The Ways US Postage Due Stamps Were Used, 1879 -1986

New exhibit on Stamp Smarter - "The Ways U.S. Postage Due Stamps Were Used, 1879 -1986" by Tony Wawrukiewicz

This exhibit shows the many ways U.S. postage due stamps were used from July 1, 1879 until Oct. 2, 1986, that is, only during the period when adhesive due stamps allowed. Also shown is when the postage due stamps were placed, and whether their use indicated actual due collection.

http://stampsmarter.com/Learning/album_TonyPD.html

Big thanks to Tony for sharing this exhibit and for his other contributions to our hobby. If anyone has an exhibit you would like to share please let me know and we will make it happen.
Don

This is a fascinating exhibit. The many unusual rates and postal services covered, from the start of the UPU to the modern USPS era, are impressive, and many of the pieces have good eye appeal (who doesn't like a fourth-class bound printed material receipt with hundreds of dollars in postage due stamps on it?) Thanks for posting this!

Does anyone know if there were postal regulations on how the postage due stamps were to be placed on a cover or document? The exhibit doesn't go that much into detail.

If there were, then apparently they were often ignored. They seem to exist in every position; I suspect that "on the front" was all that was specifically required.

Interesting. A couple of years ago someone pointed out that they had seldom ever seen 7 postage due stamps properly used and you'd need to see thousands more before seeing another.

This is the back of the cover they were referring to. Every postage due I have on cover is in a different spot.

Due stamps are typically applied at the very end of a cover's journey. They will be applied where other stuff isn't, as common sense would dictate.

Stallzer, please show us the front of your cover also.

I can't recall seeing them applied on the back before, but with that many stamps needed it makes sense.

Apologies John, was too focused on the due stamps.

An old post of mine with $1499.52 in Postage Dues for one days Business Reply Mail.

https://www.stampcommunity.org/topi...PIC_ID=44866

Mike

Reuben H Donnelley was the Yellow pages guy. Perhaps mailing phone books?

years ago I remember seeing multiple single short rate unpaid reply envelopes bundled together withe only the first one having the amount due for the bundle. sometimes sheets were cancelled and attached to the larger groups.

Yes I have bumped this topic. I reviewed over 70 search returned thread and this is the one best suited for the item I am showing, a 1879 J4 on cover usage. While there are many threads about the stamps off cover, especial the cover differences on the first issues, there was not general on cover usages topics except for a single specific value such as a 1/2 cent covers.

The EKU for J4, shade variety not specified, is July 7, 1879. This cover is dated within the first 7 weeks. While a nice example of a J4 usage the recipient is worthy to be on the internet as Captain A. (Andrew) J. Mosher has his letters and papers reposing in the library. During the time surrounding this cover, the Captain was stateside between several of his long whaling voyages. Later he handled ships not engaged in whaling.

While reduced on the left edge as viewed from the address side, it is likely no important information is missing such as a vertically written return name or address. If that was present the letter should have been held for postage from the sender.





The circle T marking, international for indicating postage due, plus the 10 cents collect seems to indicate the cover was presented unpaid from a non-US ship which would be rated as a UPU 5 cent letter with the amount due doubled as a penalty. UPU letter rate began 7-1-1875. With a full date in the NY due marking, one could even research the NY ship traffic record to see upon which ship it may have arrived.

I invite comments and corrections as this is not an area I in which I am strong. It is an area in which I would like to expand my knowledge.

Two Clipper Airmail Postage due covers are posted in this thread: https://goscf.com/t/88220 which I started after the above post.