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

Part 1: Nov 8, 2004 – Dec 10, 2007 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 8 INTRODUCTION

***** 2003 ***** 8

[July 14] Postal history of 2002 rate increases a fun pursuit 8 9 ***** 2004 ***** 9 8 [Nov 8] Many modern US mail rarieties await discovery 9 [Dec 13] Postcards: Source of scarce, interesting uses 10 11 11 ***** 2005 ***** 11 11 [Jan 10] Foreign rates: Rules allow nondenominated stamps 11 [Feb 14] A major new find: duplicate certificate of mailing 12 [Mar 14] How to identify U.S. second-class mail paid with stamps 13 [Apr 11] 'Entered as second-class mail' a key phrase 14 [May 9] Here's how to find collectible modern cards covers 15 [June 13] US Express Mail - the experimental period 16 [July 11] Usage of forwarding labels began in mid-1970s 18 [Aug 8] Early Priority Mail covers prove hard to find 19 [Sept 12] Rates for domestic second-class mail sent abroad 20 [Oct 10] US nonstandard surcharge began in July 1979 22 [Nov 14] 5c Washingtons best saved on unusual covers 23 [Dec 12] Modern postal history exhibits winning gold 24 25 29 ***** 2006 ***** 25 25 [Jan 9] 1c Andrew Jackson regular-issue stamp used for makeup postage 25 [Feb 13] Is it really a Priority Mail item? Covers from before 1980 remain elusive 26 [Mar 13] Common sense determined handline of domestic, international airmail 27 [Apr 10] Auxiliary markings: more than just red pointing-finger markings 28 [May 8] US rate changes: postcards showing date of rate change difficult to find 29 [June 12] US Liberty series: covers to Mexico difficult for collectors to find 30 [July 10] Items postmarked or endorsed 'parcel post' often only third-class mail 31 [Aug 14] Form 3606-US certificate of bulk mailing used as early as 1948 32 [Sept 11] Cover bears endorsement for international restricted delivery service 33 [Oct 09] Registered international nonletter mail handled as US certified mail 34 [Nov 13] $12.30 in Presidential stamps used on domestic air parcel post envelope 35 [Dec 11] Certified mail in combination with special delivery service began in 1955 36 37 ***** 2007 ***** 37 37 [Jan 8] US fee for service for return receipt requested after mailing began in 1931 37 [Feb 12] Demurrage fee paid with stamps extended hold and delivery for COD item 38 [Mar 12] Priority Mail-tag used in 1972, business reply envelope from 2006 39 [Apr 09](Liberty series stamps-forms for delivery inquiry, photocopy of Money Order 40 [Apr 09](Liberty series stamps-forms for delivery inquiry, photocopy of Money Order - Revised Illustrations 41 [May 14] Embargoed US mail to Canada sent 1968-81 bears auxiliary markings 42 [June 11] How to determine the zone for a mailed domestic parcel post item 43 [July 16] Confusing May 14 first-class mail rate changes create interesting covers 44 [Aug 13] Postcards used before and after May 14 rate change are fun to look for 45 [Sept 10] Author reveals secrets for figuring out modern and other covers and forms 46 [Oct 08] Nuances of postal history of the Liberty series and resources revisited 47 [Nov 12] Research methods:20th century folded typewriter cards mostly a mystery 48 [Dec 10] Undeliverable or forwarded mail often bears carrier mark, route 49 49

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.

Mike Ludeman [email protected] www.linns.com 20 LINN'S STAMP NEWS JULY 14, 2003 Postal history of 2002 rate increases a fun pursuit By Anthony Wawrukiewicx fun and challenge of pursuing ers are not easy to find. June 30, 2002. For example, question — documenting as knew where and how to "You can find it in a deal- scarce and unusual covers, Nonetheless, I find the the first-class letter rate many domestic mail cate- search for them. Three such er's junk box." "What's the many of which can be found thrill of the chase most re- moved up 30, from 340 to gories as possible: domestic covers, shown cropped, are big deal? That's yesterday's in wastebaskets at post of- warding, so I decided to form 370. first-class letter and postcard pictured with this article. mail." fices. a collection comprised entire- As it turned out, June 30 fell rates; bulk-mail discount Friends and fellow collec- As a collector of modern I collect U.S. commercial ly of commercial, domestic on Sunday, which meant that rates; Priority Mail and Ex- tors aided my quest by saving United States postal history last-day- and first-day-of-rate covers postmarked June 29, very little mail was processed press Mail; nonstandard sur- their mail. of the past 20 years, I hear uses of the 20th century June 30 or July 1, 2002. and postmarked on that day. charge; postage due; and reg- 1 searched garbage dump- such statements again and (which usually means domes- I selected these dates be- Specifically. I decided to istered, certified, return re- sters and sifted the contents of again. tic first-class letters and occa- cause new U.S. domestic hunt for commercial covers ceipt, delivery confirmation wastebaskets in the lobbies of They completely miss the sionally postcards). Such coy- postage rates went into effect —postmarked on the dates in and insured mail uses. local post offices. I looked for covers franked Also, it was critical that the with stamps, with U.S. Postal bulk of my search be conduct- Service postage-validation- ed immediately before and U.S. POSTAGE PWIO - imprint strips, and with vari- immediately after the June 30, HEIL YDKE Mr! ous computer-generated post- 2002, rale changes. U1010 JuYJA,.02 age stamps, such as those pro- This is because almost all POSTAL SFR trieF HRUUNT duced by Neopost. such covers are thrown out Covers bearing a combina- and quickly find their way in- 9252 13.x5 tion of these franking meth- to landfills via routine trash 00053u69-OP ods also were pursued. collection. All told, I exam- One usually must look ined several thousand covers through many, many accumu- around the time of the rate in- lations of covers to find such creases, and during several 1111111111111111111111111111111 uses. Time and patience are of weeks thereafter. Figure 1. This cover, shown cropped. was mailed June 29, Figure 2. The first day of new U.S. postage rates, June 30, the essence. Pictured in Figure 1 is the 2002, the last day before new U.S. domestic postage rates went 2002, was a Sunday. Covers mailed and processed on that I found such covers (except upper-right corner of a 340 into effect. Such last-day-of-rate covers are fun to pursue. date, such as this cropped Express Mail cover, are elusive. for insured mail) because 1 Federal Eagle stamped enve-

www.zillionsofstamps.com tope mailed June 29, 2002, a Saturday. This cover bears a U.S. Postal Service 110 postage validation imprint label, to cover the I 10 nonstandard surcharge. In this case, the envelope was too thick to be mechani- cally processed. A USPS Express Mail en- velope franked with a $13.65 PVI is illustrated in Figure 2. Note that the PVI is dated June 30, 2002, a Sunday. My search yielded very few 30 computer-vended stamp and a 340 Statue of Liberty stamp combine to pay covers postmarked on this Figure 3. A the 370 First-class rate on a cover mailed July 1, 2002, the day after the June 30 rate hikes. date, because the USPS post- marks very little mail on Sun- post Automat machine in other man's treasure. award for distinguished phi- day. Florida. latelic research. He resides in Finding covers postmarked This interesting combina- Anthony Wawrukiewicz is a Oregon. His books on US. July 1 was not as difficult be- tion franking satisfied the lifetime member of the Ameri- postage rates are available cause it was a Monday — a new 370 first-class letter rate. can Philatelic Society. In from philatelic literature normal mail day for the Postal I've been having great fun 2002 he received the APS Luff dealers. • Service. assembling an exhibit of The cover shown cropped postal history surrounding the UNPA updates hologram quantity in Figure 3 was postmarked 2002 rate changes. July 1, 2002, just one day af- Best of all, I didn't have to The United Nations Postal Administration reports that the ter the June 30 rate hikes. pay anything to acquire cov- printing quantity of its 700 hologram definitive stamp was It is franked with a 340 ers such as the three discussed 810,000, not 910,000 as originally reported. The updated infor- Statue of Liberty and a 30 here. mation about the printing quantity appeared in the June issue of computer-vended stamp that The old saying really is UNPA's Philatelic Bulletin. The hologram stamp was issued was dispensed from a Neo- true: One man's trash is an- March 28, 2003, in panes of 20 (Linn 's, March 31, page I).

18 LINN'S STAMP NEWS NOVEMBER 8, 2004 www.linns.com Many modern U.S. mail rarities await discovery 1 have a passion for collect- mailed after 1950 — even Between 1954 and 1958, the and Jan. 6, 1963, from Sch- ing modern postal history, es- yesterday — doesn't make it 3¢ Liberty stamp was the work- GENERALOELECTEIC enectady, N.Y., to Canada. It is pecially that of the United common, unimportant and horse of the new Liberty series, EEMPAPPF H.,1,S1ECTADya.h endorsed "Contents: Book." States. I like just about every- easy to obtain. paying the first-class letter rate. The 3¢ Liberty coil stamp thing about the subject of I challenge anyone to find There are probably tens of thou- paid the third-class, printed- modern mail service, includ- genuine commercial uses of sands of simple first-class cov- /7/‘„,viA matter rate then in effect for some of this seminal postal ers bearing this stamp out there mail weighing up to 2 ounces. history. in drawers and in closets. Shown in Figure 3 is an ex- Modern Yet, if you can find it, it But let's look at three unusu- ample of a card bearing two will often cost you nothing or al ways the stamp was used 3¢ Liberty sheet stamps, a re- U.S. Mail next to nothing because its I challenge readers to match ceipt for registered mail. scarcity and worth often go these examples or find better CrTVI-At..-t-Adr" By Tony Wawrukiewicz Di) Domestic registry return re- unrecognized. ones. It won't be easy. C^rIterVil: FIDG, ceipts were usually returned 01c, , Rigtootiun Let's start with a common Shown in Figure 1 is a cover •I'Lig• ("1.401.1. by surface mail without any ing the variety of material — stamp, the 3¢ of the 1954 Lib- bearing a 3¢ Liberty stamp postage payment being neces- stamps, meter stamps, experi- erty series, depicting the Stat- used to pay a special interna- Figure 2. A special 30 printed-matter rate for up to 2 ounces sary. mental and personal computer ue of Liberty. The Liberty se- tional printed-matter rate for to Canada and Mexico existed only for a limited time, Beginning in 1938, the air- postage — that has been used ries was the definitive series domestic second-class items. mailing of domestic registered to frank modern U.S. mail. used to carry the mail from The stamp is the sheet stamp POET OPPICP DEPARTMENT 1,114.1, ruirAtm All TO AVON return receipts was allowed, hEIAL 1,1. 0•11f/ OP 'GRIMM 1360 For the purposes of this col- 1954 until 1963, although us- issued in 1954 in panes of 100. but airmail postage was re- umn. "Modern U.S. Mail" in- age of 1938 Presidential series The item is a piece of quired for the service. These cludes uses from about 1950 stamps overlapped into the church mail sent from New airmail uses are seldom seen. until the present. Only rarely early 1950s. Other definitive York to Egypt by ship. The Figure 3 card was will I discuss topics or mater- series followed the Liberty se- It is also an example of sec- AIR mailed Feb. 2, 1963. At that • ial from earlier periods. ries stamps, and they are just as ond-class mail, which in- INSTRUCTIONS: Fill in items below and comp. time the domestic airmail post- instructions on other side, it applicable. Moistengusnoied Just because material was collectible. cludes items such as newspa- emit. much and hold firmly to bad: of article. Printon REtuatil card rate was 60, as reflected pers and magazines. front of Arndt. Rrneu Itiosim !".‘Quatt tn. TO by the two 3¢ Liberty stamps. If the cover had been REO;STIELO NO. NAVE A reader new to collecting 114 itafG#001 IVANGEL.CAt CITUROA PRINTED MATTER mailed within the United / covers might wonder where I 02 E. CEe1MFD NO. STREET OR P. a BO% MEW WOO( If, TI. r. SECOND CLASS States, the sender would have obtained the rates illustrated paid postage with a second- ‘,..4 in this column. MOWED NO. CITY, E. class mail permit, and no ad- /or The sources are US. Do- .•Iima.liiilimIrwiLm....•■•••• . hesive stamps would have OTT- r• - 7,44 :-••• mestic Postal Rates, 1872 been required. 1999 (revised second editior Because the cover was and US. International Postc mailed overseas, however, it Figure 3. Registry receipts returned by airmail are seldom Rates, 1872-1996, both l..5%aoorLd0 was necessary to affix postage seen. Most were sent by surface mail. This example using which I wrote with Henry 3 Rye •41oky Sttha-PnMm two 30 Liberty series stamps was mailed in 1963 when the Alagenfria, heypt. 12.A for the foreign service. Beecher (1918-92). Between Jan. 1, 1959, to airmail postcard rate was 6r. This brief excursion int April 30, 1961, a special inter- ternational printed-matter rate. cancels. few modern U.S. mail uses national printed-matter rate Note that the period of use At times there were also just one stamp provides Figure 1. Part of the Liberty series, the 30 Statue of Liberty existed for domestic second- for this cover and the one special or treaty rates on awareness of how uncomr stamp on this church cover sent by ship from New York to class items. The rate was 3¢ shown in Figure 2 has to be printed-matter mail sent to much of this material is. Egypt paid a special international printed-matter rate for do- for up to 2 ounces. assumed from the postage and Canada and Mexico. I hope it whets appetite mestic second-class items. The 3c rate paid for up to 2 ounces. That is what the Figure 1 a knowledge of the rates at the The cover shown in Figure 2 learning more about thi It was in effect between Jan. 1, 1959, and April 30, 1961. card paid to meet the special in- time. The cards have no dated was sent between July 1, 1961, citing subject. •

38 LINN'S STAMP NEWS DECEMBER 13, 2004 www.linns.com Postcards: source of scarce, interesting uses Postcards are an exciting, size has been 4 V4 inches wide ly used to pay the postage. It Day began an abortive at- R114.1 Nr never-ending source of scarce by 6 inches high. is a very uncommon use of tempt in 1962 to introduce a [Amin. MA.W cIAIKINA 3,tre/1 and interesting modern mail If a card is smaller than the stamp, which is normally new definitive series. 1l.• uses. these sizes, it could be found on envelopes. Day's new series included a Since July 1, 1898. maxi- deemed unmailable, but if it is Collectors of commemora- the 50 blue-gray Washington mum and minimum sizes larger, the letter rate must be tive first-day covers value stamp, Scott 1213, that be- paid. such uses as part of an exhib- came the first-class definitive Such uses of letter rates on it of their FDCs. workhorse from 1963 on. postcards are far from com- Se Modern Illustrated in Figure 2 is an The stamp maintained that 4,acz4) mon and, in some cases, are oversized postcard measuring status until 1968. Because of U.S. Mail rare. One example is the Ore- 53%4 inches by V/4 inches and political factors, Day's new /d4i, cz,*e By Tony Wawrukiewicz gon Centennial Exhibition bearing the the 50 James series never completely devel- 6'14•zr 440-a item shown in Figure 1, a Monroe stamp of the 1954 oped, and much of the Liberty 6-inch-by-9-inch inch post- /4malat? 7.ttf4) have been dictated for post- card mailed in 1959 from Port- lOtIatatlant t011aVre mss. / ErsAftlOtatO this deluxe IMO...144448 hole! -Ole onnton two.. cards mailed within the Unit- land, Ore., to Houston, Texas. %atom two Olonolotko•win.ni.diPm,S. Faul• wxny ed States. Because it was oversize, the 4hO. or Von. In the lord 1to nee." Ihn From Nov. 2, 1917, until 1959 domestic letter rate of Figure 3. The use of two 4¢ 1954 Liberty series stamps on a Jan. 2, 1963, the maximum 40 per ounce was required, giant postcard is unique in the experience of the author. At size allowed was 3716 inches not the 3¢ postcard rate of A MA' V MA nof the time the card was mailed in 1963, the airmail postcard wide by 5Vi6 inches high. that time. F. /7 to /7'144 e/ry , rate was 60, but because of its size this oversized postcard From Jan. 3, 1963, through Therefore, the 40 Oregon /- required payment at the 8¢ airmail letter rate. today, the maximum allowed Statehood stamp was correct- :./4,7kter44 4f/L-- card shown in Figure 3 is tously but not by chance. unique in my experience. The Omen's Contemoket Oro,.Itleel GIA lelotOoleme/ in& P., Serendipity played a part !VS., ,011.4 +:e Ifet when Figure 2. An oversize postcard mailed Aug. 15, 1963, re- ... nom k,. FO. Exeraufiein .r«. 1OS matt ,,it hot MO card was mailed July 9, 1963, because I never know what Mehe ortgoiOoo loetchno 40.'fln# ,s.owto3 orgett nook ioeol magoOton echo onthe one ohoO. In LW.' quired 5¢ postage to pay the first-class letter rate. The stamp 101.3,rnbi 11. 16 .••• • WO, Gorden 13.q from Long Beach, Calif., to I'll find when I look at large Twmr ".o.ofehe ,y m oo OONt used was the 5¢ value of the 1954 Liberty series. As ex- Omaha, Neb. quantities of material. plained in the column, this example is unusual because the At the time, the airmail Yet effort is needed because 5¢ Liberty stamp value saw very little use during 1963-63. 1.7 1, Nexmlr.0, 0,..tu postcard rate was 60, but this one must go to postcard oversize card required 80 in shows and ask many dealers, Liberty series. series continued in extensive postage, which was the rate often unsuccessfully, if they Sire. Athens }11CharEr It was mailed Aug. 15, use until 1968. for an airmail letter. have brought any oversize 1963, from Las Vegas, Nev., 1.715 liaitqly Street As a consequence of Day's The two 4¢ Liberty series postcards with them. to King City, Mo. The 50 actions, the 50 Liberty stamp stamps satisfied the require- They often haven't because Etas tea 1 stamp correctly paid the do- saw little usage during 1963- ment. of the awkward size, and so • irxile mestic, surface-letter rate re- 68, and thus the example The cards shown in this these uses are not easy to lo- quired on oversize postcards. shown in Figure 2 is very un- column were found serendipi- cate. • Such oversize postcards are common. commonly found bearing the During the same period, the 30 and 40 stamps of the Lib- 4¢ Liberty series stamp saw 2005 U.S. stamp program update Figure 1. This oversize Oregon Centennial Exhibition post- erty series. extensive use paying the 40 The United States Postal Service announced on Nov. 25 nu- card, measuring 6 inches by 9 inches, was required to be I have only found this one surface rate for domestic merous updates to its proposed 2005 U.S. commemorative sent at the 4¢ letter rate rather than the 3¢ postcard rate. example of the 50 Liberty postcards. stamp program. The 370 Bouquet Love stamp is scheduled to be The 4¢ Oregon Statehood stamp paid the 1-ounce domestic, used this way. That is because However, its use on the issued Feb. 18 in Atlanta. Other updates of cities and dates are list- surface-letter rate for the item. It was mailed in 1959. Postmaster General J. Edward 6-inch-by-9-inch giant post- ed in Linn !s. 2005 U.S. Stamp Program on page 37. 46 LINN'S STAMP NEWS JANUARY 10, 2005 www.linns.com Foreign rates: rules allow nondenominated stamps A recent publication re- stamp was noted to be "intend- letter stamp issue, except for pay that rate with two (220) peated an error that I see fair- ed for domestic use only and the "H" stamps. nondenominated "D" stamps ly frequently the belief that was not to be used for interna- Three covers are shown (sheet version), a use that was nondenominated United States tional mail," according to the with this column that are not allowed because the rate stamp were not valid for inter- U.S. Official Postal Bulletin franked with (220) nondeno- change had occurred only two national postage. On the con- No. 21146, May 19, 1978. mianted "D" stamps, illustrat- days earlier, on Feb. 17. The notice permitting their use had not yet appeared in Modern RUGPOSTUR the U.S. Official Postal Bul- allsies. letin, and the cover was thus VAR AvLON 44r-40 U.S. Mail gift. di -4116, marked "UNMA1LABLE By Tony Wawrukiewicz RETURN TO SENDER." Figure 2. A March 11, 1986, international airmail letter to Pill Sohnoider After this first noneligible Germany, sent at the 440-per-'/z-ounce rate. Postage was cor- spts phase, there were long peri- trary, such uses often were sit tk e" c/o Prouloin Roosts' Maris ods when the nondenominat- rectly paid with two nondenominated "D" stamps, 220 each. valid, as this column will 1.00. Sohn/Al ed letter stamps were allowed Such stamps could be used because this was long after the show. rate change. The nondenominated "D" stamps were allowed Parboil/or Cnwu.. 5 on international mail, as long Beginning May 22, 1978, as the item was not short- as payment, as long as the full international rate was paid. with the (150) nondenominat- 2300 51•1 I vat G•ruan/• paid. The cover was returned because the addressee was unknown ed stamps designated with an This is demonstrated by the ("Inconnu"), not because nondenominated stamps were used. "A," the U.S. Postal Service international airmail cover '/z-ounce international airmail the 2002 Heroes of 2001 produced and issued nonde- Figure 1. The use of two United States (220) nondenonmi- from Harrisburg, Pa., to Aus- letter was franked with two semipostals? nominated stamps to meet nated "D" stamps was not allowed to pay the 440 inter- tralia shown in Figure 2. (220) nondenominated "D" Effective Aug. 13, 1998, each change of the domestic naitonal airmail rale on Feb. 19, 1985, only two days after It was mailed in the same coil stamps. the U.S. Postal Service re- first-class rate. the domestic rate increased from 200 to 220. International rate period as the Figure I Two months earlier, on Feb. vised its International Mail The nondenominated stamps usage was not permitted until an official notice appeared. cover and was also franked 3, 1991, the international air- Manual and Domestic Mail allowed a new rate to be intro- with a pair of "D" sheet mail rate had been raised to Manual to allow nondenomi- duced before stamps of the However, 24 days after the ing different aspects of the in- stamps, 440 total postage. 500 per 1/2 ounce. The "D" nated stamps, "except for pre- new first-class denomination "A" stamps were issued (coil, ternational usage of the non- The second cover was stamps were only allowed to canceled stamps with rate bad been printed in sufficient booklet and sheet versions), a denominated letter stamps. mailed March 11, 1986, how- be used if they prepaid the markings," to be used for in- quantity. notice appeared in US. Offi- The first cover, shown in ever, long enough after the full rate. ternational mail. For example, the 150 rate cial Postal Bulletin No. Figure 1, demonstrates that rate change, so that the non- They didn't, and the letter Henceforth, mailers could was effective May 29, 1978, 21148 (June 15, 1978) indi- for each of the nondenominat- denominated "D" stamps was shortpaid 60. It was cor- affix nondenominated post- using the nondenominated cating that if a fully prepaid ed letter stamps, there was a were correctly allowed as rectly returned as unpaid. age stamps such as the Breast "A" stamps issued May 22, international mail item bear- period of time after the new payment. To send the letter on its way Cancer Research and Heroes while the first denominated ing nondenominated postage rates were introduced when The cover was returned again, the sender applied a of 2001 semipostal stamps on 150 stamps produced specifi- inadvertently entered the U.S. such a stamp was not eligible ("Zuruck/Retour") but only pair of 250 Paul Revere Lib- international mail, with no cally for the new rate were is- postal system, it was not to be to frank international mail. because the addressee was erty issue coil stamps to pay period of ineligibility. sued June 26, 1978. returned to the sender but in- At the time the letter was unknown ("Inconnu"). the 500 due. Mailers could also continue A series of nondenominat- stead sent on to the interna- mailed from Greensboro, Finally, the cover shown in Up to now this article has to use nondenominated letter ed letter stamps followed, as tional exchange office for dis- N.C., to West Germany, Feb. Figure 3 illustrates what oc- discussed only nondenomi- stamps and other denominat- needed, ending with the (330) patch to its destination. 19, 1985, the international curred if the international nated letter stamps. What ed definitive issues as long nondenominated "H" stamps A similar sequence of airmail letter rate was 440 per item was short paid with non- about other nondenominated as the stamps did not bear issued Nov. 9, 1998. events occurred with the re- 1/2-ounce. denominated stamps. stamps such as the 1998 service inscriptions such as Any nondenominated "A" lease of each nondenominated The sender attempted to Sent April 8, 1991, this Breast Cancer Research and "Presort," "Bulk Rate," "First..

