Need Help On Auxiliary Marking And Po Label

Hi all,

Helping out a friend - she has the following on the back of a cover:

Would someone be able to help:

1. Decipher what the auxiliary marking is? (could only see Received ... ... / G P O MAILING DIVISION)

2. Identify the PO label used?

Thanks!

*** Moved by Staff to a more appropriate forum. ***

You can find a complete listing of all US Post Office Seals here https://stampsmarter.org/features/Id_US_Seals.html
These seals were used on covers to note that the PO had either opened the letter to facilitate forwarding it correctly, if the item had been damaged by the PO, or if it had been opened for censorship review.

If possible, please post and front back of the entire cover, this will assist others in helping provide more info for you.
Don

Thanks, Don, for the Stamp Smarter reference. Would try to get the front and back of the cover from her!

Many of this design were OX21 but getting the correct ID is greatly helped with a bit more context. The images shows more of a gray than black design and appears to be perforated (as opposed to roulette) but...
Don

I agree fully with Don, evaluating "postal history" requires seeing the entire mail piece, front and back.

That said, the most typical wording of the first line is likely to be:
"Received in damaged condition at:" or
"Received unsealed at:"

I agree with the above two marking choices. That said, with the tear, I would doubt this was an unsealed marking. With unsealed items the OX is usually over the flap.

Lastly, in this marking case, the name of the city would also be on the first line with the branch office identified as shown on the second line.

See: https://www.postal-markings.org/ the Auxiliary Markings Club.

Hi all, thanks for the great help! I managed to get scans of both the back and front. I must say the cover is quite beaten up.




(And I am sorry - when I posted this thread, I thought the cover is a US cover. It is not, so if need be, can a moderator help move it to the Australian thread? Thanks!)

Wow! what a cover.
4 pounds eight shillings !
A couple of weeks wages.

Do not recall seeing that Air Mail Etiquette style, prior.
Prussian Blue?

Cover Estimate : $3000 (2016)

See also:
Commercial Uses of the Australian
Pound-denominated Stamps
1 of only 3 known articles bearing the £1 Coronation Robes (unsurfaced paper).
Rfrajola