Victoria(N) Post Card

Plenty of time at home now to go through much older purchases. I admit that I don't have the appropriate catalogs, so these could be extremely common, but submitted for comments. Both have nothing on the back sides.

Both are from Victoria. The first jumped out at me as it says, "Victorian" at the top. This is a Postal Card with attached Reply Card all set to go. Both go to the receiver, who carefully cuts / tears apart, then sends back to the sender, if desired.


This second item is a simple post card (no reply option). What I like about this one is that it appears to be a CTO. The cancellation is quite clear. I even think I see a very small "7" at the bottom of the cancellation, though possibly just an ink splatter.



I see notes scribble on both in pencil, but, again, don't have any catalogs. Help identifying them and possible values would be much appreciated.

These can't be too common with CTO cancels!

Yes, I hope they aren't too common. But either way, into the collection it goes. I'm always amazed when I see something that is almost 120 years old still in such good shape. This one was probably stored well.

Any idea if the "7" is of any significance?

I only have the ancient Ascher catalog, so I can only give limited information.

The message+reply card is Ascher #3, issued in September 1882. As the pencil note indicates, it is also Higgins & Gage #3.

The CTO card is Ascher (and apparently also H&G) #24, as the note again indicates. Ascher states that it was issued in December 1901, but your October 22 cancellation shows that it must have been issued earlier. Maybe a first day cancel?

The catalog values given by Ascher and even those in the 1989 updated price table are so out of date as to be essentially worthless. But the latter has #3 mint at DM 12 and #24 used at DM 18 or DM 20, depending on the variety. CTOs were apparently common on postcards from Victoria, since the price table specifically notes that they are worth only 30% of the regular used price, so yours would be around DM 6 on that basis. (Approximately DM 1 = US $0.57 in 1989.)

Thanks for the info. I'll note those references on my supporting literature and move on. Take care.

An explanation of the CTO Post card is given here:

"The Philatelic Record in December 1900 reported as follows

"SPECIMEN STAMPS. A set of Victorian Postage and Postage-due Stamps of all denominations, from ½d to 20s, including Post Cards, Stamped Envelopes and Newspaper wrappers, may be purchased for £1. The full set, from ½d to £100, may be obtained for £5. Applications to be made to the Comptroller of Stamps. The stamps will be cancelled either by light postmark, or by being marked 'Specimen', as the purchaser may desire."

In addition wrappers with a Melbourne CTO dated 26 Apr 1901 were supplied as specimens to the UPU."

https://www.stampboards.com/viewtop...f=19&t=20958