Cover Help - Mod & Rate

I know MOD (on back) stands for Mail Order Dept (or Division, forget which), but I don't know what that means. What did this dept do?

Why 16 cents? Not international (internal to PA). No evidence it was registered. Year is 1881.





typo fixed

I suspect that there might be a stamp missing next to the three, it has that look. And I believe it was registered, that is why the ms. #25 is there.

Are you sure that is a "D" and not a "B" as in M.O.B. (Money Order Business)? Get a strong light source and good glass.

As to rating this, I agree with revcollector that the manuscript number indicated registrations (10 cents 7-11875 through 12-31-1892) with postage as 3 cents per half ounce (until 10-1-1883), thus for 6 cents, over one half ounce but not over one ounce was paid. 10+6=16 all in PA from Saxton to Shippensburg.

While there is room for more stamps, this rates properly as is with no visible evidence in the photo that a stamp is missing.

Edit: Spelling of Saxton corrected.

Yep, registered cover. Scribbled registration number top left margin. Double three cent first class postage pklus the ten cent registration fee. Definitely a mney order business mark on the back. Nice cover. Enjoy!

Can you make out where it was postmarked?

Sorry for the typo, the town is SAXTON, not sExton.

"Are you sure that is a "D" and not a "B" as in M.O.B"

I don't own it, but have access to it and will report back on B or D.

So what would money order business indicate? There was a money order enclosed in the cover? Why a special postmark for this?

"Can you make out where it was postmarked?"

As parcelpost has pointed out, Sexton PA (light but readable)

"I believe it was registered, that is why the ms. #25 is there."

A rather incognito marking. Usually registered is more in your face.

Registered mail was to be marked when received at a post office. The back cancel served that purpose. If you look you can find many types of cancels used for receiving marks, likely just a "oops grabbed the wrong one" or "this is what is in my hand."

Registered mail did go into envelopes (Sealed with OXF at times 1881 was a transitional period) and if the envelope was going only to Shippensburg with the one or more letters from Sexton, no need for a big deal to be done, the manuscript number worked along with the dime stamp.

Saxton to Shippensburg is just under 40 crow file miles and today, by road, 61 miles.

PLEASE NOTE THE CORRECTION TO MY ORIGINAL TYPO: the town is SAXTON not sExton.

So you are suggesting the MOB cancel was just what happened to be handy and had no particular meaning in thois case?

So what was a MOB cancel (I should probably say postmark) intended for then?

MOB= Money Order Business. Not all offices were money order offices.

It would be appropriate for use on all things related to money orders. Accounting documents, deposits or sending money order monies to other office for deposit, on the money order, on the money order receipts. When sending money orders. Oh, and etc.

You should have the idea now.

Yes it is a B. and an A in Saxton.