What Does "Cns" Stand For?

When looking through the listings on the Premier Postal Auctions website, I occasionally come across the abbreviation "CNS." However, it's not listed in the website's Abbreviations list. Does anyone know what it stands for?

Hi jimjamtwo,

There's one or two 'Canadian National Steamships' but most seem to relate to Australian Circular Datestamps.

This is what you'd put in your google search:

CNS site:premierpostal.com

So, NS might be Not Seen but what is C? Circular Datestamp?

Actually, what I'm referring to is in the Australian Post Offices section. I have found a strike from Fulham, Victoria, dated 1912. According to the PPA list, it's "CNS." I'm wondering if this is "Copy Not Sighted." If so, this could be the first example to be discovered which would be very exciting. However, it could mean literally anything.

suggestions
Rated CNS - not recorded by Cowan & Dell
Rated CNS - only previously know from archival.

example: Oriel Park: 30½mm ë/7SE44/QLDí (arcs 4½,5) on KGVI 3d
brown & 4d koala. [Rated CNS - not recorded by Cowan & Dell]
PO 9/7/1936; renamed Ascot PO 3/5/1977. $30

Anybody with a Cowan and Dell catalogue, may have it in their Index.

Dashed Acronyms ! what is PPA?

Thanks for the information from Queensland, rod222.

I've seen the abbreviation used before, but this is the first time it relates to something of mine.

PPA is Premier Postal Auctions, probably the best place to buy specialised Australian postmarks; they hold very regular auctions.

Thanks,
I use Premier Postal all the time, just never read PPA before.

Good luck, however I notice the advice says "unframed" is yours so?

I believe CNS stands for Cancel Not Seen.
I assume this would arise from post offices that existed for a short time or changed their name or used different cancellation devices over time.

Yes, Rod, unframed. Fulham (1) apparently only had an unframed cds. I have it on piece with the barred numeral 1823:



StevieG, the device would seem to have been in use for 37 years (1902-39), so it's odd that examples have apparently not previously been seen.

The numeral, as well as the cds used at Fulham (2) between 1946 and 1974, are all rated 3R.

Nice find Jim.
I don't understand the piece fully.
That is not a duplex is it?
If not, I don't recall seeing a CDS and a barred numeral in on 1 piece before.

Illustrates perfectly why NOT to soak stamps off piece.
The barred numeral will be 823 not 1823 surely ?

Hi Rod. In fact, is very common for a cds and a numeral to be found together on the same cover; after an office received a cds, the postal officials often continued using the numeral together with it. (Example below). Unfortunately, many people who tore corners off envelopes in this period were only interested in preserving the numeral, not the cds - perhaps because they knew that the numerals were being phased out.

The "1" in "1823" can only partly be seen but you can see that if the "1" weren't there, it would be asymmetrical.

Right, thanks Jim,
perhaps I was thinking NSW barred numerals,
1823 seemed like a huge number to me.

Good luck with your FULHAM, what do you do next? offer the example to Geoff Kellow?
If you do, we still need to confirm what CNS stands for.

Rod, Victorian numerals went up to 2100.

I think you're right about NSW numerals. I don't recall seeing both a numeral and a cds on the same cover.

As is always the case, I'm not sure what to do about my discovery. I also found a Queensland datestamp that has never been sighted before (Coochin Creek). I tried to sell it on ebay, but it didn't go.

On the whole, it's been a very rewarding year for me as a postmark collector. I recently came across my diary from 1969 and found that I sent a piece about postmark collecting to the Argonauts Club that day that was subsequently read out over the air. So I've been collecting postmarks for over 50 years. Discovering two cds that have never been seen before seems a great way to mark my 50th anniversary!

1969 !
Gee, my main focus were young ladies, and the Vietnam war.
I had my entire stamp collection stolen from the boot of my Jaguar, a year prior. It would be another 10 years before I re took up the tongs.

I was nine!

Rod222,

Sounds like the stamps out valued the Jag. ? lol

NSW numeral postmarks can also be found up to numeral 2100.




Datestamps can also be found used with New South Wales numeral cancellations - both as duplex postmarks and in the vicinity of non-duplex numerals.