includes the “Mail entry No.” that New Japanese series was used to label and identify the A new series of stamps from Japan incoming package. will feature its natural monuments. The duty amount of $1 and the The Agency for Cultural Affairs in total amount of $1.33 due from the Japan determines which places and Los Angeles, Calif., addressee also which species of flora and fauna are were listed on this envelope. declared natural monuments. The 33¢ in postage due stamps Animals and flowers of the Ka- This undated Treasury Department, Bureau of Customs, official-business envelope has 33¢ in post- indicating the fee retained by the mikochi mountain valley are shown age due stamps affixed, to account for the collection and delivery fees. This amount indicates the Postal Service presumably were on the first pane of 10 scheduled to item dates from the May 15, 1957, to Jan. 14, 1968, postal regulations period. placed correctly on the parcel or on be issued Sept. 23. ■

ZillionsOfStamps.com September 12, 2016 LINN’S STAMP NEWS 23

31092p023.indd 23 8/26/16 10:57 AM MODERN U.S. MAIL by TONY WAWRUKIEWICZ Cover from 1920 proves D.C. Dead Letter Office was active after rule change

A major change in the Dead Let- The illustration shows an Aug. 21, ter Office (DLO) process occurred in 1920, Washington, D.C., DLO Branch early 1917. envelope correctly returning a dead Effective March 1, 1917, first- letter to a writer in Bethlehem, Pa. class matter previously sent to the Factors indicating that this is an Washington, D.C., DLO from certain early example from this time period states (Connecticut, Maine, Mas- are the use of the penalty overprint sachusetts, New Hampshire, New on the 3¢ prestamped envelope in- York, Rhode Island, and Vermont) dicium, the blackout of return infor- now went to the branch of the DLO mation in the upper-left corner, and at New York City, while similar mail the Aug. 21, 1920, date that is early from other states (Illinois, Indiana, in the DLO return fee period. Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, By the way, the black triangle, the Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North most commonly seen dead-letter Dakota, South Dakota, and Wiscon- marking, was used to identify items sin) was directed to the branch of that were Returned to Writer (RTW) the DLO at Chicago. Despite 1917 United States Post Office Department changes in the regional handling of dead- by the DLO Returning Division. This Also, effective May 1, 1917 (see letter mail for various states, there continued to be an active Dead Letter Office in Washington, division returned all the dead mail Postal Bulletin 11323, April 17, D.C. This Aug. 21, 1920, envelope from the Dead Letter Office correctly handled the return of containing a legible address but 1917), San Francisco became the a dead letter to a writer in Bethlehem, Pa., though the lack of a postage due stamp seems to with no apparent value. DLO branch for first-class matter indicate that the dead letter was not actually returned to the writer. Because no postage due stamp from certain western states (Ari- was placed on this return envelope, zona, California, Colorado, Idaho, stance, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and the writers, a fee of 3 cents shall be col- I assume that the dead letter en- Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Ter- southern states) are not listed. And, lected at the time of delivery. The closed in it was not returned to the ritory of Alaska, Utah, Washington, in fact, a few months ago I found fee of 3 cents for the return of letters writer. From various annual reports and Wyoming). Washington, D.C., DLO Branch re- to writers was to be collected un- of the postmaster general that I In the past, I had made an as- turn envelopes to Ohio and Penn- der the provisions of section 39 of have read, this was not an uncom- sumption that was in error: that sylvania, one of which is shown in the PL&R by means of postage due mon occurrence. Washington, D.C., no longer re- the accompanying illustration. stamps to be affixed by postmas- mained a Dead Letter Office/Dead Before I discuss this envelope, it ters to such letters before delivery, Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Beecher are the co-authors of two useful books on U.S. do- Letter Branch. is important to note that effective and the amount to be charged will mestic and international postage rates since However, as one looks carefully May 20, 1920 (Postal Bulletin 12263), be indicated on official or penalty 1872. The third edition of the domestic book at the 1917 list of states serviced a further change was introduced: envelopes before dispatch to post is now available from the American Philatelic Society, while the international book may be by these three new branches, one “… that when letters were returned offices from the Division of Dead ordered from the web site www.spiritone. sees that certain states (for in- from the Dead Letter Office to the Letters or its respective branches.” com/~tonywaw. n

