Does Anyone Here Collect Stamps On Piece?

A few years ago, I bought a plastic bin full of over a thousand US stamps that someone had saved on piece. They cut the stamps and full cancels from the envelopes. The cancellation dates range between 1960 and 2008.I am still sorting and mounting these items on card stock pages identified by year. It is making for a very attractive display album.

I have a few clumsily done ones. I'd love to see an example of a page you've put together!

Often cut to 2"x4", and thus called 2x4's like the lumber, collecting cut cancels has fallen out of favor among postal historians, who prefer full mail pieces. They still have research value to postal historians for the cancels, but have lost most of their monetary value and exhibitability.

GitFiddler,

It sounds like you have come across a postmark collection. Although they have little monetary value, they are still collected.

http://postmarks.org/

http://www.postmarks.org/resources/intro.php

Dan

Possibly someone else has part of the Phineas Drummond collection!

I collect New South Wales datestamps from the pre 1980 Commonwealth period on piece.

I think they are quite attractive too!

I have an accumulation of British slogan cancels. Having the full cancel and even the full envelope tells you far more about the stamp and it's use but it takes up so much space. looking at stamps from countries where post is no longer a monopoly and the government postal service provides a "final mile" delivery makes it essential to collect at least a portion of stamps on piece or on cover if the collection isn't to become just a collection of slips of paper.

I routinely save the best (cleanest, most complete, and most attractive) cancellations from kiloware or mixtures.

When I get a bunch of stamps on paper I will set aside those 'on piece' with attractive slogan cancels or from small towns. I will bring them to my local stamp club where, invariably, some member will buy them on our auction nights as it is exactly what they are looking for.

I have many boxes of full covers. I am in need of better organization but have always saved what seemed attractive to me. I have been selling some stampless folded letters and covers on eBay with some success. Low dollar items and only something to stay busy with.

Lucky fellow.

Yes ... I have 1000's of neatly done corner pieces mostly from late 1800's. Some/many are very valuable based on the stamp, postmark, date and cancel! Nothing is wrong with on piece! They are premium and full of postal history! Fancy cancels plus date plus rarity! Wow... fun fun fun and valuable! They are better than just the stamps! They are slightly less valuable than covers. I even have Dec 7 1941 cancels (which is a Sunday), inverted dates, times etc.. Keep collecting and yes they are better than just the stamp because of the postal history associated with them. Collect whatever is fun to u! The neat thing is you can go as deep as u want in studies, regions, rarities (Helbock's rarity books)! Above all have fun!

To quibble with the above statement, I will contend that cuts are hugely less valuable than their corresponding covers.

John,
Point well taken. On piece value is more valuable than just the stamp and less valuable than if you had the whole cover.

Thanks for the correction. I just got a little excited cuz I have some nice 1880's on piece with cancels that are very rare.

Mitch

Mitch, Please show us a few of them.

Below are some of the pics. It has been absolutely fun researching and sorting these.