Question About Pen Cancels

Well, after 1900 no, before yes. Many pen cancellations were early precancels, those have additional value.

You make a good point, Stefani. A pen cancel seems less "official" than a proper stamped cancel. And it makes me angry to receive mail canceled with a ball-point pen or worse -- a sharpie. So I understand your point.

But some of the very old pen cancels do appeal to me. I think it's something to do with the fact that someone took a quill or a pen with a nib, dipped it in a bottle of ink, and canceled the stamp. Either way, I readily admit it's not the standard for most collectors -- just a personal quirk of mine

I don't mind the pen cancellation if it's not to grotesque,I have Australian pen cancellations that are signed and dated most are on Aussie BOB's like tax stamps and some on postal stamps,I know this isn't the place to show them so I'll post a Scott's #26 A21 with a pen cancellation that I like

I know some of the perfs are missing but like me it's not perfect

Very nice, nugget.

The line is heavier at the bottom; do you think the maker of the mark started at the bottom and scribbled "up" ?

Most likely on it's side KirKs or up side down,
I do like these too and sorry there bob.

WOW! It's nice to see them, regardless of BOB or whatever.

They really start my mind wondering -- just imagining Feb 1868. Who was "AB"? What was his life like?

And that tiny stamp, in a way just a scrap of paper, is here are cared for 142 years later. Amazing.

Thanks for sharing,
KirkS

I cannot say that I would like to collect them, but they are sometimes very creative, and other times, horribly wrong! However, I will collect most anything!

I know what you mean Jdgarst.

If you haven't already, look at the travesties in the Marker Monkey thread
https://goscf.com/t/3853

KirkS

KirkS-

OUCH@!! That is a travesty. Really awful! That hurts...

Most collectors don't like pen cancels, especially on modern stamps. On early stamps for some countries, pen cancels are usually an indication of revenue usage, not postal usage (but not always).

Even on classic stamps, most collectors prefer the standard postmark rather than a pen cancel. However, for a few issues of certain countries (e.g., early coat of arms and serpentine issues of Finland), certain pen cancels are scarce and actually command a very large premium. Those pen cancels are not the simple X, initials, or squiggle, but very pretty and elaborate hand drawn cancellations. Each manuscript cancel is associated with particular a postmaster who made them, and some of them can easily double/triple the already high catalog value of the stamp. I didn't know about that when I first started assembly my early Finland collection -- I was busy trying to get nice clean circular place/date cancels! Didn't learn about the valuable manuscript cancels until after I got my specialized Finland catalog!

iran across a few of those today mine are not real bad ill see if I can locate them tomorrow and post them of I can remember how I sort from 8am til about 8pm today im going to dream stamps

I kind of like the pen cancels on older stamps also I find they have a nice charm about them. I keep them in a separate envelope for now until I decide what to do with them.

Dianne

A very common practise with early stamps issued by countries of
the United Kingdom. Regular postage stamp issues were used as revenues and tax stamps.

for series where a used example is worth more than a mnh one please do not buy pen cancels especially from india. it would be a rip off

I have been putting the few pen cancels that I have found off to the side and just last night in fact I put them in an album I really like them so whoever doesnt want there Ill take them we could do a trade now dont go getting your personal pens out now I want genuine ones LOL