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Figure 3. This airmail letter was sent April 8, 1991, at the first-class, international rate of 500 per '/z-ounce. Postage was first paid with two (220) nondenominated "D" stamps. Because this use was well after the Feb. 3, 1991, rate change, such stamps could be used to frank an international airmail letter, but only if they fully prepaid the airmail rate. This cover was short paid 60. so the letter had to be returned for full pay ment.A pair of 250 Paul Revere coil stamps was cor- rectly used to pay the full 500 postage required. class Presort," or "Nonprofit nated stamps will find the in- Organization." These words formation at my web site, and abbreviations appear on http://www.spiritone stamps designed to be used as .com/-tonywaw/. precancels for discounted So go ahead and use these rates. stamps on international mail, Readers who desire more if the mail is fully prepaid. detail about these more recent With a few exceptions, it is rules for using nondenomi- perfectly legal to do this. ■ 18 LINN'S STAMP NEWS FEBRUARY 14, 2005 . www.linns.com A major new find: duplicate certificate of mailing Starting Sept. 1, 1915, the ly franked with a stamp, package, as proof of mailing dered from the National Photo sender of a mailpiece was fur- which a post office clerk post- of the item. & News Service in San Anto- nished with a receipt or a cer- marked and returned to the Certificates of mailing are nio, Texas. The company post ettut Bt artmtv tificate of mailing upon re- sender. readily available for mail of mailed the prints to New- loin: quest and payment of a fee. Today, certificates of mail- the eras of the 1938 Presiden- foundland via parcel post. The receipt represented ing are available for all class- tial series and the 1954 Liber- At the same time, the com- es of mail and for domestic ty series stamps. pany also mailed the envelope I nrx panty et ord;useury > suirtpresvAR and international mailings. Duplicate certificates of to Goldbeck. Modern Another, similar service — mailing, however, are much In addition to a cover letter '40 a duplicate certificate of mail- scarcer. In fact, until recently, and the duplicate certificate insISA• U.S. Mail ing — also was available for none had been found for the of mailing, the envelope con- ;:Y. ]ws Erg_ awry atp!poltlikpot By Tony Wawrukiewicz all classes of mail and for do- Presidential series. tained invoices to the various IMJ4 rillikkielit=Affitilli411.145"4 mestic and international mail. 4A. WY' At the same time that a cer- :M1oet, VOW, proof of mailing of the piece tificate of mailing was ob- Figure 3. International duplicate certificate of mailing re- to a particular addressee. It tained, the sender could re- ceived Jan. 19, 1960. It confirmed mailing of an item to carried with it no insurance or quest as many additional cer- Sweden. The fee was paid by a 20 Liberty series stamp. indemnity, and no return re- tificates of mailing as desired. ceipt was obtained from the There was a separate fee stamp paid the fee. certificate received Jan, 19, 1.1•01•Q mitewpw addressee. schedule for these duplicate 1A4 A 4W., m .7.1.11C.km 47.5.nui It is not canceled, but the 1960, confirming the mailing The sender filled out Form forms. signature from the receiving of an item to Sweden. The 2¢ 3817, or a similar form, indi- The extra copies could party ties the stamp to the fee was paid by a 2¢ Liberty cating his name and address serve a number of purposes. form. The form also is struck stamp. The word "DUPLI- and the name and address of For instance, a company Figure 2. The duplicate certificate of mailing shown in Fig- with Goldbeck's rubber re- CATE" was printed by hand at the party to whom the parcel could send backup copies to ure 1 was discovered in this envelope, which was mailed Nov. ceiving stamp. the top of the form. was sent. customers who were to re- 27, 1951, from San Antonio, Texas, to Newfoundland. This duplicate certificate Some staggering prices This form was appropriate- ceive an item in a separate use probably should be con- have been recorded in recent Figure 1 shows the discov- military units being pho- sidered an international one years for rare uses of the Pres- ery example. It was found in tographed. because it was sent to New- idential series and Liberty se- vv.-AK .s.rinmkr the envelope illustrated in The duplicate certificate foundland in care of general ries stamps. Figure 2. confirmed that a separate delivery. But such items don't always Mailed Nov. 27, 1951, the package containing the pho- Such items for the Liberty carry a high price. letter weighed up to 2 ounces. tographs was on its way to series, domestic or interna- The discovery example the The 120 postage paid the McAndrews Air Force Base. tional, are almost as difficult Presidential series duplicate 2-ounce airmail rate. The certificate indicated to find. certificate turned up in a deal- The recipient, E,O. Gold- that the package was insured Figure 3 depicts a duplicate er's $I cover box. ■ 7. - beck, was an agent for the and was sent with special han- post exchange officer at dling and that the form was a McAndrews Air Force Base duplicate. Advertised covers of the Canal Zone Figure 1. This duplicate certificate of mailing on Form 3882- at St. John's, Newfoundland, For the certificate, the Na- The October-December 2004 issue of Canal Zone Philatelist A was received Nov. 27, 1951. It indicates that a package had Canada. He was coordinating tional Photo & News Service contains an article about advertised covers by Gary B. Weiss and been mailed to an Air Force base in St. John's, Newfoundland, the private photographing of used Post Office Department Richard Spielberg. Mail that could not be delivered was adver- Canada. The duplicate certificate is the discovery example of U.S. Marine Corps units sta- Form 3882-A, which was a tised in Canal Record. The Canal Zone Study Group publishes usage of this service during the era of the 1938 Presidential tioned at that base. company mailing-book form. Canal Zone Philatelist quarterly. For more information, write to stamp series. The fee was paid by a IC Presidential stamp. The photographs were or- A 10 Presidential series John C. Smith, 408 Redwood Lane, Schaumberg, IL 60193.

28 UNN'S STAMP NEWS MARCH 14, 2005 www.linns.com How to identify U.S. second-class mail paid with stamps As defined by the Act of paid with postage stamps. The rules for this sere ice in- know of for any U.S. defini- March 3, 1879, United States Because I could never quite cluded separate rates for pub- tive series. domestic second-class matter understand POD information lications within the county of A 20 John Adams Presiden- tflark Zurairis encompassed newspapers and sources concerning second- publication and outside it. tial series stamp was used to periodicals. class mail, I have tended to not All out-of-county rates were send an issue of Woman's A newspaper was defined as quite trust these covers. by the pound, and because home Companion in Novem- ber 1939. i'mak 1 The magazine was pub- iv:10 /Virg Modern lished in Springfield, Ohio. where the subscriber lived. 43(4-44(47 Pria":5°,74:441PIL."""1.1. This is why the rate of 2¢ per U.S. Mail SAHLET, wtrorr, ti 5T COSMO By Tony Wawrukiewicz IN} copy was used. This is the publisher's sec- GRAND JURY??? YES, NO & MAYBE pulp' ond-class, in-county rate for . a publication without a hard carrier delivery of a periodical filafrhing arm, fandi,w.... ar..1 h• *c.a. ccm.. 44 X1,3:11tA ZZtly.” Mr".= tint' cover that was issued at stated weighing more than 2 ounces. ,•••••41.4.• intervals of not longer than 'These special rates were one week for the dissemina- available only to publishers EMI tion of current news or miscel- and registered news agents. Figure 2. This Nes ads newspaper was mailed and forward- laneous literary matter. Figare 1.A 20 Presidential series stamp was used to send an Other rates were assigned to ed in 1963. Is it an example of a transient second-class rate? A penodical was a similar issue of Woman'v Home Companion in November 1939. those "other than publishers or item that was published less shown graphically cropped. The magazine was published in registered news agents,' as the How does it compare with the periodical shown in Figure 1? than once a week and at least Springfield, Ohio, where the subscriber lived, so the rate was regulations said. less than 50 percent of the brook." Is it a transient sec- as frequently as four times a 20 per copy, the publisher's second-class, in-county rate for On June 9, 1884, a special subscription price, or they ond-class use? I'll examine year. carrier delivery of a periodical weighing more than 2 ounces. second-class rate called the made copies of the item avail- this item closely in the next I have always had a difficult I wondered if they were they were paid in whole to the transient second-class rate was able for the use of an advertis- Modern U.S. Mail column. time reading U.S. Post Office mislabeled third-class items, postmaster of the office of on- introduced for use by others. It er in the item. In such situa- Department rules and regula- or if they were artifacts of col- gin, the items bore no stamps. ended Feb. 17, 1985. tions, the transient second- Tan; Wii rwitz and Henry tions concerning second-class lectors fooling around (as The in-county rates for carri- This rate had to be paid by class rate was to be used. Seedier are the coauthors of two Wry useful books on U.S. &NW SliC and inter- matter. stamp collectors will do). er delivery of newspapers and stamps affixed to the matter, Figure 2 pictures a Nevada national postage rides since 1872. The am far from alone in this, On the other hand, I live by periodicals. however, were to and its usage varied. .newspaper mailed with a 4¢ books can be ordered at the site named below or from dealers rn philatelic liter- and this is why I'm writing the rule that if one does not be paid with affixed stamps, For instance, it was used to Lincoln and forwarded in ature who advertise in Linnl classified this column, which 111 follow understand an item, buy it and they still are today. forward second-class matter, 1963. Scribbled under the advertising sectiiin. The web ..slte Is located at up in April. anyway because it will eventu- The in-county rate for a pe- and it could be used to return a marked-out address is "Gen htsp:11www...epiriione From what I can gather, ally turn out to be valuable. riodical that was issued more newspaper or a periodical to Del (General Delivery) Horn- ..ronsi-tonywaw./. • most second-class matter was Well, so it has turned out than once a week was 1¢ per the publisher. paid at the post office of ori- with many second-class items. copy. Nonregistered news agents Space Unit bourse April 9 gin prior to being mailed. They are real, and they are For periodicals that weighed could use the transient rate to And most importantly to scarce. 2 ounces or less, it was 1¢ per mail second-class items. If a The New York Chapter of the Space Unit of the American collectors of postaity used ar- To explain them, some rate copy, and for periodicals that publisher was sending sample Topical Association will sponsor a stamp and postcard bourse tifacts. it bore no stamps. history information is neces- weighed more than 2 ounces, copies amounting to more April 9 at the First German Sports Club, 60-60 Metropolitan But many collections of sary. it was 2¢ per copy. than 10 percent of his normal Ave., Ridgewood, N.Y. modern covers contain one or Beginning May 1, 1879, A remarkable example (on- per-pound mailing, the tran- Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission and parking are free. two examples of domestic special domestic second-class ly one known) of this special sient rate had to be used. The event will feature a seven-dealer bourse (sales area), spe- matter labeled "Entered As rates became available to pub- rate is illustrated graphically Further, some publishers cial space cancellation and a United States Postal Service Second-Class Matter" or "Pe- lishers and registered news cropped in Figure 1. This is made their second-class mat- booth. For more information, call Sam Stein at 516-678-4979 riodical Postage Paid" that are agents. the only use of this kind that I ter available to a subscriber at or send an e-mail to ctorrisignycxrcom. 50 LINN'S STAMP NEWS APRIL 11, 2005 www.linns.com `Entered as second-class mail' a key phrase

This column will look in Such items fall in two cat- nodicals. In the March 14 Philatelic Society. American detail at a cover also pictured egories. column, I showed an example • • 5 Laci3, in the Modern U.S. Mail col- For publishers and regis- of a magazine mailed within If the item is not so im- Linn ;s•, the city where it was pub- printed on the cover, the umn in the March 14 tered news agents, there were #11 page 28, which concerned in-county carrier-delivery lished, Springfield, Ohio. Af- statement must be located in- rAtlii United States domestic sec- rates for newspapers and pe- fixed near the magazine ad- side the item, which is the case with !.inn's Stamp News. paw 4 THE TEHRITO Its statement is in the mast- • head, on the Readers' Opin- gip'4111 1 11. • 1 .1a.j s Modern ions page (page 4 in most is- U.S. Mail sues) in the last paragraph. LIG: -kr 4 11 44 By Tony Wawrukiewicz The newspaper pictured in Figure 3. Newspaper piece, probably an issue of Linn's Figures 1 and 2 is a second- Stamp News or a similar publication from October 1961, for- class mailing. warded with the marking "Postage Due 5 Cents," at the sec- ond-class mail matter. Figure 1 shows the perti- ond-class transient rate. the newspaper weighed 5 ounces. In the previous column. I nent part of the front of the For the 5c meter strip due postage, 2c paid for the first 2 commented: "Many collec- newspaper. and Figure 2 ounces. and It paid for each of three additional ounces. tions of modern covers con- shows a close-up of the mast- imrwror, enils5P•t.• r Mews 107P ond-class use, the item lar stamp publication from tain one or tv.o examples of Splabalbw! 1,59 PUbt141.1 11=Z head on page 4. In the mast- !,,.,.d larc0n3reV 'NT PEpt ando elms WO franked with a stamp must October 1961 that was domestic matter labeled 'En- of6 tausried Cffloge %A head, the phrase "Entered tered As Second-Class Mat- Urrsioncri Eatorendis Yda.. Vuelnia Clay. NeTUd44 PLO* Virginia City Post Office. have originally been mailed mailed at the second-class ter' or 'Periodical Postage Figure 2. Part of page 4 of the Figure 1 newspaper.The third Nevada, as 2nd Class Mail," as second-class material. transient rate. It was forward- Paid' that are paid with line from the bottom Is the correct second-class phrase: the third line from the bot- What happens, however, ed marked "Postage Due 5 postage stamps." "Entered Virginia City Post Office ... as 2nd Class Mail." tom, confirms the second- when the entire item is not Cents." class nature of the newspaper. there, when you have just a The due amount is based on dress label was a 20 John It was mailed about June piece of a newspaper or the the newspaper weighing Adams stamp canceled with 28, 1963, at the second-class front of a magazine? If the 5 ounces: 20 paid for the first an oval obliterator. rate, with no stamps needed. piece or front does not bear a 2 ounces, and 10 paid for each Mailers who were not pub- It was then forwarded to second-class-type imprint, of three additional ounces_ A lishers or registered news Hornbrook, Calif., on or you cannot be certain it is a 50 meter strip shows that the agents could use a special about July 20 and marked second-class use. due amount was collected. second-class rate called the "Postage Due 4 Cents." But it is reasonable to as- Both items pictured in Fig- transient second-class rate. This due amount is, appro- sume that it is a second-class ures 1 through 3 arc exam- This rate applied to second- priately. the 4e-per-2-ounce mailing when you know that ples of forwarding by the class newspapers and period- transient second-class rate of the magazine or newspaper transient second-class rate. icals. the time. piece is from an item that As indicated in the March Items sent at the transient The 4r due was paid in falls under the regulations for 14 column, other reasons ex- second-class rate should be Hornbrook, as indicated by second-class matter and ist for using the transient sec- imprinted on the cover with the 4¢ Abraham Lincoln Lib- would have been mailed ini- ond-class rate. However, it is "Entered As Second-Class erty series stamp affixed to tially in that manner. not always possible to know Figure 1. Newspaper correctly mailed about June 28,1963, at the Matter" or "Periodical Post- the newspaper and canceled The item pictured in Fig- why such usage occurred. second-class rate with no stamps needed. It was then forwarded age Paid." One example of at Hornbrook. ure 3 is such a partial piece. The wrapper shown in Fig- to Hornbrook. Calif., on or about Jul) 20 and marked "Ps stagt such an item is the monthly I emphasize again that for It was probably an issue of ure 4 carried a magazine Due 4 Cents," the 4t-per-2-ounce transient second-class rate. magazine of the American there to be a transient sec- !.urn's Stamp News or a simi- mailed as second-class mat-

www.zillionsofstamps.com Jan. 7, 1963. In the final analysis, when asked whether an item was mailed at the transient sec- ond-class rate, I am much less skeptical of a lack of proper endorsement of stamped newspaper pieces or stamped fronts of a magazine known to be a periodical. I am much more likely to question any wrapper or en- velope without a proper en- dorsement. Look for these second- class items. They are elusive Figure 4. This wrapper carried a magazine mailed as second- and wonderful. class matter. It reads "'Entered As Second-Class Matter." No stamps would have been used for its initial mailing. if mailed during 1958-63, the 70 paid by the Liberty-series stamp indi- Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Beecher are the coauthors of fWn wry cates remailing as a transient second-class item weighing up to usilid hooks on US. domestic and in- 7 ounces. If mailed during 1963-68, the 7( paid indicates a tran- ternational postage 0105 since 1872. The hooky can he ordered at the Site or sient second-class mailing of an item weighing up to 5 ounces. from dealers in philatelic literature who advertise in .5 classified ad section. ter. It reads "'Entered As rate of use. The web site is located at Second-Class Matter," so no If it was mailed during larp://wwwspiritone stamps would have been used 1958-63, the 70 paid indi- .roml—tonywawl for its initial mailing. cates the transient second- Some event occurred that class mailing of an item Plate No. 18179 resulted in the transient sec- weighing up to 7 ounces. The February issue of the ond-class rate being used, If it was mailed during United Stares Specialist re- and a 70 Woodrow Wilson 1963-68, the 70 paid indi- ports the find of a 7e William Liberty series stamp paid the cates the transient second- McKinley stamp (Scott 639) due amount. class mailing of an item upper-right single with plate Because the wrapper is not weighing up to 5 ounces. The No. 18179, a number hereto- dated, I can only surmise the date the new rates began was fore unknown on the stamp.

44 LINN'S STAMP NEWS MAY 9, 2005 www.linns.com Here's how to find collectible modern cards, covers Where can you find the good number single of the common franked with a nondenominated gle-piece, third-class, basic stuff? contemporary 230 George (250) American Eagle coil bulk-letter rate of 26.80 per (IA ke stamp, for the discount presort- 2 ounces. In using the 270 me- it. L' N. IWAV A few of my favorite ways of Washington coil stamp. The * * (tfIZ'AMf.= raid getting items for my cover col- card, from a realtor, came in my ed rate. ter stamp, the mailer made a 1 7 2 13 8 6 4 A 44 reFillif 9602 232na 00.27° SAY 16 o: Halint011, TX lections are dumpster diving, mail. It has taken me two years to 0.20 convenience overpayment. A 4 L .-C1V.S, L,4 7 703 wastebaskets at the post office, It is more challenging to find find a postcard franked with a "Bulk Rate" and "Permit" are printed within the imprint in the upper-right corner of the Modern card, near the meter stamp. The mailer had to post this card with postage (rather than U.S. Mail ) EARCH at By Tony Wawrukiewiez use the permit imprint) because he did not have enough items Figure 3. This oversize advertising postcard, shown cropped, for a bulk permit mailing. was mailed May 16, 2003, as bulk third-class mail. It used any box of junk covers a dealer This card was given to me by the single-piece, third-class, basic bulk-letter rate of 26.8¢ might have, stamp collecting a stamp friend who found it in per 2 ounces, meaning there was a 0.20 convenience over- friends and one person who is 311.01nte Sees} his mail. payment by the mailer. Although a bulk-rate permit imprint able to look through 20,000 IOW do more awn 4s-ft*. . These two examples are appears at the upper right of the card, the mailer had to covers a month. e tkin6a that are meant to show how varied post- mail this card with postage because the mailing did not con- Many of the covers I collect ,~cm'yeanxro rr.Kay to IiIiiiiIIIII/11611/11111111/1111111111111t11111111111111 card stamped frankings can be. tain enough items to qualify as a bulk permit mailing. were mailed after 1950, and a It's just as important, however, large percentage of them were Figure 1. Stamp corner of a postcard postmarked Feb. 10, that each is an example of a mailed after 1990. 2005, franked with a plate-number single of the 23¢ George very uncommon usage. 1 collect modern items for Washington coil stamp, the common contemporary definitive "Netstamps" is the name of three reasons: the material is coil stamp, paying the 23¢ postcard rate. The card, shown a computer-generated stamp free to inexpensive, it is easier cropped, is from a realtor. It came in the author's mail. produced since 2002 by to find today than in 10 years or Stamps.com. Users of Net- 25 years (most of it will have Health Net of Oregon, Inc, stamps download the stamps on been thrown away by then), and 13221 SW 68th Parkway their personal computer. Tigard, Oregon 97223 some of it is very uncommon. The stamps have various This article will illustrate ex- backgrounds that can be col- amples of two of my favorite lected, if they can be located. collecting areas: items used af- I fortunately have a source ter 1995 and items acquired who gets 10,000 commercial mostly from the above-named covers per week and sorts Figure 4. A Nov. 17, 2004, on-cover use of a 370 Netstamps sources. through them for the occasion- The graphically cropped (37¢-per- ounce letter rate), also shown cropped. This new al Netstamps item. This has en- very colorful postage label is in testing and was produced on closeups shown with this col- abled me to collect on commer- umn picture the essential part a Dymo Labelwriter. The author obtained this example from cial cover just about every type a friend who found it in a large, commercial correspondence. of each card or envelope. The known, a feat in itself. universal practice, however, is My most recent group of I telephoned the Stamps.com Labelwriter (a desktop printer to save the whole cover, and Netstamps covers contained a marketing department because of shipping labels). that's what I do. big surprise, a 370 letter-rate I first thought that this stamp Any of these hard-to-find Businesses extensively use stamp showing a very colorful represented an example of a stamp-franked items are avail- postcards for advertising pur- AUT.0”3-DIGrr 9/2. new design. promotional design. able for the collector ready to poses. Probably 80 percent to IAA A fi.lasal The stamp, illustrated in Fig- It's not. 1 was told that this is use and cultivate a number of 90 percent of them are mailed Figure 2. Corner of an oversize postcard mailed in 2004 by a ure 4, is postmarked Nov. 17, a label being tested and that unusual but inexpensive under permit imprints, not 2004. After acquiring the cover, this example is from a Dymo sources. Happy hunting. • stamps, and they are not col- health-care group. Such cards must be mailed at letter rates. 42 LINN'S STAMP NEWS JUNE 13, 2005 www.linns.com U.S. Express Mail: the experimental period

The United States Post Of- new concept or service is de- amples of the experimental TULSTAR Cu..& .....ATION 350 FIFTH AVENUE fice Department and the U.S. veloped and perfected. mailings. NW YORK, N.Y. 10001 Postal Service have issued Sometimes part of the ex- This is what occurred thousands of regulations dur- perimental development pro- when U.S. domestic Express 7:5-xf• ing the last 50 years that coy- ceSs is publicized, while at Mail was developed begin- experimental - other times some of it is ning in late 1970. express mail service downtown-to-downtown done quietly, with no infor- U.S. Express Mail devel- Modern mation placed in the 26- oped during an experimental times-a-year Postal Bulletin period that lasted for almost U.S. Mail sent to postmasters and oth- seven years. By Tony Wawrukiewiez ers interested in mail. The Postal Reorganization Obtaining examples of Act of 1970, which ended the mail from an experiment is a Post Office Department, cre- er aspects of mail and mail very haphazard process. ated a corporate structure for handling. Sometimes collectors be- its successor, the U.S. Postal As I read and reread these come aware of the tests, and Service. regulations and learned of collector-made artifacts de- Although the transfer of the related procedures, cer- velop. authority occurred July 1, Figure 2. This cover bears a label for experimental downtown-to-downtown Express Mail service. tain patterns became obvi- At other times, a collector 1971, several projects, in- It was mailed Oct. 26, 1972, from New York City, arriving in Baltimore the next day. The rate was ous. or dealer might happen onto cluding Express Mail, were $1.50 for up to 8 ounces, the rate for the service during the 1970-77 experimental period. Invariably, there is an ex- a stash of business corre- implemented during the tran- perimental period where a spondence that contains ex- sition phase. d In December 1970, the old rig experimental phi downtown-to-downtovvr Post Office Department be- express may senlice EXPERIMENTAL gan carrying Express Mail on FXPREc-.71 a trial basis. FEDDER 10 E. SERVICE Express Mail service, the to publicity said, was "designed amf to be the fastest, most reli- - able service in the nation for ATiONI the transmission of high pri- routing: Oifice ,4_4• P.O. ZIP ~ .;) 7 ority business documents and Post materials between major Hold For ___