Editor’s INSIGHTS Continued from page 4 but long enough to view will see the American flag cessing and distribution ers Joseph Curseen Jr. and loan from the Federal Bu- the exhibits. Limited expo- that hung in the mail pro- center where postal work- Thomas Morris Jr. were fa- reau of Investigation to the sure to light protects these tally infected. National Postal Museum. exhibits and others at the The stories behind the The letters and other museum. anthrax cases and other fragile rarities are in spe- The display also includes postal inspectors’ investiga- cial display cases that light the mail collection box in tions can be found on the up when activated by visi- which the terrorist placed museum’s website at http:// tors to the museum. The the letters. The display can be postalmuseum.si.edu/ light stays illuminated for seen in the photo on page 4. behindthebadge/index. what seem to be seconds, Look closely, and you html. Other exhibits outside the Gross gallery include railroad cars, a stagecoach, mailplanes, other postal vehicles, the musuem’s gift shop, and the post office. If you are visiting the na- tion’s capital, place the museum at the top of your list of sites to tour. You won’t be disappointed. The National Postal Mu- seum is located at 2 Mas- sachusetts Ave. NE, next to Union Station. It is open dai- This letter containing the anthrax virus was mailed to the office of Senator Tom Daschle in 2001. According to the National Postal Museum, “The examination ly from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and and decontamination processes left the letter and envelope nearly illegible.” Federal Bureau of Investigation/Courtesy Smithsonian National Postal Museum. closed only on Dec. 25. n 28 LINN’S STAMP NEWS October 10, 2016 Linns.com

31102p004 28.indd 28 9/23/16 1:49 PM MODERN U.S. MAIL by TONY WAWRUKIEWICZ New find is rare evidence of postcard returned prior to 1941 rule change My new book, Insights into cal, single cards required to the U.S. Official Postal U.S. Postal History, 1855-2016, such guaranteed paid re- Guide. contains a chapter that dis- turns. Thanks to the generosity cusses the complex history Illustrated here is my re- of the USPS Library (which of how undeliverable postal cent acquisition: the first ex- lent the Postal Guides on mi- cards and postcards were re- ample of just such a return of crofilm), and the efforts of turned by the United States which I am aware. Tara Murray of the American Post Office Department. This January 1939 guaran- Philatelic Research Library, Every few years, something teed single, nonlocal post- the Postal Guides from 1874 new and complicated was card was mailed at the 1¢ until 1954 (including the added to the process of how first-class domestic surface monthly supplements) are they were returned. card rate, franked with a pair now produced as PDFs (por- For instance, the Postal Bul- of the ½¢ Nathan Hale stamp table document formats) letin 18327 of Nov. 18, 1941, (Scott 551). It was undeliver- or TIFFs (tag image file for- announced that, effective This single nonlocal postcard mailed in January 1939 was undeliverable able, as the addressee was mats). Nov. 6, 1941, Section 802 of because the addressee was deceased. It was returned to the sender only deceased. The Postal Bulletin cita- because he had guaranteed return postage, and the postage due fee of 1¢ the 1940 Postal Laws and Reg- for first-class return service was collected. Only because it was guar- tion can be accessed from ulations was amended such anteed could it be returned my free website at www. that unpaid, misdirected, to pay return postage. years ago, I had located no to the sender, “Postage Due uspostalbulletins.com. It is unmailable, and unclaimed Such cards were to be re- examples of this kind of re- 1 Cent.” This payment was hoped that the Postal Guides postal cards and postcards, turned and charged with turned card from after Nov. collected, as indicated by the eventually will be made whether single or double, postage due at the card rate 6, 1941, but I am now aware 1¢ postage due stamp (Scott available on the same site. and whether addressed for of 1¢ each, to be collected on of more than 15 examples. J70) affixed to the card, an local delivery or otherwise, delivery. On the other hand, until amount consistent with a Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry were to be returned to the This new set of rules also recently, I did not have nor first-class return. Beecher are the co-authors of two useful books on U.S. domestic and sender only when they bore was mentioned in the De- had I seen any examples of As mentioned, the notice international postage rates since the sender’s return card (re- cember 1941 monthly sup- such a guaranteed card re- for this change was found in 1872. The third edition of the domes- turn address) in the upper- plement to the United States turn from July 1, 1924, until a Nov. 18, 1941, Postal Bul- tic book is available from the Ameri- can Philatelic Society, while the inter- left corner of the address Official Postal Guide. Nov. 6, 1941. During this ear- letin and in the December national book may be ordered from side together with a pledge Initially, as of about two lier time period, only nonlo- 1941 monthly supplement www.spiritone.com/~tonywaw. n

