Heute habe ich eine Frage zu einem USA Formular Form 3582a POSTAGE DUE BILL
Das mir vorliegende Formular ist vom 28-3-1940, und es sind 7 Dollar und 5 Cent verklebt.
Das war es dann mit der Klarheit weder kann ich erkennen wo gestempelt wurd, noch was bezahlt wurde.
Was ich erkennen kann ist dass es sich um einen 14-er Block der 50 Cent, Michelnummer 51 wenn sich seit 1983 nichts geändert hat, handelt.
Wer kann Licht ins Dunkel bringen?
Ulrich,
Unfortunately, I do not think you can learn much more from this form.
This was a form used by most post offices and was typically used for postal customers who dealt with larger amounts of mail. This bill would have been a cover sheet that likely represented the accumulation of postage due for several items.
Because the postmaster did not choose to strike a postmark and instead wrote a date, that does not help us. And, it looks like the postmaster did not bother to write the full name of the postal client at the top left. So, in addition to not being very legible, it is not the full name. That would have been our only clue to tell us where this form came from.
I am sorry that I cannot be more helpful.
Rob
Ulrich,
Unfortunately, I do not see a way to figure it out with certainty. It could be postage due for one item (unlikely) or hundreds of items. The only possible clue is at the top "53 m @ 2 cts 1.06" That could account for $1.06 of the total postage due with 53 different mail pieces being short 2 cents of postage. But, that doesn't account for the rest. It is also possible that those notes do not apply to this particular item. The handwriting is not a certain match, so we would only be guessing.
Rob
Dear Rob,
ok, clear.
Lets wait for higher franking, with more clear input why. 
Ulrich,
I did notice one more thing under magnification of the image. Between the wavy line cancellation marks, I can read what looks like "MASS" for Massachusetts - probably. But, no marking to help us with the town or city. Highest odds are for Boston, of course. But, that's about all I can get to further help.
R
Card from Washongton 1951, to Garfield, back to Washington 22 SEP 1951.
Postage Due 2 Cents, I asume that there where 4 cards at the same day, so they put 8 Cents on the card.
Card from the same company, also Washingzton 1951, in that case to Alexandria , postage DUE 1 cent, but 2$ 87 on the card.
Handwriting for 2$81, so I am totally confused.
So I have the following outstanding items:
- how many items came back
- why is it once 1 cent, the other time 2 cents
- the Washington postmark looks unusual, without day and month
- what means Return postage guaranteed, was any return be charged again
- what means 802 - F ST., N. W.
Thanks for your help in advance
Ulrich,
I will start with the easy one for me. 802 F St NW is a street address. It is located here in Washington DC.
Let me look at my references for rates and possible explanations for the rest.
Rob
Ulrich,
Yes, the address of the sender. You will find it also on this side of your card. 802 F Street N.W. Look at bottom right.
In the United States, common street name abbreviations are St - Street, Ave - Avenue, Dr - Drive and probably many others.
Washington, DC used the alphabet and numbers for some of its planned city street names. Once they ran out of letters, they used other names, following in alphabetical order. Using letters for street names is not very creative, but it helped people find where they were going.
Rob
Thanks, for given me a good day with learning something new! 
Ulrich,
More information for you.
The postal card rate was 1 cent per postal card starting July 1, 1919 until December 31, 1951.
I am not an expert in returned mail during the 1950's. However, it seems that "Return Postage Guaranteed" was a way for the sender to indicate that they wanted to participate in the "Address Correction Service" that was established in 1927. I am not able to decipher the rates and regulations for this service based on what I have for resources.
I can tell you that it was standard practice to either return items like this in an envelope or as a bundle bound together by rubber bands. The top card or item would typically bear the postage due stamps and the total amount due from the postal customer. There is no guarantee that the postage due on the top item will be the same amount due on all other items in the bundle. However, since it is likely these were bundles of the same advertising card being returned for incorrect addresses, you can probably guess that the first item had 4 cards in it at 2 cents due for each. You cannot be absolutely certain, but the probability is high.
For the second item, it would also be fair to guess 287 cards like this one at 1 cent due each.
What we don't know is whether there were some bulk mailing rates being used to calculate the amount per card.
The Washington DC postmark is probably an indicator that this was a bulk mailing - they often would omit the date on those cancelers.
I hope this helps.
Rob
Handwriting for 2$81, so I am totally confused.
Hello Ulrich,
handwriting is not 2$81 but 2$87, because in the US the German "1" is usally written like "I" and the German "7" is often written similar to a "1" (without a dash "-" as in Germany).
(I've been often confused when seeing handwritten numbers in US-style therefore I know the pitfalls.)
Best regards
Gerd
Thanks to all of you, to bring some light in the dark.
