Silent Precancel - Definition

Moved from another tread:

The term "Silent Precancel" comes from the early days of precancel use. Precancels were originally local in nature and were authorized by the local PM. They were various ways the stamps were marked, but unlike a regular cancels there was no indication of the city/post office of origin, thus silent.

"No indication of the origin of the precancel on the postage stamp, it is silent".

This was reinforced when many National postal systems wished to gain greater control over the precanceling processes. The USA, Canada & Belgium would overprint or authorized the overprint for a city/post office for use from there. So this resulted in most precancels stating the source location of the issue, not silent.

Most precancels currently silent, but are controlled by the national postal systems and are available throughout the country, only a few are really local in nature.

Warrehouse,
I'm not sure I'd classify current precancels as "silent", but rather service inscribed, as most of them have some sort of inscription that indicates the type of service they are supposed to be used for. Such as... bulk rate, presorted, etc..

-Allen

Would the transportation coils from a few years back that have only two bars and no inscription be silent precancels?

Marty

Those would be national style bureau precancels. There were several stamps that were issued that way, starting at or around the Americana series. Generally speaking, the term "silent precancels" are referred to as precancels that were created in the classic era locally. Truth be told, though, you will hear the term used for anything that doesn't show a city and state on them...

-Allen

Allen,
What silent was refering to is the location of the precancel, (as not being stated on stamp) not the type of precancel usage as you were refering to above.

Mike

Yes! Only because it does not tell you where it is from.
Again 'Silent' simply refers to the location source in undefined.

The newer ones like you refer to with the 2 bars are bureaus are silent but they are available through out the country, not one location as in the past.

I know what you meant, but it's not proper usage of the term, as I was rudely corrected on a few years back when I wrote an article on the subject for US Stamp News...

This is not a silent precancel, but a National Style Bureau



And this is not a silent precancel, but a service inscribed precancel



These, however are silent precancels:





I would save you the grief I got...

-Allen

Very nice Silent precancel!

A Glen Allen, VA bevelled star used by Cussons May & Sheppard.
The stamp is listed at $500.00 and on cover $3000.00

The Columbian however is unlisted.
It is most similar to one from Portland, ME but the difference is that was only used on a 1ct Trans-Mississippi and the wider middle line was embedded with hollow stars.
However, I did find in Hoover 1940 Part 1, Precancel Catalogue an image nearly identical to yours in a group stating "Some Unidentified Bar Precancels" the 1995 catalogue does not show that one at all.

Issues like the 2 line bureau above do exist as silent local precancels in the Transportation coil series the Great Americans, Americana & prominent American series. They come from Tucson AZ, South Windsor, CT, Detroit, MI, Evansville, IN & Greensboro, NC.

Allen, thanks for your good info.

I can imagine, why do some collectors do that?
I wonder if they think it enhances their reputation?
Philately is such a vast sphere of expertise, we
are all going to make faux pas from time to time,
it is the nature of the beast.

Bravo to you for putting it out there
I just hope it hasn't dampened you desire to go to print.

All journalists leave themselves open to pot shots
and we can all spot the "elitists"

Again, wow, I'm so overwhelmed. You all know so much more than I. Thanks for the discourse

Like bfranton, I am in awe of the amount of knowledge and wisdom there is among the folks here. Great explanation and pics! Thanks!