Colorado Questions - What Are These?

The first one (Crook) is an 841 with a font variation (larger C than normal). There are some notations in the TnT catalog, but they don't exactly match my stamp, so I am not sure what type of 841 this is.

841 (O/C, 3) = the "3" refers to the footnote about the font variation, so that is ok. But the O/C means that one of the O's of Crook should be directly above the C of CO (Colorado). But clearly on this stamp, the state is further left than that, leaving CO centered under the first O of Crook.

841 (O/CO, 9, COOK) = the 9 refers to the misspelling COOK, which only happens in certain parts of the device, and obviously not on my stamp, so that is not an issue here. But O/CO means that the CO should be under an O, which is what I have on this stamp.

So which is this -- the first type of 841 because of the font or the second type because of the position of O/CO?

Did maybe the larger C just push the whole word further to the right, changing the positioning of CO?

THE next one for Dove Creek is unlisted - fake, post-cancel?

THE last two are likewise unlisted for Gilman. Also fakes/etc.?

Thanks.

Crook: this is the 841(3) type. Excellent examples of the differences and WHY are shown on the PSS archive (members only). The other's - they might look like precancels but they are not - oddly enough because they were not used as precancels. With non-government styles - this alone is sufficient to keep them from being listed in the PSS Town and Type catalog.

So are these other cancels "post-cancels", authentic cancels, for parcels or other postal use?

yes, apparently used in the post office

Although this has nothing to do with the precancels, it's fascinating to learn that Crook, Colorado had a 2010 population of only 110, yet still has an operating post office!



On the other hand, Gilman, Colorado had been a company mining town since 1886 but has been a ghost town since 1986, strictly off-limits because of contamination of air and water and is/was an EPA Superfund Site.

You always find such neat information, wt1.

But it frustrates me that the town I formerly lived in (pop. over 50,000) couldn't have a USPS office, not even a counter in a grocery store, yet somehow ones like this stay open.

I was in the backwoods of NM a few months ago and came across a town with 3 USPS offices to serve a population of under 6,000.

I'm a totally supporter of the USPS, but stupidity like that makes me mad.