RtirRNIT metropolitan areas." S P. a 83X gli 115-119 WEST 40TH T% During the initial nine- EAVERVUE, N. C. 28787 NEW YORK N. Y, 10018 month test, from December !AUL 15•1•E .1•5•Ail 1911 1970 through August 1971, Figure 3. Only minor changes were made to the new downtown-to-downtown experimental label, compared to the Figure 2 label. The label on this item mailed April 9, 1973, provided P-, 3 Rttgait 4l 'Div orLeNaw more than 5,000 Express space for the item's weight and the amount paid, $1.50 for up to 8 ounces. Mail shipments were deliv- Figure 1. United States circa 1974 experimental Express ered, "with 97.5 percent de- ready for the market test 32 cities. For programmed sales agreement with each in- Mail label for contractual programmed service. Such livered on time," the Post Of- phase, which offered two (prearranged and scheduled) dividual customer, in many reusable orange and blue labels were fastened to each pouch fice Department said. types of service: pro- Express Mail service, the cases guaranteeing same-day of contractual programmed service mail. Postage was de- After these nine months, grammed and downtown-to- scope, frequency and deliv- delivery. ducted from the sender's advance-deposit account. the new Postal Service was downtown service between ery times were defined in a The full-service and par- www.zillionsofstamps.com tial-service options of pro- grammed Express Mail were zone-rated at a cost per piece that ranged from $18. to $42, Posy oFFicE To Wm L Braverman 2258 POST OFFICE A490407 depending on weight and dis- 2223 Wrgatford Reed _ .... tance. raio C issvoland Ohio 1.14I Figure 1 pictures an exper- lAcafts1 S imental Express Mail service I HOLD FOft; label and tag from circa 'adder De m Centers Inc 71 1974. 19,,om The reusable orange and T timeet itaryland 21203 „co .5-Co blue label was fastened to wq.4' each pouch of contractual EXPRESS MAIL SEPViCE MAU_ING LABEL. Kttig I lA ALFA 3A programmed service mail. Postage was deducted from EXPRESS MIL SERVICE , the sender's advance-deposit Figure 4. This post-office-to-post-office experimental Ex- account. press Mail label was used Nov. 19, 1974, on a packet designed Note that this label, No. for up to 5 ounces. The $1.50 rate paid for up to 8 ounces. 153-C, was actually pro- duced in June 1971 during Frederick Douglass stamps. The post-office-to-post-of- the initial nine-month test The rate for this service was fice experimental Express phase for Express Mail. The $1.50 during the entire ex- Mail label shown in Figure 4 date code is in the label's perimental period. was used Nov, 19, 1974, on a lower-left corner. Only minor changes were packet designed for up to Downtown-to-downtown made in the new downtown- 5 ounces. service was available to any- to-downtown experimental The $1.50 postage noted one who used a different ex- label, Figure 3 pictures one on the form normally paid for perimental label and proper on an envelope mailed April up to 8 ounces. postage. 9, 1973. Effective Oct. 9, 1977, Ex- The downtown service As the label shows, weight press Mail became a separate guaranteed overnight deliv- and amount paid were now class of mail, ending the ex- ery. Mail deposited at desig- listed in the box at the label's perimental period_, and ser- nated lobby windows before right, next to the stamps. vice was extended to 23,000 5 p.m. would be available for For this item, three 500 communities in 900 cities. pickup the next business day Lucy Stone stamps pay the Some of the information in at 10 a.m. at the designated $1.50 rate. this Modern U.S. Mail col- window in the destination In 1974, downtown-to- umn is taken from informa- city. downtown service was re- tion kindly provided by Ken Figure 2 pictures an enve- named post-office-to-post- Lawrence. lope bearing an experimental office Express Mail service. label for downtown-to-down- The name change occurred Tony Wa-wrukiewic.: and Henry town Express Mail service. after collection and delivery Beecher are the coauthors of two very The mailpiece was sent Oct. became available at post of- useful books on U.S. domestic and in- ternational postage rates since 1872_ 26, 1972, from New York fices other than the main of- The books can be ordered at the site or City, and it arrived in Balti- fices in cities served by the from dealers in philatelic literature who system. advertise in Linn :s classified ad section. more the next day. The web site is located at The rate was $1.50 for up The Detroit airmail facility http.7iwww.spiritone to 8 ounces, paid by six 250 was the first to be added. .com7---tonymiwt •

34 LINN'S STAMP NEWS JULY 11, 2005 www.iinns.com Usage of forwarding labels began in mid-1970s One of my major interests cially and nationally Dec. 4, Like many U.S. postal pro- used experimentally as early in collecting the mail of the 1975, as change of address la- cedures, forwarding 'labels as Aug. 22, 1974. United States is the process of bels, to be affixed on a cover started life as an experiment. About 18 months ago, how- mail forwarding. below the original address. In my book about mail for- ever, I bought 1,200 certified I collected and exhibited They soon Were used for warding, I was proud that I letters that had been returned VT such covers for 10 years, then many other postal messages. was able to picture examples by the Postal Service between 1971 and 1976 in the Port- land, Ore., region. Imagine my pleasant sur- Akoret- g Modern ROC mina LIN] PROilfg prise when I found that I had c, Dkunond Brol,.. es Finn low.siry eitdsw.- ‘.• • U.S. Mail 299 S. W. ./.61.r more than 30 examples bear- 0_0 c co,c ct- 977.4 By Tony Wawrukiewicz ing the labels. The covers were postmarked from Dec. 14, 1973, until the beginning wrote the book The Forward- of national use, after Dec. 4, Forwardir4g Order has ing of Mail by the U.S. Post 1975. Eypirer.l. Office Department, 1792- Figure 1 illustrates what is 2001. now the earliest-known use The various chapters in the (to the author) of these exper- book concern the forwarding, imental labels, postmarked Figure 3. This 1980 first-class, domestic letter, endorsed "Ad- the undeliverability and the Dec. 14, 1973. dress Correction Requested," was first mailed from Boise, return of mail. Figure 1. This cover postmarked Dec. 14, 1973, bears the The 1-ounce, certified re- Idaho, to Caldwell, Idaho. It was then forwarded to Nampa, As 1 studied these process- earliest-known use of a U.S. experimental forwarding label. turn-receipt-requested letter Idaho, then to Emmett, Idaho. At Emmett, a typed "For- es, I was able to learn how the The letter first had forwarding attempted with the label. It cost 530 to mail. warding Order has Expired" notice on a standard yellow la- handling of such mail by the eventually was returned unclaimed. The label uses white pa- The postage breaks down bel was affixed to the cover and it was returned to the sender. U.S. Post Office Department, per. Later nenexperimental forwarding labels are yellow. as 8¢ per ounce for the first- vice marking is also from that was forwarded three then the U.S. Postal Service class service, 300 for the cer- Portland, as reported by John times, twice with labels, then beginning in 1971, evolved to tification fee and 150 for the Hotchner in U.S. Notes in finally with the handstamped its present level of sophistica- DIRITIND 1.01q11 Oft04iitc return-receipt fee. Linn's Stamp News Jan. 12, notice "Moved Left No Ad- tion. Lharnsami Stoke" 1", The cover first had for- 2004, page 6. dress - 97217." It was marked The forwarding of undeliv- 2;49 8.11, 4444 5.441 warding attempted with the Portland seems to have "Unclaimed" and was re- ioe14.444 J.4,41,4 97334 erable mail today is handled address label affixed, but the been a center for the testing of turned to the sender. in a number of ways, includ- C44A forwarding address was scrib- more than one experimental The 550 postage paid 100 11, -27 • t 'VD ing using computer-generated Lirr drt bled out and the cover eventu- concept. for the per-ounce rate for labels that are affixed to en- ally was returned unclaimed. The EKU label is on white first-class service, 300 for cc, 4 velopes and cards. Because 1 have a run of paper (I have three Portland certification and 150 for a re- The beginning of usage of similar Portland covers from examples on white paper). turn receipt. labels for the forwarding 1971, this cover is likely a Most other ones are on the Later the yellow labels also Id.611 01' process, and eventually, the all .14 sl 0R.9721. very early Portland use, if not yellow paper eventually used were used for the return return process, began in the MOVW LEFT 1,40 A , 2 , the earliest. Of course, earlier nationally. process. mid-1970s. examples might exist from Every one but one of my This is demonstrated by the The first nonexperimental Figure 2. Cover mailed Feb. 14, 1975, that was forwarded other locations. Portland labels was used to letter shown in Figure 3, labels were plain yellow with three times. Two of the forwardings were with yellow labels, It is interesting to note that forward mail. mailed in 1980 at the 150-per- a typed message added. These the eventual standard. Marked "Moved Left No Address - the earliest-known experi- Figure 2 shows a cover ounce rate. labels were introduced offi- 97217," the cover was returned to sender but was unclaimed. mental sprayed-on cancel ser- postmarked Feb. 14, 1975, This interesting letter, with a manuscript "Address Cor- rection Requested" notice written by the sender, was first mailed from Boise, Ida- ho, to Caldwell, Idaho. It was then forwarded to Nampa, Idaho, then to Emmett, Ida- ho. At Emmett, the "Forward- ing Order has Expired" notice was typed on a yellow label that was then affixed to the cover, which was returned to the sender. In late 1978, computer-gen- erated, bright yellow labels began to replace the old type- written, light yellow ones. • 18 LINN'S STAMP NEWS AUGUST 8, 2005 www.linns.com Early Priority Mail covers prove hard to find

One of the delights of mod- ers sent before 1980. of Priority Mail after 1980 are ern United States postal histo- Priority Mail is the zoned relatively easy to find, and us- ry is collecting items from service for mailing via airmail es from the past 10 years or the various services provided all matter over a certain more are common, but exam- by the U.S. Postal Service. weight. This service is a less- ples from 1968-80 are just not It is my experience that eel- expensive alternative for mail- out there to find. ing heavier first-class items I can only assume that it and parcels. took a while for the service to Modern For first-class items above a catch on Or that examples certain weight, the rate per were not saved. U.S. Mail ounce is less expensive than Figure 1 shows the only By Tony Wawrukiewicz the basic first-class rate. This pre-1980 Priority Mail cover I advantage in general changes have seen. The cover is with each new change in basic franked with a meter stamp NATICK STORE letting such envelopes, wrap- postal rates. and was sent Oct. 24, 1978, as ' Down Town Model Skop pers and other mailed items Beginning Jan. 7, 1968, the a special delivery Priority E.rythos Few Mu Stomp w. Mk St. LOS ANC&IS has certain all-too-real limita- new hybrid service called Pri- Mail package. tions. I suspect that some uses ority Mail replaced air parcel Postage on the package is will never be found or, at post as the alternative for $5.41, with $3.16 for the Pri- most, one or two examples moving time-sensitive items ority Mail part weighing 21/2 might exist. such as flowers and other mer- pounds to zone 8 and $2.25 One subject that still chandise quickly. for first-class special delivery seems puzzling to me is the Domestic air parcel post us- on an item weighing more difficulty of locating U.S. es before 1968 are hard to than 2 pounds and less than 10 domestic Priority Mail cov- find. In my experience, uses pounds. Early examples of interna- Figure 2. An insured international air parcel post packet dated Jan. 27, 1967. It is for an tional air parcel post are also item weighing up to 3 ounces.A total postage amount of $2.53 is affixed, of which $1.78 paid hard to find. for air parcel post service for up to 2 pounds and 75¢ paid the insurance fee for up to a $175 International air parcel post indemnity. The lowest air parcel post rate (for up to 2 pounds) had to be paid because only uses, usually insured, are of- international air parcel post could be insured. The packet was returned. ten not found before 1970 and air parcel post service for up in my U.S. rate books be- was collector mail and proba- even before 1980. to 2 pounds and 75¢ paid the cause they are so complex bly was a small item, all ex- tuWietratiVINEVerlarfah9MWitsmoptimm. Figure 2 illustrates the only insurance fee for an indemni- and extensive (more than 300 plaining why it was saved. ''''' pre-1980 Liberty series exam- ty of up to $175. pages) and because so few In addition to the Figure 2 ple I know of, an item from The lowest air parcel post examples of their application Liberty series use, I have seen u.s. PRIORITY MAIL_ 1967 franked with mostly Lib- rate, for up to 2 pounds, had have been located. only three examples of inter- erty series stamps of the to be paid because only inter- This incredible cover, with national air parcel post used 1950s. national air parcel post could all the mailing information on before 1980, all franked with .P* The insured international be insured. the front except a record of a 1938 Presidential series air parcel post packet is post- In rating this item, 1 used 3-ounce weight, was sent from stamps. . marked Jan. 27, 1967. It is information U.S. Postal Bul- a stamp dealer to a collector Why are examples of this for an item weighing up to letins. and was returned as undeliver- service, especially before NI Figure 1. A special delivery Priority Mail package dated 3 ounces. These rates, as well as in- able. 1980, so elusive? 'let. 24. 1978. Postage on the package is $5.41, with $3.16 for Total postage of $2.53 is af- ternational surface parcel The fact that the cover was Why are they so rarely seen `1-•411 part weighing 2% pounds to zone 8. fixed, of which $1.78 paid for post rates, are not published returned means that it likely even today, when I. suspect

www.zillionsofstamps.com that if one haunted a modern- I am on a crusade to save air parcel post mail likely ap- day post office, one would see any post-1980 items. When I plies for the scarcity of exam- examples mailed every day? mail merchandise packages ples of international surface Where do they go? overseas. I use a box covered parcel post mail. After thinking about my with brown paper and make Domestic c.o.d. (cash on own mail over the past few sure that all pertinent infor- delivery) and special-han- years, I believe that I have mation is contained in a small dling covers mailed after part of the answer. area on the front. I also use 1970 are two other examples When I mail a package by only definitive (regular-issue) of elusive items. Such uses air parcel post overseas, it is stamps. are very uncommon. They often something of value that I have the recipient cut out were large, awkward pack- is insured. It is usually a large the front of the mail piece and ages that were usually dis- package, sometimes even a mail it back to me. carded. box. This leaves me with a very Good luck in finding any Unlike the Figure 2 exam- uncommon use that I think is uses mentioned in this col- ple, the items I mail are often worth more than the postage I umn. Also think about how to an awkward size and in a used to mail the item. retain the contemporary over- taped box not covered with a Another use which is very seas uses from today's mail. savable manila wrapper, difficult if not impossible to Readers having examples which is easy to save. find is international surface of early Priority Mail uses or This might explain why parcel post mail after 1954. I early air parcel uses may pre- and post-1980 interna- only know of one example. write Tony Wawrukiewicz, in tional air parcel post uses are The same explanation for care of Linn's Editor, Box 29, so infrequently reported. the scarcity of international Sidney, OH 45365. II 14 LINN'S STAMP NEWS SEPTEMBER 12, 2005 www.linns.com Rates for domestic second-class mail sent abroad

Since the inception of the mail continued into the period 30 for up to 2 ounces and 11/20 Universal Postal Union in when the 1954 Liberty series for each added 2 ounces. 1876, there have been only a Ent6rotiaq SecancT,Cinl5g Mattel. stamps were introduced in The publications were to be few basic rate types for inter- 11 INTERS' NK 1954, and it lasted until 1958. endorsed "Printed Matter Sec- national mail: for letter and 205 EAST 42A STREET • NEW YORK 17, N. Y. The item pictured in Figure ond-Class," but it is my expe- letter-package mail and post- 2, dated June 19, 1958, and rience that this endorsement is sent to Australia, weighed up not often found on surviving to 2 ounces. The envelope covers. Modern originally was designed as do- Part of a wrapper that car- mestic second-class matter, ried an item weighing up to U.S. Mail but in 1958 it could be mailed 4 ounces is illustrated in Fig- By Tony Wawrukiewicz overseas at the 20-per-2 ounce ure 3. It is franked with the international printed-matter Jefferson and 21/20 Bunker rate. Hill sheet stamps of the Lib'er- cards; for printed matter such On Jan. 1, 1959, general in- ty series. as merchandise, printed pa- ternational second-class mail Because the 21/20 stamp was. pers and samples; and later for rates were introduced. issued in June 1959, this undat- parcels. Publishers and registered ed item had to be mailed some- Such international mail re- news agents could send do- time after that date. ceived standard service, at mestic U.S. second-class mail Because of this and be- first being transported by sur- to the countries of the PUAS cause it is a domestic second- face, later by air as an option. (except to Canada and Spain) class item (endorsed "Second- On the other hand, special at special second-class rates. Class Postage Paid at Alban) rates for international service The rates were 20 for up to Oregon"), it was mailed at for domestic United States sec- 2 ounces and 10 for each addi- the special international sec- ond-class mail were limited. NEWSPAPER tional 2 ounces. ond-class rate for publisherS. In fact for many years, ex- Similar rates were intro- That. is, 30 was paid for the cept for a few exceptional Figure 1. This circa 1952 item weighing up to 10 ounces was mailed from New York City to duced for all other countries: first 2 ounces and 11/20 for treaty rates, there were no Sydney, Australia. The 1952 date is inferred from the address where the ending date of the such special rates. Second- subscription, 1952, is noted. The 7%0 in 1938 Presidential series stamps paid the ordinary international printed-matter rate, as was required, because there were no general interna- MISS/ON MESSENGER Entered as seeond-class matter, July Office 1943, at the paztoffice at Shoals. Indiana. class items had to be mailed at under the A of Marsh 3. 1419. gurnmerfteld. Florida tional second-class rates. This was 1%0 for each 2 ounces, or 71/20 for up to 10 ounces. POLSTMAE — .see his shaved the international rates for =ma ..Fortia, printed matter. The few excep- The PUAS was formed in matter rates. indeed U.S. domestic second- •-• . tions or treaty rates for sec- the 1920s, and it eventually This is illustrated nicely by class matter. ond-class matter were with included the countries of the mailpiece shown in Fig- The 71/20 in 1938 Presiden- countries that were members South and Central America, ure 1, a circa 1952 up-to-10- tial series stamps (a 30 Jeffer- of the Postal Union of the Canada, and Spain. ounce item mailed from New son and a 41/20 White House) Americas and Spain. I have seen only one exam- York City to Sydney, Aus- paid the ordinary international Sister Ruth Dookerty Oct. EA Second-class mail refers to ple of an item mailed at any of tralia. printed-matter rate, as re- % Bethshan Mission N. 3. W. printed items regularly issued the treaty rates, from. Canada. The 1952 date is inferred quired. There were no general 3tralia at stated periods from a known In summary, for all non- from the address, which gives international second-class IFLA.HANA isLANT)s, office of publication. Such treaty countries, until Jan. 1, the ending date of the sub- rates. The printed-matter rate AND NEW GUINEA mail can have no added writing 1959, U.S. domestic second- scription. was 11/20 for each 2 ounces, or or similar added marks. Typi- class matter, when mailed out This envelope, bearing the 71/20 for up to 10 ounces. Figure 2. This June 19, 1958, cover to Australia weighing up cal second-class items are of the United States, had to be printed endorsement "Entered This method of handling to 2 ounces is a domestic second-class item. In 1958, it could magazines and newspapers. mailed at international printed as Second-Class Matter," was domestic U.S. second-class be mailed only at the 20 international printed-matter rate. www.zillionsofstampsacom

INW Second is Poxtage ,44 4444-444.44.04•664144•111 o44444,44,64,64-0 4N4•er4-li 444* 4404440* 4 4. 4 4- 44 444 *4 4444+444 44+0 4. 44444 Paid at Portland, Oregon 44.4.4.4.4.4.44p44 Rh, 110.4444.444044.0444414% 444444 414444-,4 44444* 4.04 alio SECOND CLASS POSTAGE PAID AT Rodney Mliagraley ALBANY, OREGON SAMPLE 4 A1 eat :load r;Tappenhall, • COPY Lancashire L.nclitA0 Rouva maim Kivimmki WESTERN STAMP COLLECTOR Oit ti , Tortola FINLiND