18 LINN’S STAMP NEWS November 14, 2016 Linns.com

31112p018.indd 18 10/27/16 2:53 PM MODERN U.S. MAIL by TONY WAWRUKIEWICZ Examples of postal fees for key or identification return are challenge to locate

The special “Key, I.D.” postal fee extended to lost war ration books, category was developed so that a and no longer just to hotels. And, lost room key from a hotel or other presumably effective Aug. 4, 1955, qualifying establishment could be it was extended to lost identifica- returned to the business without tion cards and tags and other similar prepayment. small articles. Initially, it covered only hotel and This special third-class “Key, I.D.” steamship room keys bearing an at- fee was established on June 28, tached tag and pledge to pay return 1926, and was a third-class fee ser- postage. The charge was for each vice through Jan. 9, 1999. As of July key returned, if multiple keys were 1, 1996, this third-class service, like returned. all others, became part of the stan- At first, postage due stamps were dard mail (A) classification. (For affixed either to tags on the keys further details, see chapter 22 of or to paper that was affixed to or the third edition of Updated United wrapped around the keys, but even- States Domestic Rates 1999-2011, by tually penalty covers were used to Wawrukiewicz and Beecher.) This October 1992 penalty envelope was used for the return of a loose key found in the mail. The return them. With the newest rate changes, key return fee was 92¢ at the time. No postage due stamps were used to indicate payment of the On Oct. 1, 1943, the coverage was effective Jan. 10, 1999, it became a fee because the use of those stamps was discontinued on Oct. 2, 1986.

first-class service where a 30¢-per- Post Office Dept. forms. In this file piece fee was added. we describe the forms, give earliest Two ways in which this fee was known uses and latest known uses paid are pictured here. if available, and literature citations, The first illustration shows an also if available. April 5, 1978, example of Form 3549, The second example shown, an which was used to collect the fee October 1992 penalty envelope, for 100 returned keys, applying the returned a key at the 92¢ fee of the 19¢-per-key fee of the time. I am time. The key was “FOUND LOOSE guessing that there was a central lo- IN MAIL,” according to the magenta cation where a large number of keys handstamp at lower left on the en- for a hotel were returned. The 19 $1 velope. postage due stamps (Scott J100) af- I believe that the postage due fixed to the form indicate payment was collected, but no postage due of the due amount. stamp was placed to indicate this, This form was used to collect post- because as of Oct. 2, 1986 (according age due on multiple undeliverable to Postal Bulletin 21587), U.S. post- second- and third-class items, in- age due stamps were discontinued. cluding, as we can see, the return fee The envelope is wrinkled, consistent on multiple keys. I have an example with it having carried an irregular- of this form used for returning mul- shape key. tiple third-class items dated Dec. 22, In conclusion, any example of the 1955. I am unable to find any earlier “Key, I.D.” special fee is to be valued reference, although I do have a late by the collector, because they are reference of 1999. very uncommonly seen. Inciden- This is a good time to mention an tally, the use of postage due stamps important resource recently made and the meanings of their various available on the U.S. Postal Bulletin numerous uses are interesting phe- website at www.uspostalbulletins. nomena. I am presently research- com. ing this issue and finding that the Before David Straight died in 2012, stamps’ use and the meaning of their he and I developed an Excel spread- use are quite variable, and therefore sheet file that lists more than 700 very intriguing. n Romania pictures Bible foods on new set of four The latest stamp set in Romania’s and barley (1.60 lei), figs and pome- Live Healthy series focuses on Bible granates (4.50 lei), grapes (8 lei), and Foods. olives (15 lei). The new-issue announcement The stamps were issued Nov. 24 in said, “An old Asian saying states that: sheets of sheets of 32 and in panes ‘you are what you eat.’ Moreover, the of five stamps and a label. Each label Bible offers us, in several verses, in- includes the Bible verses Deuteron- Postal form 3549 was used to process the collection of returned key fees. This April 5, 1978, formation about foods and healthy omy 8:7-9. example of the form showed collection of the fee for 100 returned keys. The 19 postage due nutrition rules.” For more information, visit the stamps affixed to the form paid the fee of 19¢ per returned key. The four stamps feature wheat website, www.romfilatelia.ro. ■ 20 LINN’S STAMP NEWS December 12, 2016 Linns.com

31122p020.indd 20 11/23/16 10:44 AM