5 Or 6 Months For A Mr. Zip Pictorial Cancellation?

I like anything with the Mr. Zip Cartoon, so when I see pictorial cancels offered with that character, I usually send for one:



As one can only request these cancels within 30 days of the date the cancel is offered, doesn't it seem a bit excessive that my request from late February/early March for a February 28, 2011 cancel took until today ... August 26, 2011, to get returned to me?

As long as I've posted the above image, let me also ask if anyone knows if there is any particular reason why the Richmond, VA postmark from 08/24/2011 on the outer post office envelope contains only 4 (rather than the typical 6) cancellation bars. Is a different type of spray-on cancelling machine being used?

Little off topic but glad you posted. I had come across 2 collection recently but could not remember who collected them.

This 1st one ends in about a hour.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ATTENTION-S..._2044wt_1270

Will try to find the other, it was a actually large Whit Ace Mr. Zip collection. Very Nice.

Found it but already closed. Gorgeous collection here is the link, get ready to cry.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/USA-WHITE-A...78673wt_1270

Nice collections, indeed. I've always liked the Mr. Zip character. In fact, there's a local post office that still has a "life size (4' or so) wooden and fully painted Mr. Zip statue in their lobby, with their post office ZIP Code on it! (I haven't seen those in years.)

I also find it interesting that the USPS used the Mr. Zip logo in marginal markings for years, but never put his image on a stamp ... even the ZIP Code stamp from the 1970's would have been appropriate, but no, they left him on the margin only.

I think I asked this question before without a firm reply, but what was the last US stamp issue that had the Mr. Zip character in the margin? I think it ended somewhere in the mid-1970's, but not exactly sure when. According to the web, Mr. Zip was retired in the 1980's when the Zip+4 Codes came out.

Here's a classic advertisement for it that brings back memories!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USUYRqiHq0I

Nice old video. Boy how things have changed, no zip and the mail still went through. Just like MA Bell, 4 numbers and it went through. Now 10 numbers and still get a busy signal.

Great post.

Thanks for sharing guys.

Dianne

I seem to remember a little graphic printed on the selvage of the American Bicentennial flags sheet that had a similar design. Any one remember that? Col cancel and thank you for sharing that!