US Flag Cancels

While I know there are specialists who study nothing but early US flag cancels, I have only a few so I decided to scan them for better/closer review.

Although certain web sites suggest that flag cancels were popular from the 1890's through as late as World War II (1945), I don't have any that early or late in the period, as mine generally range from 1904 through 1923. Is there anything special about any of the flag cancels posted below? I note that in some cases the flag "killer" bars seem longer or shaped differently, which I assume had to do with various models of machine cancels out there.

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I will check the dates on mine, but I think offhand I agree all around 1900 thru WWI. - Jeff

I have been collecting these for many years and can answer some questions about flag cancels. The prime reference for US flag cancels is the Flag Cancel Encyclopedia [4th ed, 2008] by the late Frederick Langford. Most flags were manufactured by the American Postal Machines Company. Theirs were first used in 1894 and ran until 1941. Other companies, and local post offices, produced flag cancels - mostly handstamps. The Machine Cancel Society [http://www.machinecancel.org/] is highly recommended.

The preferred collecting method is on full covers or cards, not 2x4 cuts. The FCE reports a total of 7,009 different US machine flags. Many of the varieties have only subtle differences, for example - your Gloucester Mass could be one of two different, requiring comparison with references copies.

The FCE rates most flag cancels on a 1 [very common] to 100 [rare] scale. Yours are all fairly common. Rare flag cacels have sold for over a thousand USD. We love the pictures - post more and eventually someone will turn up a rare one! They are out there in shoeboxes and albums across the USA.

Thanks for the info. All of my flag cancels are on the entire cover, however, I just cropped the flag cancels themselves to save space and to provide a better image of the cancel. Unfortunately, the majority of them are on regular mail that did not receive any sort of care when opening, so a lot of the cancels are torn or ripped due to how the envelope was opened by the receiver.

It's still a fascinating aspect of stamp collecting and I always look out for flag cancels, no matter how common they may be.

I find myself lately attracted to machine cancels from small towns. I picked this one up recently. When I got it, I realized it had never been opened, and had an enclosure.

I couldn't resist opening it (very carefully) and found that it was a collection letter.

A nice pointing hand with town name included adds the perfect touch to this unsuccessful collection notice, sent right in time for Christmas. Nice touch.



And the enclosure:

Here is another one I picked up. Sent from Sweet Water, Texas.

smauggie, Both are American Postal Supply. Hopkinsville was model B14 and Sweet Water was model A14. The Hopkinsville also has a nice pointing hand marking.

WT1 There is a reference book written on the flag cancels written by a Frederick Langford. Maybe you can dig up something from this?

Despite the high degree of workmanship by the American Postal Machines Company,
each of their Flag Cancels has a unique arrangement of the star field, the size of the
union, and the location of the halyard.



the bottom section of this PDF file is helpful and where I found that stuff. http://www.machinecancel.org/forum/...el_forum.pdf

Hi to every one.

There is mine flag canceled stamp.

cool! I like those.

American Postal flag killer die

The oldest I could find is 1896 and the most recent is 1933. If I find others, I will post them.

The first Boston flag cancels were in 1895. Both of your cancels are from American Postal Machines. The Bostom was model D13 used 1895-96. The South Royalton was model A14 used 1932-35.

Here are a few

Biloxi model B4 (1911-21)
Station A model F4 (1898-99)
Lincoln Park model B38 (1900-01)

May I ask a related question? I believe I have a flag cancel somewhere like the ones above but segmented "killer" with vertical dashes separating them. Have you ever seen or know anything about them? I wish I could find it to scan it for you but I can't locate it. When I find it I will.

They resemble the pattern below but looks like the above cancels, but I have seen them look like this too.

---- I ----- I ----- I ----
---- I ----- I ----- I ----
---- I ----- I ----- I ----
---- I ----- I ----- I ----
---- I ----- I ----- I ----