Parcel Post Stamp Used On Post Card

I have found more than a few postcards from my upstate New York area franked with the penny parcel post stamp..could it have been due to a shortage on one cent stamps ?

My understanding is that in 1913 they were o longer used just for parcel post but were to be used as normal postage stamps. I assume that the clerk was just as likely to sell you a Parcel Post stamp as a normal stamp, then? It could be they just wanted to use them up?

That makes sense ! They may have been told to use them rather than scrap them !

That makes sense ! They may have been told to use them rather than scrap them !

I used to know an old gent who worked for the City of New York..he must have passed by now..anyway...this is his story ! One day a fellow from the U.N shows up where the old gent works and has hundreds of sheets of U.N. stamps he wants incinerated....the old guy is a stamp collector by the way..and he was a slick one...anyway they start to burn the stamps and the U.N. guy leaves...the old guy literally pulled the U.N. sheets from the flames and traded them..at a discount of course with stamp dealers all over the city. Wouldn't you think the U.N. flunky would have stayed around to see that the stamps were destroyed ? Probably not.

Although the above explanation is essentially correct, the Scott Specialized Catalog of US Stamps defines it in more detail as follows:




Therefore, collectors often try to find early usages of the stamps (or incorrect usage of the stamp before July 1, 1913). In the example shown, the date is August 22, 1913, so Parcel Post stamps were appropriately being used for regular postage for about 7 weeks by then.

Cool usage too! Even though it was probably commonplace I never seen one on a PC before either and it's from TROY New York too! Cool all the way around!

We've established the postcard is dated August 22, 1913. The addressee is one Miss E. Raver of Sand Lake, NY.

According to the 1920 Census, there was a Raver Family living at Taborton Road, Sand Lake, NY at that time. The parents were Fred and Mary Raver (both age 52), both farmers, with two daughters Ethel E. (age 17) and May (age 12). That would mean that the postcard dated 1913 was most likely directed to the daughter Ethel when she was about 10 years of age.

A little disconcerting is the message side of the card that concludes by saying: "Kindly write and let me know about the fire."

Here is one a little earlier - Aug 6, 1913 from North Yakima to Goldendale, Wa.

It was a common practice, but it is fun to find one in a stack of post cards! I pick them up when I see them.

They were also used on covers.

[URL=http://s40.photobucket.com/user/stallzer/media/United%20States%20Stamps/Covers/USCoverParcelpost2ctinyenvelope.jpg.html"][/URL]

There are people who collect stamps and who buy stamp albums. There are people who collect stamps on covers and buy cover albums.

I guess collecting parcel post stamps on the original parcel never really took off. "Aunt Grace, would you like to look at our parcel album? I'll be happy to go get the hand truck?

Here's one on a C H Mekeel cover.

Nice one Kcaramat !!