Figure 3. Part of a wrapper, this cover carried an item weigh- ing up to 4 ounces. It is franked with Liberty series 20 and 2 1/40 sheet stamps. Because the 2%0 stamp was not issued un- Figure 4. This piece weighing up to 2 ounces was mailed from til June 1959, this item had to be mailed after that date. As a Portland, Ore., to Finland. It is a second-class domestic item domestic second-class item sent abroad, it was mailed at the that was mailed abroad using a precanceled 40 Prominent special international second-class rate for publishers. Americans series stamp. It was most likely mailed between the second 2 ounces. The international second- 1971 and 1976, at the international second-class rate of 40 per As of July 1, 1961, the new class rate category changed in 2 ounces for special publishers and registered news agents. rates continued in effect. The 1979 so that it included not only change was that domes- only publisher's second-class They are not for printed item only three months ago. tic U.S. second-class mail to materials but also publisher's matter. They are "special in- Happy hunting. Canada also could be sent at controlled circulation. The ternational second-class rates for U.S. domestic second- the rates for items sent to new combined mail category Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry countries in the PUAS. was called "publisher's peri- class matter." Beecher are the coauthors of two very These special international odicals." In any case, examples of useful books on U.S. domestic and in- this service are located only ternational postage rates since 1872. second-class rates for pub- Chapter 7 in the book US. The books can be ordered at the site or fishers and registered news International Postal Rates, with much searching. from dealers in philatelic literature who They are scarce to rare, but advertise in Linn's classified ad section. agents continued with minor 1872-1996 lists later rates for The web site is located at changes well into the 1970s. publisher's periodicals. Note they are out there. For in- http://www_spiritone For instance, as of May 1, that these special rates are the stance, I found the Figure 4 .comi—tonywawl. • 1967, the special rate to other same for all countries. countries was 40 for the first A more complete and de- Official telegram seals 2 ounces. tailed discussion of the han- The piece pictured in Fig- dling of domestic second- The lune issue of Official ensured that it was not read by ure 4, mailed from Portland, class mail internationally as Seal Newsletter contains an anyone prior to delivery other Ore., to Finland, shows this well as tables of the rates can article by Jim Drummond than the employee who tran- nicely. This second-class do- be found in my article in the about official telegram seals. scribed the message. mestic piece is franked with a May 1998 US. Specialist, In most countries in the late The Official Seal Newslet- precanceled 40 Lincoln stamp Vol. 69, No. 5. 19th century, both the tele- ter is edited and published six of the Prominent Americans One major correction to graph and postal services times a year by Jim Drum- series. It was most likely this 1998 article must be men- were operated by the govern- mond. mailed between 1971 and tioned. I mistakenly called the ment, frequently out of the An annual subscription to 1976, at the special publishers 1960 and later rates "special same offices. the newsletter is $20. Write to and registered news agents in- international printed matter Many countries produced Jim Drummond, 19335 Pau- ternational second-class rate rates for U.S. domestic sec- official telegram seals. ma Valley Drive, Porter of 40 per 2 ounces. ond-class matter." Placing a seal on a telegram Ranch, CA 91326. ■ 36 LINN'S STAMP NEWS OCTOBER 10, 2005 www.linns.com U.S. nonstandard surcharge began in July 1979 Beginning in 1979, the Standardization on all first- Also, the ratio of a mail- Over the last 25 years, the class items are much less com- United States Postal Service class matter weighing up to piece's length to its height surcharge has slowly in- monly found, but they do ex- insisted that there be more 1 ounce (including first-class could not be such that it was creased to its present 120. ist. There is even a discount- standardization of mailpieces. presorted mail) and single- nearly or exactly square. A The cover illustrated in Fig- ed-rate nonstandard surcharge The change was necessary piece third-class mail weighing square item does not allow ure 1, postmarked June 27, that can be found on such mail up to 2 ounces became a re- mail handling equipment to 1986, is an example of the as well as on first-class pre- quirement as of July 15, 1979. place the item in a proper po- nonstandard surcharge paid sorted mail. Modern Effective that day, the Postal sition to cancel the stamp in on a first-class domestic letter The Modern U.S Mail col- Service implemented the rec- the upper-right corner. weighing up to 1 ounce. The umn will take these up at U.S. Mail ommendation of the Postal The nonstandard surcharge, envelope measures 61/2 inches some future date. By Tony Wawrukiewicz Rate Commission for a non- still in effect today, applies by 9 inches. This nonstandard surcharge standard surcharge of 70 on all to maximum-size standards. The piece was franked at also applies to nonstandard in- such mail matter if it was more There are also minimum-size the 220-per-ounce first-class ternational letters weighing up Figure 3. This piece mailed so that the Postal Service could than 111/2 inches long, more standards that if they are not rate, but because it was more to 1. ounce and to regular in- internationally was sent at improve mail handling and re- than 61/8 inches high or more met mean a mailpiece cannot than 61/8 inches high, a 100 ternational printed matter the 910 airmail nonstandard duce expenses. than 1/4 inch thick. be mailed. nonstandard surcharge was al- weighing up to 2 ounces. international letter rate: 800 so due and was paid. The example shown in Fig- for up to 1 ounce and 110 for Figure 2 shows another ure 3 is dated March 9, 2001. the nonstandard surcharge first-class package (a bag) It was mailed at the airmail because the piece is square. that weighed up to 1 ounce. It nonstandard international let- is postmarked Jan. 20, 1987, ter rate, which was 910. The first 800 paid for up to during the 220 first-class rate 1 ounce. Because the item was era, and a 220 Flag stamp square, the nonstandard sur- opy\LH.lft. paid the basic per-ounce first- charge of 110 was paid. class rate. Because the bag Examples of the nonstan- when filled was more than 1/4 dard surcharge on items inch thick, a 100 nonstandard mailed internationally are less surcharge was also due and commonly seen than are do- was paid. mestic examples. In fact, al- Domestic uses of the non- though I had mentioned their standard surcharge, although existence in my book US. In- not common, are not rare. ternational Postal Rates, 1872- For instance, a relatively 1996, I really did not think large number of commercial about them or actively search mailpieces franked with meter for them until I was given the stamps enclose three or fewer Figure 3 example. nonfolded sheets measuring 81/2 inches by 11 inches. Such a mailpiece is usually Figure 2. This first-class Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Beecher are the coauthors of two very too large to be standard and package (a bag) weighed up useful books on US. domestic and inter- still weigh less than 1 ounce, to 1 ounce and is post- national postage rates since 1872. The books can be ordered at the site or from so that the nonstandard sur- marked Jan. 20, 1987. Be- dealers in philatelic literature who ad- Figure 1. Postmarked June 27, 1986, this cover is an example of the nonstandard surcharge charge would be due and cause the bag was more than vertise in Linn's classified ad section. The web site is located at paid on a oversize first-class domestic letter weighing up to 1 ounce. The letter is franked would need to be paid. % inch thick, a 100 nonstan- htip://www.spiritone with a 220 stamp for 1 ounce of weight and a 100 stamp for the nonstandard surcharge. Nonstandard domestic third- dard surcharge was paid. . comf—tonywawl. ■ www.zillionsofstamps.corn NOVEMBER 14, 2005 LINN'S STAMP NEWS 15 50 Washingtons best saved on unusual covers The United States issued lent stamps in the Liberty Kennedy's death intervened, 50 Washington sheet stamp. It three new regular-issue stamps stamp series. The 10 stamp and the series ended as an in- is postmarked Jan. 7, 1963, in 1962-63: the 80 brown John was used as makeup postage. complete one. the first day of the new 50- J. Pershing (Scott 1042A), the The 80, 50 and 10 stamps The 50 stamp, issued Nov. per-ounce domestic surface 50 dark blue-gray George were meant to serve as an in- 23, 1962, paid the 50-per- letter rate. This is a very diffi- Washington (1229) and the 10 troduction to a new definitive ounce domestic surface letter cult use to find, and I searched through thousands of common covers to locate it. Modern Figure 2 shows the 50 sheet stamp on an airmail envelope U.S. Mail mailed Nov. 27, [964. At this By Tony Wawrukiewicz time, nonairmail postage was allowed on airmail envelopes, but for airmail service the green Andrew Jackson (1209). postage paid had to equal the Sheet stamps were issued airmail rate, 80 per ounce for Figure 4. This cover dated in April 1965 shows the airmail for all three designs. Coils of domestic service in this case. letter rate to Peru, for up to I ounce. It is paid with six 50 Washington coil stamps at 150 per'/: ounce. the 10 and 50 stamps and Because the cover was booklets of the 50 stamp were short-paid for airmail by 30, letter shown in Figure 3, sent strip and canceled. eventually issued. the cover was marked "Not in in early January 1963. A Figure 4 shows a fourth un- Whatever you call these the Air Mail" and placed into postage meter strip indicates common use of the 50 Wash- three stamps, "the sixth and a that 50 was due. Postage was ington stamp, an April 1965 Figure 2. Mailed Nov. 27, 1964, this letter is franked with a a surface mailbag. half Bureau issue" or an "or- By 1959, short-paid domes- then paid by the addressee, as international airmail letter to 50 Washington stamp. This envelope was not sent via air- phan series," they were defin- tic mail was being sent on to indicated by the "Voided" Peru. This cover is an example mail, per the auxiliary marking "Not in theAir Mail." It was itive stamps that each served a the addressee due only the marking on the meter stamp of the rate for a letter weigh- sent via surface mail because it was short 30 for airmail. purpose. short-paid amount. and the added 50 Washington ing up to 1 ounce. It is paid In particular the 50 and 80 series that was to replace the rate introduced Jan. 7, 1963. No postage was paid on the sheet stamp affixed over the with six 50 Washington coil stamps replaced the equiva- Liberty series, but President That rate lasted through Jan. stamps, at the 150-per-1/2-ounce 7, 1968. It truly did displace rate to South America. the 50 James Monroe Liberty The Jan. ' 7, 1963, letter stamp because that stamp is shown in Figure 1 was found only infrequently found used in a dollar box. The covers after 1962. shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4 I collect uses of the 50 were found in dealers' Liberty Washington as it was meant to cover and modern covers sec- be used, at the basic domestic tions and cost from $I0 to rate or as multiples that con- $20. veniently paid for another ser- vice. As I emphasize to all Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Beecher are the coauthors of two very those I talk to, the best way to useful books on US domestic and inter- collect such a common stamp national postage rates since 1872. The books ran he ordered at the site or from is when it is used in uncom- dealers in philatelic hemmer who ad- Figure 1. This letter postmarked Jan. 7, 1963, paid the new mon or unusual ways. Figure 3. Mailed in January 1963, this letter was sent with- vertise in Linn's classified ad section. The weh site is located at 50-per-ounce domestic surface letter rate with a 50 George For example, Figure 1 out postage and received a postage due meter strip. The ad- ://wwwspiritone Washington stamp. The date was the first day of the new rate. shows a letter paid by the new dressee then paid the postage using a 50 Washington stamp. ..copLtonywinvI. ■ 50 LINN'S STAMP NEWS DECEMBER 12, 2005 www.linns.com Modem postal history exhibits winning golds In 2005, three events oc- these grand awards represent a began as silver-level exhibits complete story. 4) 70 curred in the exhibiting world tremendous change in the ap- that reached their higher pre- Only as 1 entered Sescal 5h3 gikirouY4 Aft, that 1 and others believe indi- proach of those who judge the sent levels only through the 2005 was 1 confident that I / 4407 cate an important fact for col- exhibits and determine the efforts of the judges and me. was finally telling an impor- 3.20 lectors of modern United awards. That change is that In particular, the Liberty tant story with outstanding material. But I also knew that, 114...014,131110,1.4,E,141,00.111Aliaml,F1 rmancial 120. as always, at a national show PORCuC 25.349 Modern the competition is very stiff. &mu Ana GA 9221*-041 I was totally flabbergasted U.S. Mail when my exhibit was an- By Tony Wawrukiewicz nounced as the grand award winner. As I've indicated, Figure 2. This cover bears an E-Stamp personal postage however, in retrospect 1 be- stamp used to mail a letter at the Priority Mail rate. The coy- States postal history. BUSINESS REPLY MAIL lieve that my exhibit had a er was mailed during the test period for electronic postage. [ALIKA.. In January, at the Sandical chance because it tells a com- HAROLD F. BYRD the gold awarded to the exhib- Figure 2 illustrates a cover show in San Diego, my exhib- plete important story with that represents the type of ma- sax 2 0 0 2 it "Personal Computer Meter it "Personal Computer Meter very scarce material. Postage, a Revolution and a terial found throughout the Postage, a Revolution and a SAN YS%DRO, CALIFORNIA The story is how the 1954 Success" is that it is an exhib- exhibit. It is an envelope sent Success," was awarded a gold L Liberty-series stamps figured it of material from 1998 until July 13, 1999, at the domestic medal, and at the Aripex show in the development of impor- 2005 (contemporary), and it Priority Mail rate of 53,20 per in Tucson, Anthony Dewey's Figure 1. Airmail business reply mail envelope franked with tant mail-handling procedures the 10¢ Liberty-series value. Airmail reply mail is uncom- shows covers mailed with me- pound rate. exhibit "First U.N. Issue in the 1950s and 1960s, The ter stamps. The imprinted stamp is the 1951" received a gold and the mon, and this use with postage paid by the 10¢ Indepen- exhibit uses examples of near- dence Hall stamp is extremely rare. The exhibit illustrates an third -type introduced by grand award. ly every type of mail service important story: the develop- E-Stamp Corp. E-Stamp was exhibits arc now judged -- no exhibit took 14 years to reach Then in October at the available during the period. ment of postage downloadable the first corporation (in 1998) matter what time period of the the gold level. When I first ex- Sescal show in Los Angeles, Figure 1 is an example of via one's personal computer. allowed by the U.S. Postal material they contain — on hibited it about 10 years ago, my exhibit "Uses of the 1954 the type of material found This type of franking today Service to introduce personal their completeness and on the it won a silver. Four years af- Liberty Series" was awarded a throughout my exhibit, a re- is an important source of computer postage. This Figure importance of the story they ter this, even as I thought I gold and the grand. turned airmail business reply postage. The U.S. Postal Ser- 2 cover is from the testing pe- tell. was finding great material, it The Liberty-series exhibit mail envelope postmarked July vice has offered it under the riod, and it is a rare use. Obviously, as the recipient continued as a vermeil-level and the U.N. exhibit are the 6, 1964, and franked with the name Click-N-Ship since May Are you among the many only such modern-period of two of the gold medals, I exhibit. 100 Independence Hall stamp. 2002, and online auctioneer collectors of modern and con- Because of the input of a (1951-68) exhibits to receive a can he considered to be a bit This 100 stamp indicated eBay has made it available temporary covers? grand award at a U.S. national prejudiced, but 1 think that number of astute judges, 1 payment by the mailer of 80 since 2004. If so, think of exhibiting show that participates in the the judges and exhibitors are changed the whole thrust of (per ounce) for the airmail re- As with the 1954 Liberty them for others to enjoy. You American Philatelic Society's to be congratulated for their the exhibit twice. It was the turn plus a 2¢ business reply series story, the success of my too could win a gold medal. show circuit called the World continued growth in the un- judges who pointed out vital mail fee. personal postage exhibit has • Series of Philately. derstanding of these concepts. elements of the Liberty-series Airmail return of such mail relied on vital advice from In other words, contempo- Let me explain why I think story that I was ignoring. is so uncommon that this use judges that leads me to tell a Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Beecher are the coauthors of two very rary material can win a gold that the awards were reason- Even as recently as summer of the 100 stamp to pay the complete and important story. useful books on US. domestic and inter- medal, and modern material able and why 1 and others are 2005, I still had not fully real- postage and fee is thought to It also depends on extensive national postage rates since 1872. The books can be ordered at the site or from can win a grand award. excited about these results. ized the depth of the story that be unique. At present this is research arid searching on my dealers in philatelic literature who ad- Those who have been First, let me make it clear needed to be told and how to confirmed by my census of part to build an exhibit with vertise in Linn's classified ad section. The web site is located at around the exhibiting world that my results did not happen tell it, In other words, I had such Liberty-issue covers. many rare examples of exper- http://www.spiritone tbr the past 25 years know that overnight. Both of my exhibits exceptional material but an in- The remarkable thing about imental material. .com/-tonpvaw1. • Modern U.S.Mail 10 AndrewJacksonregular-issuestampused formakeuppostage purpose. brown JohnJ.Pershing, paragraph, theircoiland booklet versions, anair- ries. mail stamp,and postalsta- issue, ortheOrphanse- 12 what collectorscallthe tives that eachserved a tionery. ton stampsandabooklet stamps namedinthefirst gray GeorgeWashington Bureau issueincludesthe By TonyWawrukiewicz ton stampwereeventually Jackson and50Washing- Jackson definitivesheet Sixth andaHalfBureau version ofthe spectively, inpanesof100. stamps wereissuedNov. issued aswell. and March22,1963,re- and the1greenAndrew 17, 1961,Nov.23,1962, The stampsarepartof Coil versionsofthe10 The stamps weredefini- The SixthandaHalf The UnitedStates80 LINN'S STAMPNEWSJANUARY9,2006 50 Washing- 50 of theLiberty series. the 10Jacksonstampof reau issue. nent American series was column ofNov.14,2005, the SixthandaHalfBu- ton stamps. derpaid bearingonlythreelcWashington stamps.Thelepostage discussed the stamp didnot complete- stamp, thenew10Jackson George Washington stamp ly replacethe current10 due waspaidinLoomis,Calif.,with a1cAndrewJacksonstamp. Figure 1.AUnitedStatesdomesticsurface-ratepostcardsentun- ,/ sa TErunderaeast 11/109fitiMS PrPriosated litOP,My. 'Bent!ramH eater. fasski reibriiat thli By the time thePromi- The ModernU.S.Mail This articlefocuseson Unlike the50Washington c7 oc tl initin be det was armed i , yerw-In-

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iPIA4.)\4 c — asamakeupstamp however, the1Washing- new 60domestic surface new rateswereintroduced. at mostpostoffices. uses ofthestamp. ton wasnolongerinstock I amtryingtofindunusual stamp paying theadded it wasmeanttobeused amples ofthe 10Jackson Jackson stamp,mainlyas introduced inthelate1960s, 10 necessary topay the For instance, I haveex- I collectusesofthe10 L-IpLih r 1 1 z, "Postage due1cents." that thesendingpostoffice postcard ratepostmarked (Loomis, Calif.,)hadthe10 the 10Jackson stamp. the 10Jacksonstampthat due amount. ple ofanearlierusethe George Washingtonstamps on apostcard. Theadded other useofthe 10Jackson while thereceivingpostof- when therecipientpaid was affixedtothepostcard fice markedthepostcard on thedayratesstarted, letter rateandthenew50 underpaid. Itbearsthree10 with theauxiliarymarking Argentine stamp makes the the periodof40ratebut face-rate postcardsentin fice (Omak,Wash.)carried Washington stampinstock, and ispostmarkedJuly9, was dueisindicatedby stamp, as amakeupvalue Jan. 7,1968. 10 Jackson,adomesticsur- 1965. The sendingpostof- Figure 1showsanexam- Payment ofthe10that Figure 2illustrates an- It isinterestingtonote the centralpostofficeof pickup bytherecipient. meaning oneaddressed to 1965. Anotherstampwasadded general delivery,for later 5c Washingtonstamps,forthe'I ton stampstomakeupthe new rate. added totwo50Washing- card anicemixed-issueuse. is aposterestante item, at the110rate. Buenos Aires. Thatis,it Argentina, correctlypaid ternational airmailuseto Figure

cF!S The 10Jacksonstampis The cardisaddressedto The postcardisanin- A general delivery fee TAt 041 ',1,41 rxrba lamedbyIn:meal:14ace"Orsawait*Tarn tiolati sadiazimut*JoacamppelviolerobiCleer gavel& gowthern tan* cadDitmeyera glad IS OTP sadAulissk wtous*,is*liimpike, — 2. Amakeup-rateuseof ntz woetz'ssAmr:inatrvikr" Mtwara ssr j SUSAIC0.0013 MOW= Co. rhis a Asmod% W.EVIS VAITOI aclassagar cumtroll dire* serol•wost Foul* h as 3haunt•...I 'win tam S. 1c ratetoArgentinainFebruary the 14Jacksonstampwithtwo POST CgRD by thepostofficeinArgentina. since 1872.Thebooks canbeor- the fee. the timerecipientpaid the cardandpostmarkedat philatelic literature whoadvertise very usefulbooksonU.S.domes- gentina thatwasaddedto and thispaymentisindi- cated bythestampofAr- was requiredfordelivery, tic andinternationalpostagerates dered atthesiteor fromdealersin in Beecher arethecoauthorsoftwo Linn's Tony WawnikiewiczandHenry The web site islocatedat http://www.spiritone .com7 classified adsection. —tonywawl. • www.linns.com

