Banknote Era Cancels

Some cancels I thought were interesting, and completely unknown to me, though that's not hard, since I know very little. Don't know if they're common, or not. Comments and suggestions appreciated.



I'm guessing some clerk was very busy and didn't want hand cramps from cancelling with a pen, so they just inked their finger, or I'm seeing a fingerprint that is actually caused by the design?





Another person in a hurry, and did a manuscript cancel, upside down, or was there a specific reason for this? Or is the stamp done right side up and I'm looking at it wrong.



A signature carved into a cork, or a handstamp, perhaps?




The only negative 'X' I have.

I think you've entered the "Rorschach Test" domain for fancy cancels! Some cancels become fancy in the eye of the beholder (I have quite a few that have caught my eye, and are open to interpretation!).

The first one (Scott 220) appears to me to be just a blot or smudge, no finger print. I think the fingerprint is caused by the stamp design.

The second one (battleship revenue) may have the manuscript cancel upside down due to the stamp being upside down on the revenue document when signed.

The third one fits into the Rorschach category - maybe just a lined cork cancel, or worn cancel with more interesting design - who knows?

The fourth one is a more common quartered-cork cancel (two crossed cuts which form a negative "X" when ink is transferred).

Great advice orstampman I could only add that the last one shown is known by many names! Cross roads, neg. "X", pie, quartered circle, etc...It is considered a fancy cancel however it's so prolific that it is ranked pretty low on the desirable list but having said that I'd still take one of those over a big splotch or smudge though. Keep posting them I enjoy seeing the cork's and old duplex's from this era.

orstampman thank you for your input. I do have the 'reveal' link stallzer offered on another post. I've not yet had the time to utilize that. These are first impressions from someone who has no clue what they're looking at. Rorschach test, indeed.

I love stamps thank you, also, for your information. Per your request, here's a few more. I haven't yet had the time to go through the ones I've placed in the stockbook I created. If I find any more, I'll be happy to share them, when I do. Glad you're enjoying looking at them.


This one, to me, looks like the back end of a bug, walking off the stamp. I resisted the urge to swat it.






Columbian cancel?






Wheel of Fortune






Geometric not sure from where.

I like that wheel of fortune. I think (I'm no at my reference material at the moment)that it is a New york foreign mail it's a very light impression so I'll have a better look at it when I get home. I think the "bug" is maybe just the natural grain in the solid cork obliteration/cancel.

I_Love_Stamps that Wheel of Fortune, I mistook for a smudge, it's so light. After having time to further look at it, I came here, looking for perhaps an answer, since I couldn't find one elsewhere. Providentially, wt1 had just re-posted the link to the 'Cancellations and Killers of the Banknote Era'. While reading the thread, I saw someone exclaim they discovered they had a 'Wheel of Fortune'. I looked at the ones on the link, and thought that's what it was.

A few last cancels, that jumped out of the stockbook at me, as I scanned quickly through it.

Since you mentioned NYFM cancel as possibly being what the Wheel is, I thought to re-post this one. I posted it on an earlier thread. The closest to this wedge formation I could find was a NYFM, but I am not sure if that's what it is.




A couple of Circular Geometrics






A couple of Columbians with cancels I haven't identified yet.








I understand, not all of these qualify as 'fancy' cancels. As orstampman mentioned, it's in the eye of the beholder. That is why I titled the thread as Banknote Cancels, and not more specifically 'Fancy Cancels'.

If I find any 'fancy ones' like animals, plants, flowers, etc. I'll be sure to share them.


My thanks, and appreciation, again, for all the help, and comments.

WHEEL OF FORTUNE CANCELS....

the first one reminds me of the rising sun japan flag-kinda a sunburst.

Thank you to everyone, for the pictures, and comments.

I'll post these last 'Rorschachs', and then probably go 'Back to the Future' and organize the 1960's.

This one looks like it was run over by a truck.





'Sock on the Nose'





'Sock up the Nose'




First time I saw this one, I thought someone went a little nuts and had some target practice with it. Automatic fire BB gun or something. 'Man, they REALLY wanted this one cancelled.'

I believe it's a machine cancel, Doremus. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.



Most of the rest of mine are duplex, triplex, or time/date cancels. I do still have a few cork or fancy ones that aren't very clear, I'll look at later, and if I find anything odd or unusual, I'll share them.

Thank you, again, for your input, and I enjoyed looking at the photos.

My hot crossed bun.

"Most of the rest of mine are duplex, triplex, or time/date cancels. I do still have a few cork or fancy ones that aren't very clear, I'll look at later, and if I find anything odd or unusual, I'll share them.

Thank you, again, for your input, and I enjoyed looking at the photos.";

I am pleased to tell you that your bottom cancel is actually, in my opinion, a precancel, and as such is of much greater value than you might think. I usually dislike giving opinions of "value" online, as so many factors must be considered, but as a general estimate, I would say $25/50. range. Not too shabby!

"I am pleased to tell you that your bottom cancel is actually, in my opinion, a precancel, and as such is of much greater value than you might think. I usually dislike giving opinions of "value" online, as so many factors must be considered, but as a general estimate, I would say $25/50. range. Not too shabby!"

I can see everyone diving back into there fancy cancels looking for that dot grid version.....If you'll excuse me for a minute lol

cet_gg - that last one, the 1c #219, caught my attention too. You can see that the cancel covers the stamp, but does not touch the paper around it. Leave that one on piece for sure. And if you ever go to sell it, let me know about it. Bill W, have you seen that one before?

BTW your wheel-of-fortune (and those Kevin posted) was not a type used on New York Foreign Mail, but you don't need me to tell you that since the man who literally wrote the book on NYFM is here in this thread. But the wheel of fortune was a widely used "ready made" cancel available commercially for fitting into duplex cancellers. It appears from many cities.


LarryBruce - that "rising sun" on the #159 is actually a patent cancel, possibly from San Francisco or Louisville. That is nice on the 6c. Let me know if you ever choose to part with it. The stamp has some problems, but the center of the cancel shows well. The dots in the center were made by inked pins that were meant to puncture the paper. Do you see any dimples on the back?

thanks,interesting to know on the #159 cancel. Mr President has brothers in my collection and is continuing the search for two others mr30 and mr90.

Funny you don't notice things until discussed here a bit, "cancels", I have been seeing the sunburst cancel with a bulls eye inside it described on some ebay stamps as "The San Francisco Cog Wheel".

I like all USA type stamp areas and have not settled on any one area to collect, exception my Harris USA Album 1847-2000 with BOB in another Harris Album. Could be cancels someday would be interesting, but these stamps are spendy.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trk...=0&_from=R40

I have a few listed @ ebay....
Not as pricey as you think...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/22149770222....m1555.l2649