In 1937-1941 The Post Office Department Moved The Gold To Fort Knox Via Registered Mail

I came across this info while doing research and found it fascinating. Perhaps many of you already knew this but I never did. It took 500 rail cars five years to move 15 billion dollars of gold bullion by Registered Mail from New York to Fort Knox.

That was when our money was backed by both Silver and Gold .


5 years to move 15 billion ,ha ha ----- It took 2 hours to move 100 Billion from California Banks last month .

I'd love to see a parcel tag for that load. I doubt that even a full sheet of 834s would cover the insurance and registration fee though.

Not sure there were any and if there were, that any survive. That said here is a wrapper that might interest you, postage $2.44 and $142.85 registration. Sorry but no stamps just meters.

USPOD local letter carrier James G. Todd delivers the package with the wrapper shown below.


Note the "X" following the written registration number. That was an informal, non-official, but standard marking to indicate a high value registered. Here the registration fee covered one million dollars.



Here is the opened package in black and white and from a distance





Now in color and close up.



Without the blue backing to show the true blue color.

The gem looks familiar. Is it the Hope Diamond?

We have a winner.

It is stunning how much trust the Post Office engendered at one time. Such a contrast between then and now.

Reflective of America and American Society generally .

I wonder what has caused the changes in respect, honesty, behavior and attitude .

When the Hope Diamond was mailed in 1958, children could walk to the park and play by themselves all day but today allowing that action is considered as parental child abuse to the point parents have been arrested. When the Hope Diamond was mailed in 1958, law and order was respected and today many vilify as destructive such behavior.

Such progress towards what goal?

There was plenty of crime then too. Gang wars, kids would steal from other kids, and kids were even shot once in a while. But the NRA was all about gun safety then. It wasn't a political entity. Not about selling as many as possible to line pockets. And no one was suggesting that teachers carry guns in those days either. And a lot of other changes as well.

Parcel Post Guy and others,

Have not run accross the use of an "X" to indicate high value in any registered mail regulations but will keep an eye out for it. Have seen an "X" on several registered mail tags going to NYC but find no real connection to higher amounts of franking and itd use?

Keep looking hoosierboy, it is quite common to find, even on registered envelopes. I have published on this in the past with the agreement of other postal historians. I have examples of such a marking into the very early 1970's on my 1341 $1 Airlift covers.

Edit: I be clear, you will not find a regulation on this, thus why described as "informal."

Thank you revcollector for underscoring my point. By the way, did you notice I did not once mention, schools, guns, the NRA, teachers, gang wars, theft nor shootings?

You didn't have to. They were clearly implied.

Statistics can be a pesky thing, but I will refrain.

Ah, the old safe days. Holidaying in Drew, Mississippi, 1955. Enrolling in school, Little Rock, 1957. Opposing segregation, Jackson, 1963. Going to church, Birmingham, 1963 …