12 LINN'S STAMP NEWS FEBRUARY 13, 2006 www.linns.com Is it really a Priority Mail item? Covers from before 1980 remain elusive United States Priority that, even though air parcel items and discuss them in There was a 30 conve- Piaiit Slav Mail is the zoned service post became Priority Mail more detail. nience overpayment. tirih +MUM for mailing via airmail in 1968, uses are just not Figure 1 illustrates a la- The insurance fee paid 'OA 51-EW. CaN 22/01 all matter over a certain found until after 1980. bel from an undated item is deduced by figuring the weight. The service is a I mentioned that I would weighing up to 3 ounces least amount of conve- less-expensive alternative love to hear from readers (mailed during Dec. 31, nience overpayment. who have pre-1980 Prior- 1975, to April 17, 1976) as Because both of these ity Mail examples. insured domestic airmail. items were insured, they Modern U.S. Mail Two readers responded It is franked with 670 post- had to be mailed as airmail By Tony Wawrukiewicz with items that seemed age. items or Priority Mail, not to be 1970s Priority Mail The insurance hand- at first-class rates. for mailing heavier first- uses. The owners of these stamp is unnumbered, so Handstamps on the covers class items and parcels by very interesting items that means the 200 mini- indicate that the first item w_ 4.6 I/4 St. air. are Roger Brody and Jim mum insurance fee was was supposedly mailed as ininemrialAB. M24 .53:44 In the Modern U.S. Mail Ryan, and I thank them for paid (up to $15 indemnity), a Priority Mail item, while column of Aug. 8, 2005, their contributions. as was 470 airmail postage the second was mailed as a Figure 2. A large envelope similar to the Figure 1 piece that also I discussed my experience I'll first describe the two (170 per ounce for first combined airmail and Pri- is handstamped "Priority Mail." It is not a Priority Mail item. ounce, 150 per ounce for ority Mail item. two additional ounces). Or were they? points in future columns on After a short period of The period of use is de- The postage paid for various other mailed items, time after each nondenomi- duced from the combina- each item was at the air- that things are not always nated stamp was released tion of the airmail rate and mail rates of the period, not what they seem. (usually about two weeks), the insurance fee. at Priority Mail rates. True Priority Mail items a notice appeared in the Figure 2 shows a simi- This is because the items from before 1980 remain United States Postal Bul- lar item, one weighing up were not heavy enough for very elusive. letin that explained how the to 5 ounces and mailed the Priority Mail rates of stamps could be used. nr. John T. tishburn Box 441 Nov. 30, 1976, as insured the time to apply. From my conversations If a fully prepaid inter- Woodstock, VA 22644 domestic airmail. It bears Both items were not with collectors since my national mail item bearing $1.40 in postage. mailed as Priority Mail but column of Jan. 10, 2005, nondenominated postage On this item, a 600 in- correctly as airmail items. on nondenominated U.S. inadvertently entered the hiority Mita surance fee was paid ($15 The Priority Mail hand- stamps, not a single postal system, it was not to to $50 indemnity) as was stamps are incorrect as ap- collector has known the be returned to the sender. 770 airmail postage (170 plied to the covers, for rea- column's major point It was to be sent on Figure 1. Front of a parcel marked "Priority Mail," from an item per ounce for the first sons I cannot explain. that nondenominated to the international ex- weighing up to 3 ounces and mailed sometime from Dec. 31, ounce, 150 per ounce for The point of this column, stamps can be used for change office for dispatch 1975 to April 17, 1976. It really is not a Priority Mail item. four additional ounces). and f will make similar franking international xz ail. to its destination. • 22 LINN'S STAMP NEWS MARCH 13, 2006 www.linns.com Common sense determined handling of domestic, international airmail In the Modern U.S. Mail 80 per ounce. The sender simply used the of the "Via Air Mail" en- column for Nov. 14, 2005, I As reader Robert I Cum- airmail envelope because it dorsement. illustrated the cover shown mins noted in a Readers' was handy. Only the 80 per ounce here in Figure 1. It is a Opinion letter in the Dec. What do postal regula- surface rate postage was domestic airmail envelope 12, 2005, Linn :s, the cover tions and guidelines say? paid rather than the 300 for postmarked Nov. 27, 1964, traveled all of about eight A number of guidelines the 150-per-1/2-ounce air- miles, from Flushing, N.Y., were in effect at some time mail rate that applied. To and Harding .... Lloyd's kgents to downtown Manhattan. between 1925 and 1964 that International Adjustor* and Marine Survey° The cover was mailed Modern U.S. Mail The hand stamp "Not in might relate to this interest- eo Bnulevarl Houssaann, P.rte from Army Air Force Post By Tony Wawrukiewicz the Air Mail" was added, ing domestic airmail cover. Office 219 (Croix Chapeau, and the "Via Aerea" airmail Sometime between July 1, France) to a civilian, foreign with only the surface post- imprint on the envelope was 1925, and July 1, 1926, the address in Paris. age paid with a 50 George not deleted. United States Post Office The auxiliary marking Washington stamp (Scott Cummins pointed out Department determined that Figure 2 . This 1-ounce airmail letter sent in 1957 from an APO in "Returned for Additional 1229). At the time, the do- that this cover was not car- special envelopes designed France to a civilian foreign address in France bears 80 postage for Postage, 220" and the en- mestic surface postage rate ried by airmail because no for airmail service were the U.S. domestic rate, not the 30$ rate for international airmail. dorsement "Via Air Mail" was 50 per ounce, while the such service existed be- not allowed for non-airmail were obliterated. The cover domestic airmail rate was tween the two addresses. mail. The special envelopes As of Oct. 8, 1958, mail of should not have been hand- apparently was delivered could be used only to mail any class that was received stamped "Not in the Air in Paris without additional items by airmail. either at the office of mail- Mail" because, according postage having been paid. As of Feb. 16, 1954, if a ing or the office of address to regulations, it continued Was this item handled domestic airmail item paid without any postage or with- to be an airmail item and correctly? at least the domestic surface out sufficient postage was to would not be sent on as a The letter, mailed in 1957, rate but not the domestic be marked to show the total surface item. was handled correctly if it airmail rate, it was to be deficiency of postage. I agree with Cummins, were treated as a domestic marked "Returned for Post- The item was then to be however, that apparently the item, as with the Figure 1 age," or if more expeditious, dispatched promptly to the postal worker showed some cover. As an international the postal clerk worker addressee by means of regu- common sense and knew item, however, the answer is should obliterate the airmail lar mail, including airmail, that the letter was only trav- not clear because I can find endorsement and dispatch and delivered to the address- eling for eight miles via sur- no similar rule for foreign the item by surface means. ee on payment of the charges face mail. mail. In other words, from Feb. marked on the piece. The airmail envelope was The cover originated at Figure 1. Mailed Nov. 27, 1964, this letter is franked with a 5$ 16, 1954, through Oct. 7, In theory, the Figure 1 air- essentially unnecessary and an APO address, where it Washington stamp. A reader noted that the cover traveled all of 1958, special airmail enve- mail cover of 1964 should the 50 postage paid was all was handled by U.S. mili- eight miles from Flushing, N.Y., to downtown Manhattan. Only lopes could be handled as have been sent on to the that was needed to perform tary personnel who pos- the domestic surface postage rate of 5$ per ounce was paid. surface items. addressee with 30 due. It the service that would occur. sibly knew the regulations This was possibly why the for domestic mail and who "Not in the Air Mail" auxil- handled the item expedi- iary marking was used. tiously, sending it by surface The item shown in Fig- mail over the short distance ure 2 also was handled within France. somewhat irregularly. This These two covers are in- international airmail letter, teresting examples of han- weighing up to 1 ounce, was dling that might have been mailed Aug. 18, 1957. It affected by a less than rig- when you consign your U.S. or was sent via airmail because id approach by the postal WnrlewMa Qfn idtmc gr reixrchrel of the envelope and because workers involved. U 48 LINN'S STAMP NEWS APRIL 10, 2006 www.linns.com Auxiliary markings: more than just the red pointing-finger marking It is hard to believe that ers who are interested in of the Boer Republics, aux- IXIE 2o72 t 13 08/27/0 more than two years have auxiliary markings were iliary markings on Tasma- RETURN TO SENDER NO MAIL RECEPTACLE passed since John Hotchner first attracted to the point- nian registered mail, aux- UNABLE TO FORWARD and Douglas Quine had the ing hands used in returning iliary markings on first-day RETURN TQ 5ENDER 0 Undeliverable as wonderful idea of forming mail to the sender when it covers, return-to-sender Figure 5. This label originates from the older U.S. Computerized military markings, sprayed- Addressed Forwarding System. ons, Canadian markings, 0 MovediLeft No Address Modern U.S. Mail lists of auxiliary markings beautifully explains the club has started one. 0 Unclaimed By Tony Wawrukiewicz available from the Post Of- Postal Service's Comput- It is an ongoing pro- fice Department in the early 0 Refused erized Forwarding Sys- cess, but the list is up to 10 the Auxiliary Markings 1900s, Hollywood fan mail ri Attempted, Not Known tem introduced in 1987 pages. It can be accessed Club. Both understood auxiliary markings, and El No Such Street and the Postal Automated at the club web site, cour- that there was a great deal much more. Redirection System intro- tesy of Douglas Quine, at of interest in the myriad The newsletter includes 0 No Such Number duced in 2003. postal-markings.org. auxiliary markings found everything from brief ar- LI No Receptacle These forwarding sys- Anyone interested in on United States mail. ticles on one-of-a-kind Deceased tems are ways of speed- joining the growing Aux- The term "auxiliary mark- Figure 2. A "Forwarded" auxil- markings to attempts to H Vacant ing up mail processing iliary Markings Club can ings" refers to all the postal iary marking advertised in the categorize one type of through automation and download an application markings applied by manu- 1874 U. Postal Bulletin. marking or the markings Figure 4. Many sources supply by changing the site where form at web site. script, handstamp, label or could not be accepted by of one city. the U.S. Postal Service with mail is processed. Annual dues are $15 and by other means that indicate the U.S. Post Office De- The society is interested multimessage auxiliary hand- The two yellow labels include the 2006 newslet- that the covers were given partment or be delivered. in locating the sources of stamps such as this. pictured in Figures 5 and ters. Each of the first two special attention because of One of the lead articles the various auxiliary mark- 6 are from each of these years of the newsletter are some special circumstance. in the second newsletter ings. For example, the so- societies journal discussed systems. It would take an- available for $15 per year. The club today has more illustrated the pointing ciety has determined that the many distributors sup- other column to explain Send requests to Ger- than 160 members, and it hand shown in Figure 1. as early as 1874 markings plying the Postal Service the two in detail. ald Johnson, Membership produces a newsletter on This remarkable purple with multimessage auxil- a quarterly basis that I edit "Return to Writer" mes- iary markings such as one 760 1 10 09/15/OS called Auxiliary Markings. sage is inside a pointing shown in Figure 4. RETURN TO SENDER Unclaimed. NO MAIL RECEPTACLE I suspect that most read- hand that in turn is within Eventually it is hoped UNABLE TO FORWARD a fancy grid in the shape that catalogs of auxiliary GC: 08404713335 *0351-01381-09-35 of a light bulb. Figure 3. Post Office Depart- markings will be pro- The marking, used in ment "Unclaimed" marking duced by the members, Ill1.111111.1.1111111111.11b,11.1.11111111 111 J I I LU_JILL.I I.I.1.i.I.1111 Jerseyville, Ill., in 1888, is advertised in a 1909 post of- and various articles have fice department publication. Figure 6. This label originates from the new U.S. Postal Auto- the only example known. discussed possible clas- mated Redirection System. The focus of the club is such as the "Forwarded" sification systems for the much more extensive than marking shown in Figure markings. Because there is no bibli- Secretary, Auxiliary Mark- the many pointing-hand 2 were advertised in the An article in the April ography for articles, books ings Club, 6621 W. Victo- markings. For instance, Postal Bulletin. 2006 Auxiliary Markings and monographs concern- ria Ave., Kennewick, WA the group is interested in It also has reported the reflects one of the new ing auxiliary markings, the 99336. U and studies markings of earliest use in 1909 of the directions the newsletter Figure 1. This remarkable pur- both the United States and Post Office Department is taking. The article by ple "Return to Writer" mes- the rest of the world. advertised markings, such Michael Ludeman is titled Frogs of Netherlands Antilles sage is in a pointing hand that Since the club's found- as the "Unclaimed" mark- "Automating the Mail For- The Netherlands Antilles features frogs on four stamps in turn is within a fancy grid in ing, it has published articles ing shown in Figure 3. warding Process." issued March 10. Shown are green tree, dyeing poison, the shape of a light bulb. about "Too Late" markings Another article in the This seminal article blue poison and phantasmal poison frogs. www2illionsofstamps.com MAY 8, 2006 LINN'S STAMP NEWS 73 U.S. rate changes: postcards showing date of rate change difficult to find

I am a United States Postal Service breathing space it needs for making nec- rate-change-aholic. You have probably essary software and hardware changes. noticed that I frequently comment on This means that few, if any covers, are covers I have found on the day before or dated on the day of the actual rate change. the day of a rate change. As I have noted, This makes the next day, Monday, the effective day of the rate change as far as Modern U.S. Mail having covers available to collect. Figure 3. Stamp corner of a commercial postcard Even so, this column will discuss uses dated Jan. 9, 2006. It is franked with a 23c George By Tony Wawrukiewicz of Jan. 8, the actual date of the 2006 rate Washington stamp and is kestral stamp. change, and Jan. 9, the realistic date of the ^ „

such covers are not easy to find years rate change because Jan. 8 was a Sunday. 60.24..... US,ALICITAGE Moreover, as I have stated, the reality after a rate change. Although few post offices are open on is that items mailed Jan. 9 are de facto ID I JAN '61-2131:0 Therefore, now aggressively look for Sundays, and there is little canceling of from ZIP 'nig day-of-rate-change items too. commercial uses and produce philatelic mail on Sundays, canceled mailpieces do I find such items, which are not easy to (souvenir) uses for any new rate change. exist for this date. How can this be? locate, mostly by dumpster-diving in post For many years, major U.S. rate chang- Usually airport mail facilities arc open office trash receptacles. es have occurred on a Sunday, when most on Sundays. They cancel Express Mail earkla cver, 771 V00503110 Figure 3 shows the stamp and cancel

post offices are closed. Presumably this and Priority Mail and send those pieces 111.1.1.3/141,41111d11111.11.1111.11111111114f11111.11111111.1111 of one of two commercial postcards I is done to give the Postal Service the on to their destinations. PRISM NW found Jan. 9. This one is franked with Also, if postal workers at these facilities PO Box 19568 a 230 George Washington stamp and l0 Portland, OR 97280-0568 are willing, it is possible to get handback American Kestrel stamp as the makeup- cancellations, a process that is not always Figure 2. Stamp corners of two postcards rate stamp. I consider this a gem because allowed by the less knowledgeable clerks. franked with computer-generated stamps: a it is so hard to find such a use. Figure 1 illustrates a postcard frank- 24 Endicia meter stamp and a Postal Service Note that all of these items are post- ed with a 240 Automated Postal Center postage validation imprint, each dated Jan. cards. 1 did get letter uses too, but as I stamp dated Jan. 8, 2006, and handcan- 8. The covers are postmarked Jan. 9 but still have noted in other columns, postcard celed the same day. are considered to be day-of-rate-change items. uses are to me more dramatic because I took this item to the airport mail postcards franked with meter and postage facility at Portland International Air- a Postal Service postage validation imprint stamps are much harder to find. port, where the postal clerk gave me a and a 240 Endicia computer-generated me- handback cancel. I could have gotten ter stamp, each dated Jan. 8, 2006. Tony Wawrakiewic: and Henry Beecher arc the co- such a cancel using normal stamps, but Although the two postcards (shown authors of two very useful hooks on US. domestic and Figure 1. Postcard franked with a 246 Automated no 240 non-meter stamp for the new rate cropped) were mailed at the airmail facil- international postage rates since 1872. The hooks can Postal Center stamp dated Jan. 8, 2006, the day he ordered at the site or from dealers in philatelic lit- was issued until March 8. ity on Jan. 8, they were not postmarked erature who advertise in Linn's classified ad section. of the recent rate change. The stamp is handcan- Figure 2 pictures two more examples that until Jan. 9. I consider them actual day- The web site is located at celed at the airport mail facility in Portland, Ore. I created. These postcards are franked with of-rate-change items. hitp://www.spiritone.comi-lonvwaw1. • 12 LINN'S STAMP NEWS JUNE 12, 2006 www.linns.com U.S. Liberty series:• covers to Mexico• difficult• for collectors to find Covers from the United "Circulation Prohibida" mail letter of Jan. 13, volved in a fraudulent en- Slates to Canada are very and "Fraudulent" hand- 1965, was correctly sent terprise. The U.S. auxiliary common. Because Mexico stamps, which were ap- to Mexico at the domestic marking reads "Fraudu- also borders the United plied in Mexico. 80-per-ounce airmail rate. lent, Mail to this address States, one might think sim- The Mexican postal Like the first cover, this returned by order of the ilar covers sent to Mexico service returned the let- is a very uncommon use Postmaster General." The letter was thus re- turned to the U.S. DLO. Modern U.S. Mail There it received the hand- By Tony Wawrukiewicz stamp "Received from country of Address and re- are just as easy to locate, turned by Dead Letter Br. but this is just not so. [branch], Wash. 13, D.C." Figure 2. This letter sent in 1965 was correctly mailed to Mexico I have collected uses The DLO returned it to at the U.S. domestic tic-per-ounce airmail rate. The letter was of the Liberty series for the sender Jan. 10, 1966, returned first to the United States Dead Letter Office and then more than 14 years, yet approximately one year was returned to the sender approximately one year later. the cover shown in Figure after it was mailed. I addressed to Mexico is also collect uses of the dence between the United United States to Mexico one of only two I pres- 80 John J. Pershing stamp States and Mexico. shown with this column ently have for my exhibit. and the 60 Franklin D. Also, for similar rea- did not reach their address- I also have a third ex- Figure 1. This 1959 letter from the United States to Mexico is Roosevelt stamp. sons, I suspect that rcla- ees in Mexico. Although ample that does not fit in franked with the 44 Abraham Lincoln stamp, to pay the 4c-per- They were common- tively fewer collectors they still are remarkable my exhibit and is not il- ounce domestic letter rate. The letter was sent to a person invotved ly used from 1963 until and dealers were located covers, an item that actu- lustrated here. in a fraudulent enterprise but was returned to the sender, as 1973, but I have no uses in Mexico compared to ally reached the addressee This 1-ounce, first-class noted by the many auxiliary markings stamped an the envelope. of either stamp on a cover Canada. This would result there would he rarer. letter to Mexico mailed Jan. or card mailed to Mexico in fewer items mailed to U.S. covers to Mexico 22. 1959, is franked with ter to the United States. because the letter is ad- from the United States. Mexico being saved. in the 1950s, 1960s and the 40 Abraham Lincoln where on Feb. 16, 1959. dressed to Mexico. I can only speculate Note that the two ex- 1970s are rare. Any such stamp, paying the 40-per- the Dead Letter Office in The franking of the K0 why it is difficult to find amples of mail from the use is a wonderful item. • ounce domestic rale. At the Washington, DC., marked Statue of Liberty stamp these uses to Mexico. time, United States domes- it "Returned to Sender." is equally remarkable be- Perhaps it is because 40 tic rates also applied on mail The second example. cause this stamp is rarely years ago Mexico was not U.S. 390 Florida Wetlands Oct. 4 to Mexico and Canada. shown in Figure 2, is a found paying the 80 rate. as industrially developed The first-day ceremony uled for Oct. 4 at the Naples The addressee was in- similar use to Mexico, one This cover never reached as was Canada, and there for the United States 390 Zoo in Naples, Fla. The U.S. volved in fraudulent ac- from six years later. its destination because the was much less business Southern Florida Wetlands Postal Service announced tivities, per the cover's This up-to- I-ounce, air- addressee was also in- and personal correspon- stamps is tentatively sated- no time for the event. 40 LINN'S STAMP NEWS JULY 10, 2006 www.linns.com Items postmarked or endorsed 'parcel post' often only third-class mail I'm beginning to believe and more intriguing rate Fourth Bureau series. At the cover's lower left an indemnity up to $5. would cost 140 for up to that one of the important questions from the period A dumb (no date) oval is a manuscript "439" with This item was not sent first 1 pound. things the Modern U.S. prior to 1950, namely for Lexington, Ky., marking a "Lexington, KY, SEP class because first-class The label rules out the Mail column can do is ex- the eras of the Presidential cancels the stamps, as 18, 1937" two-line hand- mail could not be insured. possibility of a library-rate stamp series and other se- does a lightly struck du- stamp. With 5¢ used for the mailing. Also, no special ries. Therefore, my future plex marking. Above that is the letter insurance fee, that leaves fourth-class rate for books Modern U.S. Mail columns will include ma- At the cover's lower "D," which is the last let- only 11/20 for postage. existed at this time, and By Tony Wawrukiewicz terial from 1920 to date. right is a circular parcel ter of the handstamp In- Despite the label, there there is no indication this At least three times, I've post datestamp of Sept. 18, sured." Insurance was paid is no way that this is a item was a book. plain concepts that com- been asked about covers 1937, and at the left is the on this item, and at this fourth-class item. For ex- The mailpiece is a third- monly confuse modern such as the one shown in red label "Contents Mer- time the minimum insur- ample, parcel post mail class item. It is an up-to- postal history collectors. Figure 1. This cover, sent chandise — Fourth Class ance available was 50 for to Zone 7 at a minimum 2-ounces third-class piece In this regard, I have Sept. 18, 1937, is franked Mail," which then normal- been receiving more with 61/20 postage from the ly meant a parcel. 4. T? )( 71: 2 F . ANIL Th-rm C. 111- k I s Sec Ran it-I ft, eo, Cott,'r. (I r - Phoenix Hot el • Lexii,gm.,, Ky• 107.14. S------t-1K. CONTEN--T— EDW. FLIEDEri t MERCHANDISI - FOURTH CUSS filAlt At. ;WI WED 1.11A. Mar POSTMASTER: Y Fait POSTAL INYPFC.1,01.4 II 1.1.1.CESSAR SEcc)plo C. O. D. 5I' A R.3. Johnson, Box 13, 1.70 Salt Lake City, Utah. EATTLE WA Sfl. FAFicEL PosT C.O. D. Figure 1. This United States cover mailed in 1937 is franked with 6111 postage, of which 1Y24 Figure 2. This similar 1930 cover was sent via third-class rates as a c.o.d. item valued at $45.66. paid the third-class postage rate and 54 paid a $5 indemnity on the item. The 184 postage included 154 for the c.o.d. fee and 34 for third-class mail. www.ziiiionsofstarnps.com JULY 10, 2006 LINN'S STAMP NEWS 41 paid at the rate of 1 1/2¢ per "Parcel Post" is endorsed ever, required that all first- indications of parcel post cular datestamp cancels, able for dating in the par- 2 ounces. on the piece in ink. class matter be postmarked service, but they really are only undated ones. cel post third-class mail Third class then re- The parcel post circular with a date (and the hour, third-class items. Piszkiewicz has stud- areas. Thus, those devices ferred to items not in first datcstamp also fulfilled if available). There is such Why then are the parcel ied only cancels from had to be used for dating class (letters) or second the requirements for can- a dated cancel on the item, post circular datestamp Chicago, but he has nev- third-class matter. class (newspapers) that celing cash-on-delivery but it is a parcel post can- markings used and not the er seen a Chicago third- For some unknown weighed 8 ounces or less. (c.o.d.) items. cel, not a first-class can- similar third-class can- class-mail circular date- reason, it would appear Per Section 525 of This c.o.d. item was cel. cels? stamp. Without adequate that parcel post cancels the 1924 Postal Laws & valued at $45.66, which For the same reasons Leonard Piszkiewicz, data, it would appear that went out of use in the late Regulations, this insured meant that the c.o.d. fee discussed for the Figure who has studied Chicago this is true for post offices 1940s. item had to receive a can- was 150. Subtracting this I item, there is no way mail-handling processes nationwide. I have seen no covers cel on the front showing from the cover's 180 in this piece was a fourth- and postal markings, sug- It would appear that bearing parcel post can- the name of the post of- stamps (a pair of Fourth class item. The cover in- gests the following. only parcel post circular cels for the 1954 Liberty fice and the state. Because Bureau 90 Thomas Jeffer- stead must be an up-to- First, because third- and date cancels were avail- stamp series and later. • the piece was insured, the son stamps), leaves only 4-ounce, third-class item fourth-class mail matter date of mailing was also 30 for postage. sent at twice the I1/20-per- was really only separated required. The parcel post Because the first-class- 2-ounce rate. after April 15, 1925, by Cromwell, Conn., bourse July 9 circular datestamp satis- letter rate then was 20 per From seeing numerous weight, the two classes The Connecticut Stamp Collecting Festival dealer fied these requirements. ounce, why couldn't this similar examples mailed were generally both han- bourse (sales area) will be held July 9 at the Cromwell A similar cover is illus- be a first-class piece? It from various locations in dled in the same section of Crowne Plaza, 100 Berlin Road, just off exit 21 of Inter- trated in Figure 2, again has enough postage for the United States, I must a post office. state 91, Cromwell, Conn. an item marked as mailed first-class mail, and c.o.d. conclude that such insured For some reason, he There will be 20-dealers participating in the bourse. via parcel post. It bears mail could be sent first- and c.o.d. items are under- concludes from his Chica- Show hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. a parcel post March 19, class as of July 1, 1929. paid for parcel post ser- go study, this section did Admission and parking are free. For more information, 1930, circular datestamp. Postal regulations, how- vice. Many of them bear not have third-class cir- e-mail stampnews(cSaol.com or call 800-635-3351. 48 LINN'S STAMP NEWS AUGUST 14, 2006 www.linns.com Form 3606: U.S. certificate of bulk mailing used as early as 1948 1 recently saw images of four more than 10 in the group he saw. confusion for postal workers.

