New Precancel Collector

hey everyone! I just recently started to collect precancels. right now, I am collecting illinois, indiana, ohio, new mexico, and south carolina (as far as states go), and am also collecting/hoarding sc#300. I figured this is a good way to get started. anyway, just wanted to say hi and that I look forward to chatting with you!

Oh no, not another one!

Just kidding, welcome to SCF, and do share pictures of your finds!

Hey 19centuryguy, I too , as many others here collect Precancels. You should have fun. Enjoy your stay!

Mike

smauggie get to work!

sinced you asked, here is my small, but growing, collection of #300 precanceled.





one of my favorites, although I wish the precancel was more centered.

Hi 19 ! precancels are a great specialty - I started them collecting in 1986 and enjoy them every day - there is a lot to them, but at the same time most are incredibly inexpensive - educational too. I collect the states of AL, DE, MT, Vt, and WA so we are not competing. Welcome aboard. There are a few of us at SCF who can answer most questions.

I would strongly recommend the Precancel Stamp Society as a group. The best place to acquire precancels is at the national ot local PSS roundups. We publish very helpful catalogs too. For instance, the new classics catalog lists all of the SC300 precancel varieties: The 1940 classics reference listed 149 different cities, 235 types, and 574 total varieties. URL: http://www.precancels.com/

i will look into that. thanks!

Some better SC300 precancels:

what is the first one? "deposit ny"?

19centuryguy,

Hi welcome! I collect precancels as well. I am currently working on a Bureau collection and collect CA and VA for Town & Types. I'm currently wading through ~50K trying to sort and organize them into something coherent. I like to think of it as my 10 year plan...lol.

If you don't have a copy already I recommend the PSS catalog on CD. Great resource.

Enjoy! I have fun with my precancel theme collections.

How are you so certain the one from Deposit, NY is a precancel and not a post-cancel? It just looks a bit odd to be a precancel with sideways printing.

By the way, for anyone who is not familiar with Deposit, NY, here's a brief history:

http://www.deposithistoricalsociety.../DepHis.html

I just looked it up and apparently that Deposit, NY handstamp is a typical precancel from that period that is often confused with a post-cancel.

By the way, I found this excerpt amusing from a 1915 Meekel's Weekly Stamp News about the Sherman, NY fancy precancel:

I am a new precancel collector, too. Please post lots of clever questions for me.

@chasa: I read somewhere that WA is a very popular state for collectors. I happen to live there, so we would be in competition if you didn't have a decades-long head start on me , but I am very curious as to why it is so popular?

I would rate WA good to collect on these criteria: [1] There are few scarce types to contend with - 7 are A-rated out of 601, none are AA-rated [meaning only one known] so, if you had the resources, it would be possible to complete. Patience, patience... I found one of the Dayton WA A-rated in an ebay group lot. [2] WA has a relatively small amount of modern 'wallpaper' - some is still being made from about 6 post offices, but it is manageable. [3] the state editor for WA [Blanchard] is a very active buyer - he almost always outbids me. [4] At 'only' 302 towns and 602 types it is not overwhelming. [5] There is an active catalog project [Brunell] [6] There are 2 double line electros' in WA almost everybody wants these. [7] there are no 'impossible' towns in WA - Richmond Highlands at 'only' 75$ is the hardest.

I may be overly optimistic but I think I could possibly have a rare 596. I really need help identifying a couple of my Franklins. Please let me know what you think.