Are You Interested In Registered Mail?

I am researching the evolution of registered mail in the United States from before its official beginning in 1855 until the present day. Would be glad to share information with you and learn of your interests in registered mail in the U.S. and other countries, too.

I collect Worldwide, everything. Registration articles Worldwide.
Only definitive information is for Australia.
Earliest US I have seen is 1895 (Purple handstamp)

Here's a registered cover I've come across recently from 1881 -

As far as I know, Registration began in the North German Federation in 1863.
The first "R" labels originated in the US in 1883, and were then adopted Worldwide.

I liked James Milgram's book "United States Registered Mail 1845-1870"

Lots of information on US registered mail available from Dr. Milgram, both in monograph form and in journal articles.

Here is my earliest registered cover, 1873, the 15c rate, an 1882 10c rate and an 1898 8c rate.

Morning all,

Thanks for the interest. Battlestamp, can you please post an image of any markings on the back of your 1881 NYC cover?

I know Dr. Jim Milgram and have his book. He recently visited me.

Among other things, I am currently looking for examples of registered covers going to, coming though, or traveling within NYC especially 1884 and earlier in hopes of dating the EKU and LKU usage of the many registered marks seen on this material.

I am in the process of working up my accumulation of registered forms documenting how registered mail was handled within the USPO. This is going to take some time as forms and procedures changed over time.

The post office required documentation of the "chain of custody" of each registered item it handled. Not all intermediary custodians of a registered letter marked the cover itself. Forms help flush out this narrative.

The last one is amazing.

MarieVR

Welcome to the community and this discussion. Which last one are you referring to - a cover?

Here's another New York registered cover from 1942 that used a meter. Note the sender.

I have a few that I'd like to share with you (you might find them useful?) Not something I collect but I do have several.

First, from 1876 (my earliest):



Next, one that is date unknown (except for Nov. 12):



The 1876 and date unknown covers have nothing special on the back (they actually don't have anything on the back)

From 1878 (including this one because I like the way it looks):







Finally, from 1935. I like this one because it is addressed to my grandfather..and the back is pretty cool!)

Daveinva47, your 1878 NYC to Texas cover is very interesting. Its markings are typical for the period but twenty-two cents postage is a lot. First class rate was three cents and the registration fee was ten cents in 1878. This was a heavy letter taking four units of first class postage.

This is from a business so it could have paid postage on a parcel plus registration fee but I see no sign of tape or string that should have attached the letter to the parcel?

1878 Quadruple rate NYC to Texas: Postage was rated per half-ounce at that time (until July 1, 1885) so the letter weighed between 1.5 and 2 ounces. Not very heavy.

Revision to my earlier post: here's a scan of my earliest registered; dated 1870 (at least that's what the letter inside the envelope is dated, so....)

I don't think the above is registered - no additional postage paid or other markings. The "Reg 22" might refer to Regiment 22, a military group instead.