U349 Explain Difference Between Cancels Listed

Here's my U349 wmk11; I'm guessing just handcanceled?

Can anyone explain the different gradings listed... Entire; Entire, Expo station machine cancel; Entire, Expo station duplex handstamp cancel.

I think the last one is when you've got ... like the football with number in it and lots of ink, then the circle with the date stamp to the left.

guess it helps if you post the picture? :( anyway...

What you have is a duplex (hand-cancel) cancellation, or at least, most of one.

I guess what I'm really trying to understand... is that it is an example of 3 levels of canceling that I don't understand.

I also see a lot of references to "Tagged" and don't know what that means.

A stamp, cover or postcard that is tagged has a strip of phosphorescent ink on or beside the stamp. The phosphorescent tag can only be sign with a black-light, and is used by the postal service to help sort mail. Tagging of stamped/embossed envelopes began in late 1966, long after your U349 was manufactured (1894-1899).

The cancellation consists of a duplex cancellation. The hand-stamped duplex cancellation was composed of two parts. One part showed the town or station where the mail was processed, as well as the date, and the other portion marked the stamp as canceled, usually in a pattern of bold horizontal bars in the shape of a circle or oval. Between the two marks, level with the bottom edge of the cancellations, the year of the cancellation would appear. You cannot see this on your cover as the bottom portion of the cancellation does not show (perhaps it was not properly inked).

To learn more and see what the hand-cancel looks like, you can visit http://www.linns.com/howto/refreshe...rcourse.aspx

Great link! Thanks.
Grossman's handbook on US philately
does not address these duplex cancels.

Example of a cover with full duplex cancels.




I am not sure why they double-canceled the front.
Four days from Long Beach, CA to Ancon, CZ in 1933 is pretty amazing.

Amazing delivery, Yes, indeed! Amazing delivery everywhere then. I have been marveling at the Air Mail service cancels between San Francisco and St Louis in 1948. Literally delivered within 24 hours. Thanks too for the great information.