Wanting Info On Date(S) Of Precanceling Of The Americana Series Stamps

Just got back into collecting after about 20 years of life getting in the way and am new to this forum, so I hope I'm doing this correctly. Can anybody tell me where I can find the dates of printing of the various BUREAU precancels (not interested in "Towns and Types" - yet) on the Americana Series stamps ? I would also like to know when those various precancels were delivered to post offices/authorized mailers (however that was arranged) and when they were 1st used by the authorized mailers. Thanks for any sources of information.

You might try the precancel society: www.precancels.com


Peter

I've tried them - they have a bunch of stuff (databases, etc.) for "Town and Types", but all I can find there on Bureau precancels is a style sheet and a "catalog" and albums - I don't even know if they have a library I could search. I may have to join the APS and the USSS and get into their libraries. Guess I can join PSS and see if they have a library, too . . .

Robert_Lee76:

Send an email to the Precancel Society. They have a contact page here:
https://www.precancels.com/contact/

Ask them directly the question you have posted here. Give them all the detail you can think of about your interests. The more you tell them, the more likely you will be to get a response.

They should be able to provide you some direction on where to find the sort of information you seek. They may have or know about publications with that sort of detail, or there may be members who focus on the study of that information but may not have published it yet.

If you get a positive response, then that should tell you that their club is one you need to join. Or it may be that you can join, and find other members with a similar interest who will collaborate with you to locate the information for a wide range of precancels. The research is part of the fun.

ALSO: Go to the APS website, https://www.stamps.org and search the David Straight catalog for material on precancels. You don't have to be a member to search for resources in the catalog, or to request photocopies (but the cost may be less for members). I believe you do have to be a APS member to borrow books.

There is much you can do on your own, just dig in and do it.

Mike

Thanks Mike - there's my start !

As you note, I would also be sure to review "The United States Specialist" volumes for that era.
Some of what you ask for seems beyond the realm of official records - like when a private compnay bought the new type and when they started using it - but rather anecdotal evidence from collectors.
And like priming a pump, sharing some detailed information is a good way to get additional information back.

I haven't seen that sort of information gathered in one place.

By that time the bureau precancels required a fairly large purchase for them to make them, places with smaller requirements had the post office make them, either with a post office owned electroplate, or an issued handstamp. Very small users might get permission to do it themselves, so there are mimeographed ones and other methods all in the town and type.

I don't know if they've put them online, I let my membership lapse a bit after they went to all digital but their monthly publication from that time period would have announcements of new stamps as they were issued or discovered, so you might get approximate dates from that. One of the Washington DC precancelled airmails has first day covers, and I think I have a first day of a local type somewhere.

The rest would be in BEP records, I don't know where to find those, but I have seen things with dates for some stamps showing when each plate went to press and how many impressions
Sounds like an interesting research project.

I remember (back in the day) that Linn's had a monthly column called (I think) the "Plate Number Report" - it gave the dates a plate went to press, how many impressions it made, the date it was retired, etc. I don't remember if it made any distinctions between stamps that were precanceled and those that weren't. The precancels I'm interested in are the ones that were overprinted with the precancel at the BEP itself . . .

Robert, the precancels that I have were overprinted by a flexographic mat and did not have a plate number ( at least not for the overprint mat )


Peter

You may only be able to get the data you're looking for by going directly to BEP to look at their records.

I have a copy of The "Americana" Series Reference Manual by Art Maniker (1998) and it lists general precancel data from PSS, but no dates or delivery data pertaining to precancels. Good luck in your search!


Scott

Yeah, with stamps being "accountable paper", one would think that the BEP would have records - produced, distributed, sold, returned, destroyed, etc. - I have the feeling that getting any info from the BEP about the production from 45 years ago might be a chore . . .

Scott - thanks for the reply - I have the Maniker "manual" - it IS lacking the info I'm looking for - there's been other Bureau precancels made since it came out, too . . .

I just found this on e-bay : Field Guide to Postal Uses of the Americana Series - 309-page E-book on CD by Ronald Blanks. Looks like it might have a lot of the information I am looking for. Wish me luck . . .