What Is The Most Recent Precancel That You Have?

It seems to me, that it would be useful information for precancel collectors to be aware of precancels on the most recent USPS issues.

I believe this is a Scott #3616 issued in 2002. It is the most recent Scott number that I have with a precancel. The stamp is MNH with backing still on it. I don't know whether or not others identical to mine have seen postal use or not.

Does anyone else have a recent precancel?

Marty

Mecca, Calif. 712

One of those modern precancels that you shake your head to.
There's no reason to precancel this value this stamp must be used along
with other values in the mail and may have been applied by favor.

But it's still a precancel from Mecca, CA.

Mike

The last Bureau overprinted precancel in 1988 is Scott's 2266 overprint 'ZIP+4' in red.
However, this and others with overprints are only found with overprint on it.

The last Bureau overprinted with precancel on a stamp that can be found without (2262) the overprint is 2262a in 1987.

The last Classic Style Bureau (words between 2 lines) 2231 in black "Blk RT/CAR-RT/SORT", & does not exist without overprint, please note this Ambulance issue is different from 2128 or 2128a, the size of Ambulance 17.9mm on 2231 & 18.4mm on 2128/a.

Last Classic style precancel is 2133a in 1985 in black "BULK RATE" between two lines.

Natural precancels are precancels that were designed to be precancels without needing to add some sort of overprint to show use.
These began with the Christmas issues in 1970 & 1974.
The 1970 X-mas issues Scott's 1414a, 1415a, 1416a, 1417a & 1418a were different then their non-precanceled partners but these were not overprints but integrated into the stamps original design before printing.
The 1974 X-mas issue was US's first self-adhesive stamp and clearly marked "Precanceled".
Starting with 2453 in 1990 all so-called "Bureaus" are naturals all with have terms like, Bulk Rate, Presorted First-Class, Nonprofit Presort, Nonprofit org., Presorted First-Class Card, Additional Nonprofit Postage-Paid, Additional Presort Postage-Paid, for some examples.
Many of these are now Self-adhesive and may be manufactured by American Bank-Note Co. (ABN), Avery-Dennison (AV), Stamp Venturers (SV), 3M Company & the Bureau of Engraving & Printing (BEP).

Mike

Mike, I thought you might have a comment on the stamp. Since you pointed out that there is no reason to precancel a 3 cent, your suggestion that it was a favor precancel sounds quite probable.

Thanks,
Marty

I think I may have that same stamp precanceled. I will have to double check.

Marty, There are many smaller PO's that have the precancel device that they use to precancel stamps by request of the buyer. So it is possible that every issue
since the 60's has a Mecca, CA precancels and/or similar PO's, but found in very small numbers even unique (1).
There is a way that this Mecca was not done by favor, that would be if there was a .03 rate hike and needed to cover the difference with earlier precancels stamps. Just a thought!

Mike

Mike, I suppose the only way to verify your thought would be to find a postally used cover with this stamp used for the rate hike. This sounds like the proverbial needle in a haystack.

Marty