Postmarks

I've seen a few posts about postmarks. What do I need to look for, and what kind are the most collectable.

There are many ways to collect postmarks. You might want to check out www.postmarks.org or to be more specific,
http://www.postmarks.org/resources/intro.php

Dan

Thank you, Dan. Really didn't know people actually collected them.

Jeff

I don't collect them, as such, but I like to know as much about them as needed to understand them on covers that I collect. That's a good web site. I wonder, are there other published reference works or catalogs on postmarks?

Hi Blackhorseson

I am very interested in postmarks Primarily in postmarks telling small stories of postal history, as when a postmark is indicating the stamp have been used as a forerunner in country that did not issue it's own stamps, or otherwise used abroad or used on ships/for maritime usage.

I will suggest a few threads if interested:

French postmarks - including forerunners and used abroad
https://goscf.com/t/19850&whichpage=6

Postmark for maritime mail / Paqueboat:
https://goscf.com/t/33180&whichpage=4

Using Postmarks to identify French stamps from colonial stamps:
https://goscf.com/t/43832


IMHO Postmarks literally open a new world, beyond the stamps themselves. Not forget finding SOTN and easily readable postmarks from long-time-ago-far-away-never-heard-of-place. The date on that old postmark can make one wonder why did the sender need to post that letter on that particular day...

-Jon-

The subject is very intriguing to me. What is the best way to get older envelopes other than auctions and websites? I've always thought most people throw out their old mail.


Jeff

blcjr,




There are some books about postmarks in certain specialized areas, DPO's, RPO's and various state postmark histories but there is no "go to" book that I'm aware of.

There is also no standardized catalog for postmarks. That makes it interesting and fun.

Dan

Hahaha! Dan the Rebel!

I was wondering, are there certain dates to look for, maybe pictures in the postmark, etc. I wouldn't even know where to begin on collecting them.

Blackhorseson,




Sometimes you can find some at estate sales or yard sales but it isn't easy. Most people *do* throw out their old mail.

The Post Mark Collectors Club has monthly auctions for members. The prices are reasonable. We also just swap material. A lot of the material is on cover (the preferred way to collect postmarks).

If you are interested in postal history, the monthly PMCC Bulletin also has interesting articles on local postal history.

Come join in the fun!

Dan

Aside from a very few "rare" postmarks, what you look for depends on how and what you want to collect. It's really a laid back part of the hobby. You collect what you want, how you want. There isn't a catalog so you don't have to worry about "missing" anything.

It's also a good introduction to postal history if that is your interest.

Dan

Thank you Dan. Seems like an interesting thing. A lot for me to learn about this hobby. Nothing like sports cards.lol

Jeff

Postmarks is such a huge subject. Collectors usually trim it down to a Country or Time Period or Mode of Transport. Certainly, if you collected postmarks these would be some of the areas you could group your collection by.

Here are some stamps that have nice Swedish postmarks with a couple from very small towns like Aseda. Helsingborg is a historical city, the oldest city in Sweden.
Even though these are common stamps, each one was selected because the postmark is centered and clearly struck on the stamp.

The cover below has a Steamboat postmark from a Ship Post Office on the Great Lakes.

Blackhorseson, you can also collect pictorial postmarks. USPS publishes all the postmarks in the "Postal Bulletin" biweekly: https://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/pb2015.htm. I've collected them on and off for years. Here is a thread about the recent Lincoln Funeral Train postmarks: https://goscf.com/t/44856. It inspired me to send out requests for all the postmarks.

Paul

I see what you mean jimjung. Never knew riverboats postmarked mail.
Paul, the USPS link said not found. I'll check on the Lincoln Funeral Train to see it though. Is there and postmarks that are made today that are cool and unique?

Jeff

Ah - the period was picked up in the URL: https://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/pb2015.htm - this one should work.

Cool and Unique? That is an opinion, but I find some of the sports, military, and holiday postmarks most interesting. Sometimes I'll print cachets related to the postmark, other times it simply a blank cover. Recently I've been using the supply of postal cards I've built up over the years and sending those out to be postmarked (along with extra postage).

Here is a set from years ago commemorating opening day.