different examples of United Dillaway did not look at all the For instance, the Figure 1 form FKR FOR OF.RTIPICAIR States Form 3606, "Sender's dates, but of his group of four is franked with a 200 James A. I. ZOO piccia 14 tent" Statement and Certificate of covers, three are dated November Garfield stamp and an 80 Martin 101 10 1.040 plrevm.. ...... 15. csacm Bulk Mailing," with fees paid 1948 and one is dated 1951. The Van Buren stamp, both from the Each saldifiannl 1,000 pierti or Cnistion tlunerr- (villa three 1948 forms are from a firm Presidential series. r oh, floe ren.nomffl in olnkjno the regime. and ininint the terillicoto Is looter Moo 30 ininntro. the lnee tharnne AkIll ha !Mud on the ochrof limo coosorood M in Cleveland, Ohio, and the fourth This form was meant to docu- Om roll of 6I.:3 ocr hnor. Adtlitlonid cortificorm. I ctoto each. Modern U.S. Mail is from one in New York City. ment the mailing of 1,595 iden- By Tony Wawrukieveicz Figure 1 shows a use of a Form tical third-class mailpieces. The Figure 2. The fee schedule for Form 3606 is shown here. The fee schedule 3606 dated Nov. 17, 1948. The clerk interpreted the fee due apparently caused some confusion for postal workers. It was interpreted dif- with Presidential series stamps. purpose of the form is to document as follows: 100 for one to 200 ferently for both of the examples shown and explained in the column. Five such examples are known. a mailing of a large group of iden- pieces plus 150 for 201 to 1,000 The four examples discussed in tical first- and third-class items. pieces and 30 for an added 595 this column were discovered by The fee schedule for this ser- pieces, for a total of 280 due. Guy Dillaway 10 years ago. He vice is shown in Figure 2. The The clerk also could have in- recalls that there were probably chart apparently caused some terpreted the fee as follows: 150 NDER'S STATEMENT AND CERTIFI- for one to 1,000 pieces, and 30 CATE OF BULK MAILING

for an added 595 pieces, for a TM. ffinnlannent 147 oFeparod in in4 1x d 1. /.1. MAI& SENDER'S STATEMENT AND CERT! In oe returoto nith Fyn-Into ellownVe anintil *eyeing f.., oho, GATE OF BULK MAILING total of 180 due. I say this be- ale‘lfied ie. cause this alternative computa- IVA din..m.nn wle innuanni an inn lionellrin. 0.0.0 amernmil .1.. 6.. tion was used to determine the .1.1.4 .Mide;;11)1 rt.... tope. fee due for the identical Form 30.0n• an prwripd hrrnoilk .442 plate nf .1.4g4414nn• neatnir, tath p 4 / Akron., Oh413 3606 (including the fee sched- TatnI3Z4f , . Telni ule) illustrated in Figure 3. It is ... 3 c7.. Two. sr* gasmilanl ;524.... hialtreal ef 24 cinns motor..,(, ;I:bar...-t r. • TAW nmilwr shown graphically cropped. .:3 Figure 3. A Form 3606 franked with two 15t James Buchanan stamps of the by 0...son no Zhao. too 0.11q This March 7, 1951, Form 3606 was used to document the Presidential series. This form documented the mailing of 6,000 mailpieces Mat Imo *WO ft.P•i•Me d DCWO. of pL•c•• •+, mailing in New York City of via third-class mail in New York City. The fee was calculated as 304 needed P.. • WMIT.A.T. for the rate. The form shown here is cropped to picture only part of it. . . • 6,000 identical pieces of third- . . ... 1,141 class mail. It is franked with two this alternative became obvious Form 3606 are important be- 150 James Buchanan stamps. when Form 3606 was revised cause they push the usage of The clerk figured the fee as in the 1950s such that only the this form to as early as 1948. Figure 1. This "Sender's Statement and Certificate of Bulk Mailing" form (Form follows: 150 for one to 1,000 alternative approach was pos- So far I can only locate an 3606) is franked with two stamps of the 1938 Presidential series. The form pieces and 30 each for five ad- sible because of the way the fee official announcement of this documents the mailing of 1,595 third-class mailpieces. Some interpretation ditional groups of 1,000 pieces, schedule was then laid out. form back to a reference in the of the fee schedule is needed to calculate the postage needed for the form. or 300 due. The correctness of These four new examples of Post Office Manual of 1952. ■ 38 LINN'S STAMP NEWS SEPTEMBER 11, 2006 www.11nns.com Cover bears endorsement for international restricted delivery service Collecting only the Mailed Feb. 12, 1964. "Avis de Reception" is !igen." Translated it says, registration was 600. and derful cover. I say this not stamps of a country lim- from the United States to written above it. Part of the "To be delivered to the ad- airmail to Sweden was 150. only because 1 have my first its how far a collection can Sweden, the cover is frank- word "Avis" is torn of dressee in person." This adds up to $1.25. example of international go. There is a finite number ed with $1.36 in postage: There is also an endorse- This endorsement means Why the additional 110 restricted delivery use but of varieties to be collect- a $1 Patrick Henry stamp. ment in French and Swedish the letter was mailed with postage on the cover'? At also because I'm able to ed. For example, the Scott a 300 Robert E. Lee stamp at the upper left that says. the sender requesting re- the time, surface return share it with readers. stricted delivery. receipt service required an I am beginning to believe When 1 first saw this cov- added franking of 130. that until one sees a particu- Modern U.S. Mail er listed for sale, my first At the same time, air- lar use, it is hard to imagine By Tarty Wawrukiewicz reaction was that it seemed mail return receipt ser- that it exists and even to like an ordinary cover. vice required the same know to look for it. Standard Postage Stamp Fortunately, the seller added 130 franking plus In a future column, 1 Catalogue defines a collec- knew what it was and iden- the placement of an added will show other examples tion of United States stamps. tified it correctly, because 110 postage on the return of uses that at first glance For the United States I had never seen such an receipt postcard. are not what they seem. specialist, the list of vari- international restricted- Therefore, in either case, Each is another item eties is large because there delivery use for any stamp the letter should have been that I did not realize ex- are significant production series, much less the Lib- franked with $1.38, not isted until I saw it. varieties. But the number erty series, and I did not $1.36, so inadvertently the of stamps is still finite. recognize it as such. letter was underfranked. Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Such finality does not Still, 1 thought to my- There is no way of de- Beecher are the coauthors of two happen for collectors of self, "It can't be." termining whether the re- very useful books on L'S. domes- tic and international postage rates envelopes (covers) and When all else failed, 1 turn receipt was returned since 1872. The books can he or- other items franked with looked in my own inter- by surface or airmail be- dered at the rite or from dealers in adhesive stamps or the national rate book, United cause the return receipt philatelic. literature who advertise This registered cover, mailed from the United States to Sweden in Linn's classified ad section. equivalent of stamps. States International Post- card is no longer with In 1964, bears three stamps from the U.S. 1954 Liberty stamp The weh site is located at age Rates, 1872-1996, the letter. On a regular basis, I am series. The cover is a restricted mail use, as endorsed in French 10117. 11WWwSpinforir written with Henry Beech- In any case, what a won- can/--Tonywriw/. X confronted with new mail and Swedish in the upper-left corner. It is the first example of uses of the U.S. 1954 Lib- international restricted delivery known to the author. er and published in 1996. erty series. Some of the Page 233 provides a ta- Bourse Sept 16-17 in Plymouth, Mich. uses 1 never even thought and a 60 Theodore Roos- per a requirement of Inter- ble that gives the rates for might exist much less have evelt stamp. all from the national Mail Transmittal international restricted de- A 15-dealer bourse (sales area) will be held Sept. 16- searched for. Liberty series. Letter No. 38 of March 8. livery, reminding me that 17 at the VFW Hall, 1426 S. Mill St., Plymouth, Mich. The registered cover pic- In addition to the "Reg- 1961, "A resnettre en main such service is real. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to tured here seems perfectly istered" auxiliary marking propre or Far utlamnas en- in 1964, international re- 3 p.m. Sunday. Admission and parking are free. ordinary, but it is not so. at the cover's lower left, dast till adressaten person- stricted delivery cost 500, Telephone Steve Schinbeckler at 800-84 l -1245. 42 LINN'S STAMP NEWS OCTOBER 9, 2006 www.linns.com Registered international nonletter mail handled as U.S. certified mail If you attempt to mail requirement, the two inter- starting Oct. l 6, 1978. I a letter to another coun- national items illustrated determined this from the REG X ST KRET- 1ED k AT R itt„, • • KOOSID • CL aSS try using certified service, in this column were reg- International Mail Direc- the item will he returned tory istered when they entered of Oct. 16, 1978. Toy to you as unrnailable with the United States mail sys- It states that all mail reg- kr. . W.T. qmoh/e, •1/4 the endorsement "Cer- tem, but they were then istered by the country of P.C. Ear 11011, Tampa, vlorida 33680 handled as certified mail. origin must be given the 15, S. R . Modern U.S. Mail Why and when did this same handling as domestic is rasa occur? registered mail, except for ftL NO 14r50 Linahnor88r, By Tony Wawrukiewicz In 1996, when my book registered printed matter. 14, bLw United States Internation- which was to be handled tified Mail Limited to al Postage Rates, 1872- as certified mail once it Domestic Mail Only." 1996, was published, I entered the United States. Figure 2. This label from a "Registered — Printed Matter Second Class" item was mailed from In- Even with that limiting thought that this occurred This statement is not dia to Florida. This item was also appropriately marked "Handle as Certified Mail Within USPS." found in-the International the United States, it was United States, where cer- It is interesting to me Mail Directory of Jan. 2, marked with an auxilary tified service existed. But because it was a special 1 976, or in any intervening marking reading "Handle if one attempted to obtain type of printed matter, sec- transmittal letters or U.S. as Certified Mail Within certified service to a for- ond-class matter. Postal Service Postal Bul- USPS ." eign address, it would be In the final analysis, the letins, I assume it origi- This is per the Inter- refused because such ser- books I have written do nated in the Oct. 16, 1978, national Mail Directory vice does not exist outside cover the various uses of directory. of Oct. 16, 1978 (and per the United States. the United States mails in This cannot be true, presumably earlier refer- The item pictured in depth, but they are not the however, because of the ences that have yet to be Figure 2 is interesting for last word. 1973 cover illustrated in documented). another reason. It is a la- There is more to be doc- Figure 1. The handling of this in- bet endorsed "Registered umented. This envelope mailed ternational registered item — Printed Matter Second from India via "Book as certified mail in the Class" from an item mailed Tony Wawrukirwicz and Henry Post," as its label reads, United States before Oct. from India to Florida, sent Beecher are the coauthors. of two was sent registered in late 16, 1978, shows that there on an unknown date. very useful books on US. domes- tic and international postage rates 1973 and delivered in ear- are still nuances of the This printed matter item since 1872. The books can be or- ly 1974, according to the handling of international (actually second-class ma- dered at she sae or from dealers in Figure 1. Mailed in late 1973 from India at a "Book Post" rate, writing on the envelope. mail that have yet to be terial) was also appropri- philatelic furniture who advertise this registered letter was delivered to Oregon in February 1974. It was "Registered" in completely documented. ately marked "Handle as in Linn's classified ad section. The web site is located at It was sent "Registered" from India but marked "Handle as India and mailed to Port- Note that this item was Certified Mail Within hup://www.spiraone Certified Mail Within USPS" per the International Mail Directory. land, Ore. When it entered certified after it entered the USPS." .e0m1--ronywaw4M 30 LINN'S STAMP NEWS NOVEMBER 13, 2006 www.linns.com $12.30 in Presidential stamps used on domestic air parcel post envelope I am not a person of have got to buy it and find if one person has trouble cover mailed from Mount not sent via first-class. So was paid for each of the many aphorisms, but I am out." I took his advice, understanding a cover, Vernon, Wash., to Homer, the combination of a lot 35 additional pounds, for beginning to believe this and the next day I figured others will too, and the Alaska. of postage, an airmail en- a total $12,30. one: "What you have nev- out what it was. cover is therefore worthy Why so much postage? dorsement, postage on art It is so neat how this er seen may be invisible Many covers are diffi- of discussion here. Why a "Via Air Mail" envelope attached to a box rate works out. to you when you finally cult to figure out, a fact For instance, the owner endorsement" and tape and no first-class matter Domestic air parcel enclosed leaves only one post items are not all that JAMOXF' 7411111ffiri possibility: this was an en- rare, but the postage usu- Modern U.S. Mail ally appears on a tag and Yi:10 ,M1-23.vo c rut velope attached to an air By Tony Wawrukiewicz '1•1.---1'54-4-7. parcel post item. rarely on an envelope. The distance from As one can see, when observe it." This has been Mount Vernon, Wash., air parcel post postage ap- $1 to Homer, Alaska, is just pears on an envelope, it true for me. ViIR MAIL For example, in a re- less than 1,400 miles. This can be misleading. cent column I illustrated a makes it a package mailed United States internation- to Zone 6. Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry al restricted delivery cover From Table 10 in the Beecher ore the coauthors of two book US. Domestic very useful hooks on US. domes- that I would never have tic and international postage rates recognized except that the Postal Rates, 1872-1999, since 1872. The hooks can be or- dealer who sold it to me this works out that the dered at the site orfivm dealers in explained what it was. A ER Lialle box contained up to 36 philatelic literature who advertise , .,.rose. in Linn's classified ad section . confirmed his claim, and I Sallei claims r.L pounds. The weh ate is located at A total of 750 was paid then bought it. This 1950 domestic air parcel post cover, franked with $12.30 in 1938 Presidential series stamps, hap //wwri ..piritone.cont/ This was not the first for the first pound and 330 -ti n ywawl • was taped to a 36-pound box mailed from Mount Vernon, Wash., to Homer, Alaska. time I missed or almost missed buying an item be- that offers the opportunity of the March 1950 U.S. around the edge'? And why cause at first I did not ap- for many columns when airmail cover pictured the endorsement "Sender Volunteer mail in 'Posthorn' preciate it for what it was. collectors show me cov- nearby indicated that he claims no writing en- The August issue of Posthorn contains an article by I almost missed the only ers they do not understand had shown it to other col- closed" on the envelope? Alfred Kugel about mail from Swedish, Danish and out-of-mails use 1 have and that I am able to ex- lectors who were unable The tape is a clue, which Norwegian volunteers fighting for Finland in the Winter ever seen franked with plain. By the way, there to explain the rate for the is typically not present, War against the Soviet Union. Swedish volunteers had U.S. 1954 Liberty series are plenty of covers I can- item. because it indicates that their own field post office and postmarks. stamps. not explain. This cover is frank- the envelope was attached The Scandinavian Collectors Club publishes its jour- The dealer selling it am not writing about ed with $12.30 in 1938 to a box. nal quarterly. Annual membership in the club is $20. told me: "Tony, we don't these covers to show any- Presidential series postage The endorsement in- Write to Donald B. Brent, Box 13196, El Cajon, CA know what it is, but you one up. It is my belief that stamps. It is a domestic dicates that the item was 92022 or visit the web site at www.scc-online.org. 28 LINN'S STAMP NEWS DECEMBER 11, 2006 www.iinns.com Certified mail in combination with special delivery service began in 1955 United States certified livery when it reached the ceived both special delivery are dated March 1, 1961, mail service was intro- delivery post office. and restricted delivery ser- June 9, 1961, and June 29, duced nationwide June Recently 1 was asked vice (delivery to addressee 1962, respectively: 7, 1955. In some ways, when it was possible for a only) and a return receipt "For certified mail „ . certified mail service is certified item to also receive was requested. The postage special delivery services similar to nonindemnified special delivery service. paid was $1.24: 140 airmail are available upon payment It makes sense that postage, 200 certified mail of the prescribed fees." one might want a certi- fee, 300 special delivery Was this statement a Modern U.S. Mall fied item to be delivered fee, 500 restricted delivery clue to the puzzle? After Standard 00 Company at Catitomia By Tony Wawruklewlcz expeditiously. Could this fee and 100 return receipt all, Eeles' cover is dated P. 0. BOX 83} always be done? If not, requested fee. within the dates of the Phoenix, Arizona registry service except that when did it become avail- To learn when the com- transmittal letters. certified mail travels in the able for certified mail? bined services began, I Then Carl Cammarata ordinary mailstream. While this question was looked in two places, using presented a scan of the Figure Z. This 1956 business reply mail envelope was returned Any first-class mail- being asked, David Eeles the postmark date May 16, cover shown in Figure 2, to the Standard Oil Co. The fees for certified mall, special deliv- piece can be certified. showed me and others a 1961, as a starting point. I a business reply mail en- ery and return receipt were paid using postage stamps. Certification entitles the scan of the cover shown looked at both the Postal velope dated Feb. 7, 1956, sender to a record of when in Figure 1. Eeles is a spe- Bulletin and the Post Of- that was returned to the been the circular that an- enough to be shown forced the item was mailed and a cialist in the 30 Liberty fice Services Transmittal Standard Oil Co. nounced the certified ser- me to dig deep enough record of delivery at the series stamps and one of Letters published about The return surface do- vice to postal workers. that I was able to find the office of receipt. the authors of a new book July 1, 1961. mestic postage and the In paragraph 168.2, correct answer. Domestic special de- concerning the 1954 Lib- I had no success in find- business reply fee were the following statement Thanks to Ron Blanks, livery service, available erty series that is to be ing a Postal Bulletin refer- paid by Standard Oil, but concerns certified mail: David Eeles and Carl from 1885 through 1997, published in early 2007. ence, but I found the follow- the mailer, needing a re- . . and special delivery Cammarata for their ques- allowed speedy delivery The up-to-2-ounce air- ing statement in Post Office ceipt and rapid delivery, services are available on tions and assistance in of an important letter by mail cover was mailed May Services Transmittal Letter returned it by certified payment of the prescribed working out this puzzle. providing immediate de- 16, 1961. It was certified, re- Nos. 87, 91 and 112, that mail, special delivery and fees." A similar statement with return receipt. is found in Postal Proce- Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry The cover is franked dures Transmittal Letter 4 Beecher are the coauthors of two with a 150 Letter Carrier for Aug. 3, 1955. very useful books on U.S. domes- tic and international postage rates certified mail stamp (Scott Therefore, from the ini- since 1872. The books can be or- FA1), a 200 special de- tial availability of certified dered at the site or from dealers in livery stamp (E21) and a mail, this new service was philatelic literature who advertise in Linn's classified ad section. BMW. 010 ANFLOMS COMPRNSAT!tON 70 Andrew Jackson stamp allowed special delivery. DEPARFRENT OF LAWS The web site is located at 00 SAN SAKS (812) from the 1938 Presi- Fortunately, the ex- hq3:11www..spirione.cornI SAN FRANCISCO 11, C.ALIFOREA dential series for the re- amples I was fortunate —tonywawl ■ turn receipt fee. Apparently, my efforts had not dug deep enough. Postage dues, more in 'Vatican Notes' So I did more research, The November-December issue of Vatican Notes, pub- which I should have done lished by the Vatican Philatelic Society (membership, Sal in the first place, and Quinonez, 1 Aldergate, Apt. 1002, Riverhead, NY 11901' found Post Office Ser- includes articles on postage due varieties, a pastes,. Figure 1. This 1961 airmail cover was sent by certified mail with a return receipt requested. Post- vices Circular 4 of April ing a substituted stamp, new issues, cover age paid on the envelope totals $1.24, including special delivery and restricted delivery. 29, 1955. This must have 1870-1929 and the concessior-- 32 LINN'S STAMP NEWS JANUARY 8, 2007 www.linns.com U.S. fee for service for return receipt requested after mailing began in 1931 In 1863, almost from mail showing to whom an Enitett *tea foll Office faAN^J.Tir POR rittg.lkit till pro Aygice the inception of United item was delivered, when fkot Ohm latpartment PilirldICNIT POSTA.011. IWO Postmark:I': gelPO'k States domestic registered and to which address. The ankle described on the attached form was mailed on oFFicta. Busuir5s mail, it was possible for In addition, if a mailer 9129152. and was addressed as follows:. the sender of a registered neglected to ask for a re- ___Lit...3rottiern„itarkgit 4St ,,, kralretelPtlia2. item to receive a return turn receipt at the time of The seeder has not been Furnished o Delivery restricted to addremee Postmaster, mailing, for 50 the mailer a return receipt /equated at time could receive the basic re- of maaing,.. Modern U.S. Mail The sender hu paid the Ice For a ❑ Receipt to show address where turn receipt after the item return receipt after man& deEstrod. By Tony Wawrukiewicz was mailed. (Ma ifins raiisibitor will 444 iapputivriat bloats) Have the person whose receipt you held sign the attached reg4ipt_ Show date article wi* That post-mailing ser- delivered, postmark the me* and mail it direct to the fouler. receipt upon its delivery vice could be obtained only Detach this portico from receipt, showing to whom and on simple return receipts, 1.--4607U-1 Posbyguier. per when it was delivered. not on those that requested • Such receipts were pro- to know the address where Figure 1. A request form mailed from the postmaster of Lans- Figure 2. The free-franked side of the request form pictured in vided free of charge to the item was delivered. dale, Pa., to the postmaster of Philadelphia, Pa., indicating that Figure 1, bearing a 15t James Buchanan stamp to pay the fee the sender until April 15, When the sender of a a registered item was mailed Sept. 291 1952, to that city. due for the service of a return receipt requested after mailing. 1925. Also, from the in- registered article request- ception of insurance for ed a return receipt after transmitted it directly to request. I had never before istered item was mailed ed to collect-on-delivery mail, starting Jan. 1, 1913, mailing, the fee for the the sender. seen an example of this. Sept. 29, 1952 (my ninth items. By then, its cost had the same type of return service was collected. That is, the first post- It was mailed Nov. 19, birthday — I knew some- risen steadily to $3.75. receipt could be obtained The postmaster then pre- master sent the second 1952, from the postmaster thing special happened on By Jan. 10, 1999, the upon delivery of a domes- pared a return receipt form postmaster two items: a of Lansdale, Pa., to the that day). The request indi- fee was $7, but it dropped tic insured item. This was and requested the postmas- return receipt form to be Philadelphia postmaster. cated that "the sender has to $3.25 effective June 30, also a free service. ter at the office of address signed by the addressee It is franked with a 150 paid the fee for a return 2002. As of Jan. 8, 2006, Starting April 15, 1925, to obtain the receipt. Then and returned signed to James Buchanan stamp of receipt after mailing" and the fee is $3.45. a 30 fee was charged for stamps representing the the sender, and a request the 1938 Presidential se- asked the postmaster to this service. fee were affixed to the re- for the second postmaster ries. The stamp paid the "have the person whose re- Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Then as of March 18, quest and canceled, and the to obtain the receipt. The 150 fee (effective Jan. 1, ceipt you hold sign the at- Beecher are the coauthors of two 1931, two new types of re- request and return receipt request to obtain the re- 1952) due for the service tached receipt. Show date very useful books on U.S. domes- tic and international postage rates turn receipt service were were sent to the office of ceipt was to have the fee of a return receipt request- article was delivered, post- since 1872. The books can be or- available. address. charged, postage affixed ed after mailing. mark the receipt and mail dered at the site or from dealers in From that date, for 230, The postmaster there, and the stamp canceled. Both the form and a re- it direct to the sender." philatelic literature who advertise it was possible to receive a if the registered item was Illustrated in Figures turn receipt were mailed As of March 22, 1981, in Linn's classified ad section. The web site is located at return receipt for domes- delivered at his office, 1 and 2, respectively, are under separate cover. The the after-mailing return re- http.-14vww.spiritone.comi tic or registered insured completed the receipt and the reverse and front of a request noted that the reg- ceipt service was extend- —tonywawt ■ 26 LINN'S STAMP NEWS FEBRUARY 12, 2007 www.linns.com Demurrage fee paid with stamps extended hold and delivery for c.o.d. item In the United States, the terms of delivery of delivery or from the date 5¢ per day Nov. 1, 1944. bear any definitive series philatelic literature dealers domestic c.o.d. (cash on c.o.d. mail. the first notice of arrival The fee-free retention stamps. have it for sale from time delivery or collect on de- For example, for a 100 was issued. period for pick-up was 15 to time. livery) service originated fee, a c.o.d. item could be Starting Oct. 1, 1930, days, a period that includ- I hope that it does not This is also a good time July I, 1913. delivered without the col- for a 50 fee per day it was ed Sundays and holidays. surprise readers that I do for me to acknowledge the Uses of c.o.d. mail are lection of charges. possible for the sender of The demurrage fee card not have the information valuable part that collec- shown in the illustration for many rates and fees tors play in this column. I

ememel et seamy *roe *Pipe& ei ask is dated Aug. 22, 1950. It at the tip of my fingers, am privileged to have fre- Modern U.S. Mail bears 500 postage as pay- especially when I discuss quent opportunities to try a. e:_e; ) odwil By Tony Wawrukiewicz ment for a demurrage fee. types of postal artifacts to answer questions about Miro a• +.abw N as r ow in ej I The receipt attached to that 1 have never seen be- various services of the not easily found, espe- 1 A•den•f•Pe. the form is postmarked fore. Almost invariably, I U.S. Post Office Depart- cially uses after 1950. This Aug. 23. must read various docu- ment. Unfortunately, I do means that most c.o.d. The demurrage fee was ments in my library. not always succeed. ,I CD covers or wrappers in col- 1.4 paid by two 200 James For instance, the infor- After seeing or helping lector hands bear stamps ti Garfield stamps and a 100 mation used for the dis- out with an item, I am also of the 1922 Fourth Bureau ti 1 John Tyler stamp, both cussion of the demurrage privileged to have exam- issue or those of the 1938 part of the 1938 Presiden- fee and how it was used ples of rarely seen services Presidential issue. tial series. comes from reading the generously made available For those collecting uses A i1 The sender therefore Post Office Manual 1952. to me when I ask for per- bearing stamps of the 1954 This U.S. Post Office card, a request for demurrage (detention), is meant for the c.o.d. item This 1952 manual is the mission to picture them in Liberty series or later se- to be held an extra 10 non- only source for this type a column. dated Aug. 22,1950, and bears 50t in postage as payment for a de- ries, examples of c.o.d. holiday and non-Sunday of information that I am If I do not acknowledge murrage fee. The fee pays for the c.o.d. item to be held for an extra mail become scarce to aware of extant from be- someone here, it is because time past the normal period that was allotted by the post office. days (at 50 per day) after rare. This is true because the fee-free 15-day pick- fore 1970. I have been asked to not do mailers used the service A Form 3849-D was used an item to have it held for up period. The manual was meant this. My thanks to all who less after 1950, when there as a notice, with a 50 fee pick-up beyond the limited Because the demur- to be a how-to book for write. were so many other ways associated. It noted the non- period. This was called the rage-fee period excluded postal employees of the to send for and pay for delivery of a c.o.d. item. demurrage fee. Sundays and holidays, the time. It extensively dis- Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry merchandise. This is espe- There was always a In applying this fee, maximum amount of de- cusses how the post of- Beecher are the coauthors of two very useful hooks on U.S. domes- cially true in recent times. limited period of time for Sundays, holidays and the murrage that could possi- fice department operated tic and international postage rates There are ancillary ser- the addressee of a domes- day of delivery were ex- bly have accrued on Aug. at the time. A number of since 1872. The hooks can be or- vices associated with c.o.d. tic c.o.d. item to remove cluded. 22, 1950, was 650. copies of this book are dered at the site or from dealers in service. Starting July 1, it from the delivery post The fee increased to 100 This card is one of only available, including at the philatelic literature who advertise in Linn's classified ad section. 1930, using Form 3818, office. The period began per day as of March 21, two such demurrage uses American Philatelic Soci- The web site is located at a person could change after the first attempt at 1944, but it was reduced to that I am aware of that ety Research Library, and uww-spiritone.comi—tonywrrwl ■

34 LINN'S STAMP NEWS MARCH 12, 2007 www.linns.com Priority Mail: tag used in 1972, business reply envelope from 2006 The two items pictured Dwight D. Eisenhower. tag, shown cropped in Fig- from the previous mail with this column are fasci- The stamps affixed to ure 1, right, is the single category of air parcel post. 111 11 nating examples of United the front of the tag, shown 8¢ Eisenhower stamp. Effective Jan. 7, 1968, air-

States Priority Mail, one in Figure 1, left, are five The auxiliary marking mail service called Prior- 11.111.1.0111 from 1972 and one very $5 John Bassett Moore "Airmail" is on the re- ity Mail was allowed for BUSINESS REPLY MAIL recent. stamps, four $1 Eugene verse of the tag near the all matter over certain 4P:S.N.T The tag shown in Fig- O'Neill stamps and a 20¢ 80 Eisenhower stamp. weights. CAYttA UM, This mailing likely U.S. military mail is fig- re F•014 was insured airmail, and ured by using the eighth MOMS-1M VA 137Hh41703 Modern U.S. Mall because insurance at the postal zone, so the total By Tony Wawrukiewicz time cost at most 600, it $29.28 in postage and fees must have been a heavy works out as follows: 400 Figure 2. This Priority Mail business reply return envelope are 1 is a rare early use of item sent by airmail, or for $50 to $100 insurance was mailed by Capital One in 2006 to promote a high-yield Priority Mail that bears in- Priority Mail as it was indemnity and $28.88 for money market account. The return of this item would cost period postage stamps. Priority Mail weighing up Capital One $4.05 plus 110 for the business reply mail fee. I was able to use the to 36 pounds. Priority Mail chart for the The Priority Mail rate is Pictured in Figure 2, I am afraid I do not un- 1970s in my book United calculated as $4.08 (rate the cover is exactly what derstand the world of high States Domestic Postal effective May 16, 1971) it looks like a business finance, but this Priority Rates, 1872-1999 to un- for an up-to-5-pound reply mail envelope for re- Mail reply envelope cer- derstand the rate. The table package, plus $24.80 for turn by a customer — but tainly appears to be a big is in Chapter 7. the remaining 3i pounds it is at the Priority Mail waste of money. This item owned by of the package, at 80¢ per rate. But it is a perfectly legal Roger Brody is a tag post- pound. The envelope was mailed and correct use of business marked Aug. 16, 1972. Such a tag just had to out by Capital One in sum- reply mail, per the Dec. 1, The item was sent from a be out there, and others mer 2006 as part of a pro- 2005, Postal Bulletin. U.S. Navy vessel, but its should be as well, so keep motion for a high-yield name in the postmark is your eyes open for them. money market account. Tony Werwrukiericz and Henn• unreadable. Another surprise related in the current U.S. rate Beecher are the coauthors of two I presume that the item Figure 1. This tag was sent via insured airmail and Priority Mail to Priority Mail turned up structure, the return of this wry usefid books on US. domes- tic and international postage rates was sent to the United in 1972 from a U.S. Navy vessel, presumably to the United States. last year, a cover that 1 item would cost Capital Prominent Americans series postage stamps and an 84 Eisen- since 1872. The hooks can be or- States. find hard to believe really One $4.05 plus the 110- dered at the site or faun dealers in The tag bears $29.28 in hower stamp, a total of $29.23, are affixed to both sides, as pic- exists (my wife would call per-piece business reply philatelic literature who advertise postage stamps from the tured front (left) and back (right), cropped to show the one stamp. in Linn's classified ad section. it a "you're-kidding-me!" mail fee that applies to a The web site is located at Prominent Americans se- George C. Marshall stamp. called at the time. moment, with an appropri- high-volume business re- hapilwwwspiritone.coml ries of 1965-78 and an 8¢ On the reverse of the Priority Mail evolved ate roll of the eyes). ply account. --tonywawt 40 LINN'S STAMP NEWS APRIL 9, 2007 www.linns.com Liberty series stamps: forms for delivery inquiry, photocopy of money order A diligent collector of modern incompletely filled out, he could discover whether the item was The address side of the form mail uses, Carl Camrnarata, is without charge make an inquiry properly delivered. bears a single 300 Robert E. to thank for the opportunity to in order to ascertain delivery of Figure 1 shows a Form 542 Lee stamp (Scott 1049) and is see the two rare uses of 1954 the item. that was used for such a request. postmarked Aug. 17, 1967, in Liberty series stamps pictured . If the mailer did not request It was for a registered letter that Detroit, Ore. The 300 stamp was sent Oct. 5, 1964, via air- paid the fee to file the form. The 9..015,3 me rtmwor 41 , Narmerco mail by the Western Chemical card's penalty imprint covered Modern U.S. Mail Co. of Salem, Ore., to the Anti- the postage. By Tony Wawruklewlez 1.1.• gen Co. of Roscrea, Ireland. lar The following information re- • 101.1 The 200 Monticello stamp lated to the form is found in the •64444 MAI ORM T1., 10011.11 "*".. xmt SA _An% ..17 with this column. Both uses are (Scott 1047) of the Liberty se- Jan. 22, 1964, Post Office Ser- 174. g T ...I'M. sy on United States Post Office De- ries is postmarked Nov. 5, 1964, vices Transmittal Letter 139: Pia ;.. partment forms: Form 542 and the date of the inquiry. "A Photostat of a paid money Form 6065. Figure 2. George Young of Detroit, are., A Feb. 5, 1965, letter accom- order will be furnished to the used this Form 6065 to request a pho- During the period of the Lib- panies the inquiry form and indi- purchaser, payee or endorsee by erty stamp series (1954-73), the tocopy of a money order. The fee was cates that the registered airmail the Money Order Audit division correctly paid by the 300 Robert E. Lee POD actively encouraged inqui- article was appropriately deliv- upon payment of a charge of ries concerning possible losses, stamp affixed to the front of the form. ered Oct. 8, 1964. This informa- 300. Form 6065, 'Request for The front also served as the address. nondelivery or mistreatment of tion is also written on the front Photo Copy of Money Order' mail. Mailers used Form 542 to of the Form 542. shall be completed to show the The illustrated Form 6065 was make such an inquiry. There was a three month delay name and address of the person a request by George Young of The mailer of a registered from the time of inquiry to the re- or firm applying for the Photo- Detroit, Ore., for a photocopy of item sent overseas often would sponse. This is the only Form 542 stat [trademarked name of an money order No. 1,876,466,957. pay for return receipt service. Figure 1. This inquiry Form 542 dated I know of bearing a Liberty series early photocopy]. Paying for the return receipt and Nov. 5,1964, was used by the sender of stamp used as payment of the fee. "This Photostat will be mailed applying the return-receipt card a mailpiece who had not requested a Figure 2 shows both sides of directly to the applicant. The Tony Wawrukiewicz and Henry Beecher return receipt. He wanted to determine are the coauthors of two very useful books correctly would provide proof of a Form 6065 used to request charge of the Photostat shall be on U.S. domestic and international postage delivery of the item. • If correct delivery of an international a copy of a money order. The accounted for by affixing and registered airmail letter had occurred. rates since 1872. The books can be ordered If the fee for return receipt form, which is an unpunched canceling 300 in postage stamps at the site or from dealers in philatelic service was paid but the mailer return receipt service, he had to IBM computer card with a nor- on the back of Form 6065 to the literature who advertise in Linn's classified ad section. did not receive the return-receipt pay a 200 fee and request the mal angled corner, is dated "POD left of the Money Order Audit The web site is located at card or received one that was information using Form 542 to Form 6065 — July 1965." Division address." lutp:/lwww.spiritonecomf—tonywaw/ •

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POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT ..010 t PENALTY FOR MYATT USE TO AMID oniaAL 54.1314114 c.D ee OF POSTAGE. S300 17 der R M.' ffsms. 1967 97311:1 5E14D TO' or EL6 L961 GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE BLDG. hi 441 G STREET. Pt W WASHINGTON. D. C 20260

- REQUEST -FOR PtiOTO„CeFY Or A SIDNEY ORDER 4,9 • ; 99ax• s a-b d — • -•;•• up .74 a:9,• 9099919 =- .9.9,99.1 sitmw... , ric-ur,z=0 'IT ffe• 6 o4 1.re-ffiWiTct • 1,0n .prosS.A.d Oily ft i...,.. ,..11n • 1•44.)- LiS..1...1.16 04 ,,t.• 11'1III'Fiiii111111111 1111111111111 ,12:i7 o211p272/2:li I 1 17772? MKIWII• a, OW, 1“ . ----dPirniii OPM-VAMM. iNr1.16.11M MI a i 1 Ili 109 I 11111 3 111 4 & i., r.74.,_.4.1.1., 2 7 14 - JI- la-% 4 i% G 4 4 4 f--- 1$5.5 5 If MIA I ,, , „..i, .k 1 CZ c r 7 et V '1. 0-.?"1- itriurn ,,e• fat G 3 IV . . ,611.k. 11 Sittig . Ur Bo x -5-01 *Maw 4...4,4414 2... ::, e .it r a 7 1,-- (Preis..? q734. il r 71 i 7 i I 1.11?///1/7/7 ISleIU gig F,X8 I I Pro Ma : 11•In 1 ...A.mii .n...7--',.;. 1- n.. il I I " I t!. 111iiiiiI ,131,3011119i0fitirt11651 __I. 141...1 CM Ps 9-A •Gid - . • NE flat• -Ora-a. ••• nionam, Forms: delivery inquiry, copy of money order Thou be forno lame ph:bood In la YEW U.S._*... a In Linn s, April 9. page 40, but were shown In mad b road. They we nimbi! Moe in a low sies. Ms large form pictured above is a United Steles inquiry Form 542 dated Nov. 5, 1964, that was used by the sender of a mailpiece who had not requested a return receipt. He wanted to determine if correct delivery of an interna- tional registered airmail letter had occurred. The other lung, agromi front and back is a U.S. Form 5065 used to request a photocopy of a postal money wig The bort also served as the address. 42 LINN'S STAMP NEWS MAY 14, 2007 www.linns.cum Embargoed U.S. mail to Canada sent 1968-81 bears auxiliary markings At least five official announce- This column pictures four delivery points, the company fa- ments in the United States Post- handstamped auxiliary mark- cilitated the movement of simple al Service's (and Post Office ings: one from the 1975 em- RETURN TO SENDER letters (no parcels, registered Department's) Postal Bulletin bargo, shown in Figure 1; one SERVICE 'TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED mail or special delivery mail) from July 25, 1968, until July from the 1978 embargo, shown from the United States to Can- in Figure 2; and two markings Figure 2. A two-line "Return to Sender" auxiliary marking, on a cover sen ada, between some Canadian from the 1981 embargo, shown during the October-November 1978 Canadian mail embargo. cities, and from Canada to the Modern U.S. Mail in Figure 3, top and bottom. United States and to other coun- By Tony Wawrukiewicz Because of their style and be- marking and its cover. the marking was then crossed tries. cause it makes sense that the It would also seem likely that out and the postage applied for The letters were transmitted to 16, 1981, explained that mail to U.S. Post Office Department (or where there was an official an- the first mailing was considered Border Brokers Ltd. under sepa- Canada was being embargoed. the U.S. Postai Service) actu- nouncement of an embargo's end, still valid, and it carried the let- rate envelope. The letters were Each embargo resulted from a ally returned embargoed mail, I the movement of mail restarted ter to its Canadian destination. then carried by company vehicle strike by Canadian mail work- believe that these markings were before the announcement date. The specific bulletin an- between the company's branches. ers. applied in the United States by For the cover bearing the Figure nouncement information in this When the letter reached the des- The specific periods of em- U.S. workers. 2 marking, that would have been column is from "Appendix 4: tination city, the recipient was bargo, at least as announced by A cover from the 1975 period, earlier than Nov. 2, 1978. Suspended and Interrupted Mail notified and came to the branch the United States were July 25, bearing the marking "Embargo Two 1981 returned covers Service" in U.S. International to pick it up. 1968, to Aug. 9, 1968; April 22, Return to Sender" is postmarked were mailed July 7, 1981, and Postal Rates, 1872-1996, by Border Brokers Ltd. is a large 1974, until unknown; Oct. 22, Oct. 21, 1975. Figure 1 pictures July 8, 1981, both well before A.S. Wawrukiewicz and Henry company with far-flung offices 1975, until unknown; Oct. 26, only the marking. the July 16, 1981, official an- W. Beecher. throughout Canada and multiple 1978, to Nov. 2, 1978; and July The date is quite interesting nouncement date. The collector who kindly U.S. cities along the U.S.-Cana- 16, 1981, to Aug. 20, 1981. All because the official announce- One of the 1981 embargo made the embargo covers avail- dian border. periods are inclusive. ment of the embargo was Oct. markings, pictured in Figure 3, able to me, David Allan Cooper Years ago, charges were $1 22, 1975. The actual embargo top, reads in two lines "Return Sr., worked for Border Brokers per letter for the service plus began one day before the notice to Sender Service Temporarily Ltd., which provided a mailing payment of any postage due for in the Postal Bulletin. Discontinued." service for clients during the transit to and from the United It is perhaps reasonable to as- Figure 3, bottom, shows a strikes. States or other country. EMBARGO sume that for every embargo, the three-line marking with similar Using its offices in various There were no special mark- mail stoppage was longer than text, "Service Temporarily Sus- Canadian cities as mailing and ings placed on the delivered let- RETURN TO SENDER the official statement in post of- pended Return to Sender." iers, and the company retained fice literature. The cover bearing this mark- the transmittal envelopes that Figure 1. This "Embargo Return to This assumption is supported ing is also interesting because it eminric.s amisvaisy D 14VA carried the delivered letters to Sender" auxiliary marking is on a by a cover from the 1978 embar- carries two dates of mailing: July the broker company. cover mailed during the 1975 Cana- go period that bears the mark- 8, 1981, and Aug. 20, 1981. One way to discern that a letter dian mail embargo. ing "Return to Sender Service The announced dates for the was mailed using this service is U.S. auxiliary markings on Temporarily Suspended," shown 1981 embargo were July 16, if it carries a U.S. postmark from mail held up and returned to the in Figure 2. 1981, until Aug. 20, 1981, so the middle of one of the strikes, _ sender during the mail strikes This cover is dated Oct. 17, one can assume that on the first no auxiliary marking (such as are quite varied in type and rea- 1978, a full nine days before the day the embargo was in force the those pictured with this story), sonably common. Oct. 26 official announcement of auxiliary marking was added to Figure 3. Two auxiliary markings from and some Canadian docketing The variety of markings and the embargo. the letter and it was returned. the 1981 embargo of mall to Canada: indicating reception in Canada. the number of incidences of the The embargo began a consid- The sender, however, once he top, a marking similar to the Figure Letters from Canada that used embargoes, however, makes a erable number of days before the knew the embargo was over, re- 2 marking; bottom a crossed-out the broker's service would bear collection of auxiliary markings Postal Bulletin announced it, not mailed the letter on Aug. 20. marking on a mailpiece sent a sec- Canadian stamps and a U.S. quite interesting. just one day, as with the Figure 1 For remailing, I presume that ond lime after the embargo ended. postmark from a border city. • www.zillionsefstamps.com JUNE 11, 2007 LINN'S STAMP NEWS 51 How to determine the zone for a mailed domestic parcel post item I have always been frus- ously mentioned book. C ityDistance fool. h tm destination. The fee for the trated by the effort one How does one deter- The site allows one to minimum insurance, gath- must take to correctly rate mine this distance? If the enter two city names and ered from the unnumbered United States domestic two cities are large ones, then obtain the direct dis- insured marking, was 100. parcel post mail. The first the distance can be deter- tance between the cities as The $1.51 in postage cov- hurdle is that a complete mined by using a ruler and the crow flies. ers the 100 fee plus 320 for the first pound and 18.050 111 71 11 ri1 N~s.A .1 per pound for each of six ad- 1011011•1111111 Modern U.S. Mall ditional pounds ($1.503, with **CHARD i MAIMOAs By Tony Wawrukiewicz the $0.003 correctly rounded GOON VIKLEY ACITCS II • up to the next cent). MOISEHtie KV return mailing address often The parcel post label A is not on a parcel, a parcel pictured in Figure 2 was remnant, a tag or a parcel on an item mailed from label. Sometimes both ad- Atlanta, Ga., to Morehead, Figure 2. A 1965 parcel post label bearing 42c postage for an dresses are missing. Ky. The intercity distance item weighing up to 2 pounds sent to Zone 3 (not Zone 4). If one is fortunate enough web site indicates that to have the addresses, the there are 310 miles be- From a published list, For the Figure 2 example, zone to which the item is Figure 1. Parcel post tag, sent in August 1958, for an insured tween the two cities, mak- one learned the two rect- the discrepancy of more mailed must be figured out. item weighing up to 7 pounds that was sent 10 a Zone 8 location. ing it a Zone 4 shipment. angles for the two cities. than 10 miles between the Finally, complex rate charts This August 1965 label The distance between post office method and the are necessary for comput- any road atlas. For example, I used this rates out correctly, how- the two cities then fol- web site method is easily ing the rate. For smaller cities, a more web site with the parcel ever, only if one uses the lowed by measuring from explained by the possible For the purpose of this detailed map is needed. post tag shown in Figure Zone 3 rates (for less than the center of the origin up-to-25-mile error. Modern U.S. Mail column, Even if one is available, 1. This tag accompanied 300 miles). The 420 post- city rectangle to the clos- In the final analysis, the I assume that the addresses the scale indicator on the a package mailed from age covers the 280 per- est point of the rectangle web site method is more and rate charts are available. map is usually so small Brooklyn, N.Y., to Carls- piece charge and the 6.70 for the destination city. accurate, but it might not The rate charts are listed that determining large dis- bad, Calif. The web site per-pound rate (rounded Because the rectangles work when the intercity in the book U.S. Domestic tances is a real chore, or gives the intercity distance up) for a 2-pound item. were squares or nearly so distance is near a divid- Postal Rates, 1872-1999. the cities in question are as 2,427 miles, which cor- Why is it Zone 3? One and because they were ing point in miles between To determine the zone in- not on the map. responds to Zone 8. method the U.S. Post Office approximately 50 miles two zones (near 50, 150, volved, one needs to know Dealer Jim Forte re- This is a parcel post tag Department used to deter- on a side, the intercity 300 miles or more). the distance between the on- cently made me aware of mailed in August 1958 mine a parcel post zone was distance measured could I still like the ease of gin and destination cities. A a web site that helps the for an insured item that a map marked with rectan- be in error by up to 25 use of the web site. My simple zone chart is found rater of parcel post items: weighed up to 7 pounds gles that were nearly squares, miles from the actual dis- thanks to Jim Forte for on page 163 in the previ- www.geobytes.com/ that was sent to a Zone 8 about 50 miles on a side. tance between the cities. leading me to it. III

26 LINN'S STAMP NEWS JULY 16, 2007 www.linns.com Confusing May 14 first-class-mail rate changes create interesting covers I was pleased to see the article introduced. From conversations As a result, the rates are great- by Jay Bigalkc on page 42 of with fellow collectors and with er for mail matter that is Less $1.64 uS POSTAGE Linn 's June 4 issue, because it the examination of a few items efficiently handled by the Postal FIRST-CLASS was a timely and detailed in- mailed on or after that date, I've Service. This is true for first- MAY 23 2007 troduction to the United States concluded that the new first-class class and some non-first-class Mailed from ZIP 97224 shape-based rates are interesting, matter, but for this column i will Modern U.S. Mail possibly confusing, and at times consider only the new rates for F el.'i 1 ignored. first-class mail. By Tony Wawrukiewicz The new price structure recog- I will not repeat the previous nizes that each first-class item of Linn's article's rate chart, but I endicia.com i 071V00539246 domestic rate changes of May 14. different shape, whether letter, flat include a table that I hope helps As of that date, the U.S. Postal (large envelope) or parcel (pack- the reader to see in another way Service implemented a major age), requires substantially different how letters, flats and parcels are LISPS FIRST-CLASS change in how first-class postage processing efforts and thus handling defined — by size. Wellpartnei, Inc. rates are determined. costs. For instance, the automatic The table is presented in Fig- PO Box 5909 From May 14, new shape-based sorters for flats are significantly ure 1. Portland, OR 97228 prices for this type of mail were slower than those for letters. The graphically cropped label and postage strip shown in Figure How letters, flats and parcels are defined as of May 14 2 help to illustrate that the new Type of first-class mail' Minimum Maximum first-class shape-based rates are SHIP ROBERT COGAN Letters'`: length 5 inches 11'/ inches confusing and, at times, ignored. TO: PO Box 19568 1 etters: height 3'A inches 61/4 inches This cover sent May 15 is an up-to- Letters: thickness 0:007 inches 1/4-inch Portland, OR 97280-0568 large envelopes (flats): length 11V2 inches 15 inches" 11-ounce item that measures 101/2 Large envelopes (flats): height 6,/8 inches* 12 inches** inches by 7'/2 inches, is less than Large envelopes (flats): thickness '/-inch* '/-inch** 1/4-inch thick, and is franked with a Packages (parcel s)3 Notes $2.50 Hasler digital meter strip. 'Mailpicces that arc rigid, nonrcetangular or not uniformly thick pay parcel rates Because of its 71/2-inch height, For weights more than 3.5 ounces, see flats rates it appears to be a flat. If this were 3Package length plus girth cannot exceed 108 inches indeed true, the rate chart from *Flats exceed at least one of these dimensions "Packages arc items weighing less than 13 ounces that exceed at least one of the previous article indicates that Figure 3. This postage label is on a plastic bag weighing up to 4 ounces mailed these dimensions. $2.50 postage was correctly paid. May 23 at the first-class parcel rate of $1.64. It is a parcel because the pack- But wait: The cardboard enve- age was irregularly shaped. Postage is paid by an Endicia.com meter imprint Figure 1. United States first-class mailpiece sizes as of the May 14 rate change lope is rigid and thus cannot be fed through letter or flats sorters. return it for additional postage and Note that a privately printed, Therefore it should have been rated sent it on. computer-generated Endicia.com

FROM: ro is as a parcel, with $2.83 postage. I Figure 3 shows a meter stamp postage label paid the postage. 11,111r nr sure C.uirtS confirmed this information at my label on an up-to-4-ounce, ap- The mail-order pharmacy ;302 SW Can., Si local post office. parently flat plastic bag mailed must send such items out by the 1..11..1 OF 9-539 ram. ,dirP ro forr.u. COM' How was this error made? Per- as a first-class parcel for $1.64. thousands, an indication that this haps a postal clerk was in error, It is a wonderful item. type of meter postage is no lon- 111111111101 or perhaps the item was placed The mailing is from a phar- ger an experiment. USES FIRST CLASS MAIL TRACKliql directly in a mail deposit box, macy that used the bag to mail a I suspect that other sources no one saw it, and the flats sorter drug prescription ordered by the of error, confusion or interest Figure 2. Address label and $2.50 postage meter strip of a first-class flat sent handled it without difficulty. addressee. The bottle of medica- will be found on mailed items May 15 weighing up to 11 ounces. The cardboard envelope (shown graphically it is also possible the flats sorter tion was irregularly shaped, not as the first-class rate structure cropped) is rigid and should have been rated at $2.83 as a parcel. The author kicked it out, hut the clerk who saw uniformly thick, and it required introduced May 14 continues to explains how the item could have been delivered without postage due. this did not want to take the time to handling as a parcel. be introduced to mailers. •

Nonmachinable surcharge Jean-Francois Richard's July 16 Readers' Opinions letter regarding United States letters that do not bend being assessed the nonrnachinable sur- charge rather than the parcel post rate was edifying and gratifying. He is quite correct and effectively pointed out an error in my table in my article on page 26 of the same issue of Linn 's. Corrected my footnote No. I should read as follows: "Presently, letters of any weight that are rigid, nonrectangu- lar or not uniformly thick are charged the nonmachinable surcharge (this be- came retroactive to May 14, 2007, as per Postal Bulletin No. 22206. June 10, 2007, page 39). At the time of the rate change (May 14, 2007), however, only letters of up to 1 ounce that are rigid, nonrectangular or not uniformly thick were charged the nonmachinable surcharge. Flats that are rigid, non- rectangular or not uniformly thick pay parcel rates." To support this, in addition to the Postal Bulletin No. 22206 ruling, I quote the "Summary of Changes by Class of Mail" in the May 18 Postal Bulletin No. 22203a: "The nonmachin- able surcharges . will apply only to 1-ounce letters with any of the non- machinable characteristics . . . The governors have asked the Postal Rate Committee to reconsider its recom- mendation that limits the surcharge to '1-ounce letters instead of applying it to letters of any weight (up to the 3.5 ounce maximum for letters)." Tony Wawrukiewicz Portland, Ore. 12 LINN'S STAMP NEWS AUGUST 13, 2007 www.linns.com Postcards used before and after May 14 rate change fun to look for

For me, the day of a Mail columns, I have a PRESOATEG major postal rate change special place in my heart FLRST CLASS in the United States is a for contemporary uses of T OTHERS ARE SAYING... pk,..76-42c.iiiitto 1XRIIIKKA11XX LI S. POSTAGE two-edge sword. First of postcards franked with 421 SW WasNrrall StA-470 PRIG all. I love the changes in anything but a permit Por11Mge.CAY7295 PrArLIAME. OA PERI"! MO. 11 rates because it means that imprint. Pictured with this column are examples postmarked in some man-

Modern U.S. Mail ner on May 12 or 14 and visit www.voteno2692.org By Tony Wawrukiewicz one forwarded postcard ( Hospital postmarked May 13. AUTO•45-DIGIT 972t9 e * Yt * y igico once again I am chal- Because almost no mail 11111LOP • linler lenged to find as many today can be canceled on mills rt OW JO 110 P8 86 5 30 8 5 PORTLAND OR R7219.1317 3455 SUU„tOu MAY 14 07 examples of different new a Sunday unless it is taken 44111b.— H.L.L.J.J.L 111.1 IL.M. rates as I am able. to an airport mail facility, is due foii. 7 4 9 MAILED MOW PORTLAND. OR 9 7 2 1 9 770 H7E 1 307X Os 041/12/07 an - Canine But at the same time, Saturday, May 12, was the rio-riley SENDER OF NEW ADDRESS I feel a big responsibility de facto last day of the grirr ;1064 Figure 3. Two ordinary postcards of acceptable size (shown to make the many chang- most recent rate period. PORTLAND OR S7200.0012 DC; 9720000.522 k24DS-0356,-SD-OD cropped): top, franked with only 24, 21; less than the required es available to be freely This was the first time in 260; bottom, correctly franked with a 264 meter stamp. downloaded from my web quite a while that the ma- site (noted at the end of jor rates did not change on address label indicates a 240 Common Buckeye this column), My charts a Sunday. Figure 2, Permit-Imprinted postcard (shown cropped) forwarded that this was an "AUTO pane stamp, 20 less than for the May 14 rate in- To find the wonderful May 13, the last day of the old rate, to the recipient's new address. 5-DIGIT" presorted card, the required 260. crease are at the site. examples shown with this which means that the rate This type of under- As 1 have indicated in column, I went dumpster- during the week of May I do not collect the much paid was 18.60 for the franking is common in previous MotIcrn diving in two post offices 14. I am showing all the more common permit-im- piece. An annual fee is the first weeks after a rate postcards I found on those printed postcards because also incurred when a bulk change, and because of days. Each pictured card I like to have stamps on mailer sends postcards at automation, it is almost is graphically cropped to the cards. However, one this rate. never caught by the Postal show only the appropriate can often rate a permit- Figure 3 shows two Service, The second card, part of the card. imprinted postcards. postcards of acceptable pictured at bottom of Fig- Figure 1 shows a postcard The one shown in Fig- size (3V2 inches by 5 inch- ure 3, is correctly franked mailed and postmarked May ure 2 was forwarded May es or more, 4% inches by with a 260 Pitney Bowes 12. It is correctly franked 13, the last day of the old 6 inches or less). The card postage meter imprint dat- rivule 1. ruatt.ord (shown cropped) postmarked May 12, 2007, with a 240 Common Buck- rate, which is why I think at top, postmarked May ed May 14. and correctly franked with a 24c Common Buckeye stamp. eye coil stamp. it is neat. The original 14, is franked with only Figure 4 shows two ex-

count-rate uses are among the rarities of the modern U.S. mailstream. I especially like the card shown in Figure 4, top, because it is an ap- propriate first-day use of the nondenominated (410) American Flag stamp on a postcard. Pictured in Figure 4, POSTA.Gr bottom, is a postcard bear- T9Yh P3:31.31"e,.". ing a 41 e (first-class letter 6024600.410 MAY 14 2007 rate) Pitney Bowes meter 3 7 7 5 moei_ed mom xi" Qom 9 8 0 5 4 stamp franking.

Figure 4. Two correct 41$ first-class letter frankings on over- size postcards (shown cropped): top, bearing a nondenominated Tony Wawriikiewiez and Henry (414) American Flag stamp; bottom, bearing a 414 meter stamp. Beecher are the coauthors of two ampler of postcards larger of the reasons I collect very useful books on U.S. domes- tic and international postage trues than the acceptable card franked postcards, because since 1872. The books can be or- size at the 260 rate. Be- when they are mailed as dered at the site or from dealers in cause of this, each card discount matter, all types philatelic literature who advertise in Linn's classified ad section. required 410 first-class of special letter rates can The web site is located at letter postage for mailing. be found. 1 say "can be http.7i4www. spiritone.cone Their existence is one found," because the dis- 42 LINN'S STAMP NEWS SEPTEMBER 10, 2007 www.linns.com Author reveals secrets for figuring out modern and other covers and forms

The fallowing kind history researchers. and regulations. and thoughtful words "lt is my impression Tony Wawrukiewicz's list of U.S. postal references The books present the were sent to me by a that not many libraries rules and regulations as reader who wanted to have long runs of these Henry W. Beecher and Anthony S. Wawrukiewicr.,. U.S. imme.vric Postal Rates, 1472-1999, revised second edition, and Waviruktovicz and Becher, U.S. International Postal Rates, 1872-1996 — Purchase footnotes under the rate encourage me to write items. It might be worth- from phi latelic literature dealers or author's website. Also, most philatelic libraries have the books. tables. I have used the the next three columns while at some point for U.S. Postal Bulletin (PB) ( I 8/10-present) APRL and PSI. books frequently in the about research: "Tony the Modern U.S. Mail U.S. postal guides (PG) (1875-1953) —APRL, NWPL, PSI, RMPL, TWPL, Postal Laws cl:c Regulations (131.&R) (1804-1856) — PSI., TWP1, last three years of writ- column to discuss the me- Aura/ Laws cf Re,guknions (PL&R) (1856-3948) — APRL, NWPL, PSL, RMPL,TWPL,WPL ing this column and other Modern U.S. Mail chanics of postal history Post Office Manual MOM) (1952 only?) — APRL, PSR, TWPL writing. research using official Postal Manual (1954-19701 PSL,TWPL Having the Postal Bul- By Tony Wawrukiewicz sources." Postal Service Manual (1971.79) — PSL, Nwpi, TW PL. Transmittal letters (domestic and international) (1954-1979) — PSL, TWPL letins alone available is The information pre- Post office services' circulars (1954-60?) — PSI, TWPL usually not helpful unless Wawrukiewicz's articles sented in Figure 1, includ- Domestic and international mail manuals (DMM and IMM) (1 979-present) • AMU., PSL, WPL you know precisely where are always a treat. The ing abbreviations, will be Proceedings of Universal lkistal Union (UPU) conventions (1875-present) --APRL. (to 1974), PSL,1WP1. to look. There is no useful one in the Dec. 11, 2006, used in these columns. List of source libraries: American Philatelic Research Library (APRL: Bellefonte, Pa.), Noah index to them. Linn's mentions four The listing includes the West Philatelic Library (NWPL: Portland, Ore.). Postal Service Library (PSL: liashington. D.C.), For the postal form official postal publica- titles of resources that Rocky Mountain Philatelic Library (RMPL: Denver, Colo.), Southwestern Philatelic Library shown in Figure 2, my do- tions: transmittal letters use and where they can (SWPI.: Tucson, Ariz.), Tony Wawrakiewicz 5 personal library (TWPL), Western Philatelic Library (WPL: Santa Clara, Calif) mestic hook is all that is (two types), post office be located. needed. This Form 3549, services' circulars and How do I do my re- Figure 1. Table of the author's printed resources and where to locate the books and periodicals. used April 10, 1979, bears the Postal Bulletin. The search? First and fore- $16 in postage using 500 names of these publica- most, I turn to my own vised second edition, arid illation from Pasta! Bul- are all the rates that co- Lucy Stone stamps and $1 tions make me wonder books on U.S. domestic U.S. International POSilli letins issued from 1880 author Henry W. Beecher Eugene O'Neill stamps, how they relate to one and international rates: Rates, 1872-1996. until 1999 and 1996, re- and 1 gleaned from the both of the Prominent another and how avail- U.S. Domestic Postal These books represent spectively. Postal Bulletins and many Americans series. able they are to postal Rates, 1872-1999, re- the compilation of infor- Included in the books additional important rules The form actually pro-

vides most the informa- pages 122-23. The rate was eventu- tion needed because it in- Here a rate category ally extended to cover the dicates that $16 was paid was introduced so that a return of lost war ration for "50 Keys" (as it reads) lost hotel room key could booklets and identifica- at 320 each. But what does be returned to the hotel tion cards. As indicated this mean? without prepayment, if it on the book's page 123, as The index on page 335 was affixed to a tag and of May 29, 1978, the rate of the domestic rate book bore a pledge to pay return was 320 per returned key. indicates that informa- postage. By 1950, penalty The Form 3549 pictured tion about rates for mail- envelopes were generally here is a U.S. Post Office ing keys is on the book's used to return keys. Department form used for collecting postage due on multiple items. A database David Straight and I are gath- ering indicates that this form was first introduced in February 1956 and is known used to at least April 10, 1979, the date of the example here. The form must have ac- companied 50 hotel keys that were returned to a hotel or a hotel employee, with a total of $16 col- lected for the service, 50 keys at 320 each. A penal- ty envelope was not used in this case. My two books will en- able anyone to answer most of rate and usage questions, such as this example, that arise when you have a cover or postal form you do not under- stand. More on research methods next month.

Tons' Waxrukiewicz and Henry Beecher are the co-authors of two very useful books on US. domes- tic and international postage rates since 1872. The books can be or- dered at the site or from dealers in philatelic literature 115410 advertise Figure 2. This example of United States Post Office Department in Lion's classified ad section. The web site is located at Form 3549 was used April 10, 1979, to return 50 lost hotel keys. hmo.04-ww.spiritone.com1 A total of $16 was collected for the service (50 keys at 32e each). -tonyinavA

48 LINN'S STAMP NEWS OCTOBER 8, 2007 www.linns.com Nuances of postal history of the Liberty series and resources revisited Ken Lawrence notes in the Postal Laws and Regu- detail concerning the every- and forms? Lawrence says set of them, partly photo- various postal documents the new book The Liberty lations (known as PL&Rs) day operations of the U.S. in The Liberty Series book, copied pages of the Postal such as the PL&Rs, the Series, "As complicated published frequently but Post Office Department "The rating of and evalua- Service's library copies. Postal Manual and various as postal rates are, no one sporadically from 1804 un- and its employees. I have tion of Liberty series and In my columns of De- postal circulars, inconsis- should imagine that their til 1948. These books con- seen evidence that volumes later covers (post-1954) is cember 2006 and April tencies arise at times con- complete and nuanced tain much information not from other years exist, but I more complicated. 2007, l used information cerning the handling of "The final annual edition from the circulars to ex- first- and third-class mail. of the Guide [U.S. Official plain items featured in In the final analysis, Madero U.S. Mail Postal Guide] appeared those columns. however, the following By Tony Wawrukiewicz in July 1953, replaced by I use them again here. concepts are true. inaugural editions of the The cover shown nearby Third-class mail was history over more than a Post Office Department's was sent in 1957 and bears generally supposed to be century can be compressed Postal Manual in October three 50 James Monroe unsealed so it could be into two books." and December 1954." stamps from the Liberty se- easily inspected. Antcnio Asbert This new book by Law- Box 441, Gordons, Oaltr. The Postal Manual con- ries. It is an up-to-1-ounce If sealed, a third-class rence, C. David Eeles and tains a wealth of informa- third-class cover with 150 mailpiece was to be treated me was published in Au- tion about rates, fees, reg- in postage affixed. as first-class mail unless it gust by the American Phil- ulations, procedures and Of the 150 total, 30 paid was identified as merchan- atelic Society. 111111•1111111111E services, because it encom- the per-ounce first-class rate dise, a catalog, or a book, Lawrence's truism about passes much of what was ("letter enclosed" handwrit- and it was either marked sources is borne out by the Third-class cover sent in 1957 that bears 15t postage. It covers covered by the guides, the ten note), 20 paid the per- to permit inspection (the many additional sources, 30 postage for the per-ounce first-class rate, 20 for the per-ounce Post Office Manual and the ounce single-piece third- cover pictured here) or en- beyond my two books, I single-piece third-class rate, and 100 for the insurance fee. PL&Rs. class rate, and 100 covered dorsements indicated that continually am forced to use found in the postal guides. have never seen one. The Postal Manual is the minimum insurance fee consent to inspection was and comment upon when They include in-depth dis- As readers will have not readily available. In (up to $10 indemnity). understood. writing this column. cussion of regulations and noted, in the August 2006 later editions it became This letter was sealed. An Except for special identi- For 20th-century cov- laws that affected the han- Modern U.S. Mail column looseleaf and was periodi- attached seal endorsed the fied circumstances, such as ers and postal history up to dling of the domestic and and in the February col- cally updated by transmit- cover as "Merchandise." It the pictured cover, a mail- 1954, it is often possible to international mails. umn, I used the Post Office tal letters and circulars. also has the text "This Parcel piece that was sealed al- find an answer to questions, Another useful resource Manual to explain the pic- The updates were groups May Be Opened For Postal lowed the postal worker to especially about rates, from is the Post Office Manual of tured covers. The manuals of revised replacement Inspection If Necessary." treat it as first-class matter general information in the 1952. This book apparently and guides are available pages that were inserted in Some readers might without having to open it. US, Official Postal Guide, a was meant to be a how- from the libraries I listed appropriate places as obso- question how a third-class A postal clerk did not yearly publication. to guide for postal workers in the Sept. 10 column. lete pages were removed. item could be sealed. They need to know if a sealed Other resources for the handling domestic mail. It Collectors who become The only location I am know of other sealed third- item contained writing. pre-1954 period include has an amazing amount of heavily involved in figur- aware of for a complete class items that were re- The seal evoked the pre- ing out covers might con- set of the circulars is the turned for first-class post- sumption that it contained sider buying some or all U.S. Postal Service library age because the item was writing and that first-class of the manuals from phila- in the 475 L'Enfarit Plaza "incorrectly sealed against postage was required. telic literature dealers. postal headquarters build- inspection," as such a cover A clerk would not open What about questions ing in Washington, D.C. might be marked. it, would not need to open about post-1954 covers I have an incomplete When one reads through it, nor should he. • 52 LINN'S STAMP NEWS NOVEMBER 12.2007 www.linns.com Research methods: 20th-century folded typewriter cards mostly a mystery The United States Post and therefore were more every five to seven years. These folded postcards UPU postcard rate. Many Despite the strong evi- Office Department, on readily available at a num- One of its orders of were used by businesses. examples are known at the dence that the cards were of- Oct. 1, 1970, changed its ber of locations. business is to add or sub- They are postcards, usually UPU postcard rates be- ficially allowed to be mailed resource for postal workers The American Philatelic tract various services and private in origin, that were tween European countries, at UPU postcard rates, Bell from the Postal Manual to Society Research Library fees as they are found to be perforated one-third of the between Middle Eastern and I have been unable to the Postal Service Manual. and the Western Philatelic necessary or unnecessary way from the blank end. The countries, and between find what we consider a Again it was in the form Library have a good selec- by the member countries. cards were manufactured in European countries and clear-cut documentation in tion of the manuals, and Copies of these documents strips of approximately five the United States. a UPU convention notice the U.S. Postal Service li- are in the APRL, at the Post- that could also be separated The folded typewriter that allowed it to happen. Modern U.S. Mail brary has a complete set of al Service library and in my one from another because postcard shown here was We are attempting to By Tony Wawrukiewicz the DMM and /MM. private collection. of their perforations. mailed in wartime, March determine why this is so, One other source for re- Robert Bell recently ap- They were then placed into 3, 1943, from Germany either through a search of of a loose-leaf book with search that I use are the re- proached me with a num- a typewriter, where they were to Switzerland. The card's postmaster general reports its contents also subse- ports, conventions or trea- ber of intriguing questions addressed, separated and 15-pfennig meter stamp or from information read- quently degraded for his- ties of the Universal Postal about folded typewriter folded at the internal perfo- correctly paid the UPU ers might have. torical study by successive Union Congress that meets postcards, or FTPCs. ration and stuck together in postcard rate from Germa- Bell would also appre- Transmittal Letters that various ways, thus appearing ny to a foreign country. ciate any additional infor- modified it. NEUSS like a folded postcard. The existence of many mation about the cards, Finally in 1979 and up die Stu cif This was a format not such cards makes it clear patents, licensing agree- to the present, the Domes- der guien • f• (1 15 originally allowed at the that they were officially ments, royalties and coun- Schrauben tic Mail Manual and the 56:cirbetive. • rttils .4utitht UPU postcard rate. allowed at UPU postcard tries where they were used •rt • International Mail Man- `.54'enc Patents are first known rates between some UPU outside Europe. He would ual became the resources for the cards from approxi- countries. welcome any material or for postal workers and mately 1912 in Germany That they are not known photocopies. philatelic researchers. The and Austria. originating from the Unit- I hope readers now have DMM is published approx- Before 1922, such cards ed States does not make a better idea of my research imately three times a year, Utt were used domestically their existence any less of- methods and how they whet dm 29.3.43 and the IMAI is approxi- C.I.CL4,ard only in Austria and Ger- ficial. The U.S. post office might perform their own mately yearly. out Ealknaibm • many at domestic postcard could always choose to not research in the future. These books also con- Aw• .43 rates. From 1922, they allow the cards to originate But as indicated by the tain a wealth of informa- ocrAl, it were used within many from the United States, but above discussion concem- tion about rates, fees, reg- other countries, also at do- it still would have to allow ing folded typewriter post- ulations, procedures and mestic postcard rates. them to enter at no penalty cards, readers also realize services. They also have This folded typewriter postcard was mailed March 3,1943, from In addition, from the if they resulted from an of- that my resources do not the advantage that, until Germany to Switzerland. The 15-pfennig meter stamp correctly early 1920s, they were al- ficial UPU proclamation. always enable me to answer recently, they were bound paid the UPU postcard rate tram Germany to a foreign country. lowed as UPU mail at the This is what happened. all questions presented. • MODERN U.S. MAIL BY TONY WAWRUKIEWICZ a Undeliverable or forwarded mail often bears carrier mark, route From time to time, I am My source to answer tioned from the 1830s until asked to explain what ap- these questions is the book well after 1960. The first two pear to be mysterious num- Chicago Postal Markings illustrations shown here are bers and combinations of and Postal History by Leon- from the book. ET1 en numbers and letters struck ard Piszkiewicz, published Carrier-delivered mail on envelopes and occa- in 2006 (available from the normally bears no indication WRITER rig St , sionally on postcards. Such publisher, James Lee, Box 36, of the identity of the carrier NC LAMED markings are known on Cary, IL 60013, for $75 plus who delivered it. But when Colo. items dated before 1900, but $5 shipping and handling). mail was undeliverable or they can be considered part In the book, the author was forwarded after deliv- Figure 3. Marking on an envelope returned Aug. 13,1930, from Den- of the modern mail system explains how the Chicago ery, carrier route markings ver, Colo. "C-46" refers to the carrier and his route number. because they continued to mail, and by extension the indicating who handled the be used well after 1950. mail of all U.S. cities, func- piece were frequently added. Figure 1 shows an 1893 Figure 2 gives some idea Such markings are known 2(t Columbian Exposition of the variety of the Chicago carrier markings. It shows WRIOIIT, KAY & CO., used from Chicago in manu- stamped envelope post- IMPORTRMS ASDJEWZGZEIft. script in the early 1870s and marked May 20, 1893, re- seven of the many examples /40-i42 Woo.,.ARD Am. !('''? . \ 1,3 CAW1,1 MAMMY.. *...... irsk...'_ ri.....v. later, then by 1890 through turned from Chicago to the Piszkiewicz illustrates on Dtr",otr, at least 1970 as handstamps. sender because the addressee page 362 of his book. 1.1... ..".",t,. eL...4_ - .....,,, was "Not there, S. 511 N.D.," Figure 3 shows part of an NO SUCH NUMBER C 1512 as the marking reads. envelope returned Aug. 13, -**v MCM 2319 The "S" is the carrier's 1930, from Denver, Colo. It surname initial, and "511" demonstrates that the pro- Y L 2 r --X f' • 42'/4 cesses known for Chicago t ( 'A; " ,,1 _ indicates the carrier route NOT FOUND EAST 04011 number. "N.D:' means North also occurred elsewhere in r a /I t Moved. Left No Add. - S 4007 Ai ,T:'•T , ;•4=5,,,,, • 4, Division, the district where the United States. :If mil,-. -r- (7- z NOT FOUND. P-75% the address was located. The "Unknown at ad- ../ 41"or' C. 2129 The various handstamps dress C-46" auxiliary mark- Figure 1. Letter returned to sender from Chicago because the ad- Figure 2. Seven canter markings used by carriers. in Chicago ing uses the first letter of dressee was "Not there, S. 511 N.D." according to the auxiliary mark- applied to mall returned or for- or any large city is probably the carrier's surname and ing. The abbreviations are related to the carrier route and district. warded from Chicago, Ill. in the thousands. the number of his route. II