USA-Inland

Lieber Franz,

hinten lese ich nur eine Paraphe - 25 Cents zahlte der Empfänger. Ein Teilfranko innerhalb der USA gab es m. M. n. nicht.

Lieber Franz,

sehr schön - ich kenne sonst nur "Paris - Texas".

Hallo Sammlerfreunde,

ich habe auch noch einige alte US- Stücke, die ich interessant fand und mal irgendwo gefunden habe.

Und zwei dieser Stücke will ich hier mal zeigen.

Boyd's City Express in New York auf Brief nach Ohio.

Ebenfalls Boyd's City Express. 2 Cents. Nach Flushing, also innerhalb NY nach Queens.

Zu den Stücken selbst kann ich relativ wenig sagen. Eigentlich nicht mein Sammelgebiet.

Es gibt ja manchmal so "Stücke", an denen man nicht einfach vorbeigehen kann.

Viele Grüße

Bernd

... die haben alle ein Gesicht!

Sehr attraktive.

Was ist das für ein Papierchen links oben beim ersten Brief? Ist mir unbekannt…

Zitat von St.G

Sehr attraktive.

Was ist das für ein Papierchen links oben beim ersten Brief? Ist mir unbekannt…

Das ist eine Boyd's 1-Cent, Katalog-Nr. 20 L 18.

Hello everyone!

Here is a domestic letter sent in 1865 from West Dedham, Massachusetts to Utica, New York. The postage stamp properly paid the 3 cents per 1/2 ounce rate for internal mail in the United States. However, the letter could not be delivered.

The postmaster wrote the word "Humbug" on the letter and sent it to the Dead Letter Office.

A "humbug" was a scam or deceptive practice. It was common at the time for mail fraud to be perpetuated - especially with illegal and dishonest lotteries. Perhaps this was sent to enter one of those.

The item had $10 enclosed, which is noted by those who worked at the US Dead Letter Office in Washington, DC. Apparently, this letter was returned with the $10 to the writer by the Dead Letter Office.

If you would like to read a longer story about this cover, you can view this Postal History Sundayentry!

Best,

Rob

... splendid letter - unseen until now.

Hello everyone!

Here is a double weight letter with 6 cents postage to cover that cost (3 cents per 1/2 ounce). There is also a one-cent stamp paying for the carrier fee. Until July of 1863, a Philadelphia letter carrier could pick up a letter from the mailer or from one of the post boxes in the city and take it to post office as long as this extra fee was paid.

It is easier to find combinations of 1 cent with 3 cents (a single rate letter). Finding a multiple rate letter is difficult.

Rob

Hello Rob

A beautiful letter and thanks for your explanation - always very appreciated!

Hello everyone!

Here is an 1863 envelope mailed from Fort Madision, Iowa to St Louis, Missouri. The postage rate was 3 cents per 1/2 ounce.

It is unusual to find this rate paid by a combination of a 2 cent Andrew Jackson and a 1 cent Franklin, but not too hard to find.

This letter was sent for General Delivery, which is much like Poste Restante. The recipient was required to go to the post office in St Louis to pick up the letter. To inform people that they had letters, the post office would regularly place advertisements in the local newspaper. The handstamp that reads "Aug 29" was placed on the envelope to show that this letter was advertised on that date. When the recipient arrived to pick up the letter, they had to pay an additional 1 cent to pay for that advertising.

Have a good day everyone!

Rob

Hello Rob

Fine letter - one question about it: What would they have done with this letter, if it came from abroad with "poste restante" wirtten on the address?

Did the local post office place an invertisement immediately, or did they wait a certain time to do so?

Hello Ralph,

If a letter had Poste Restante it would be advertised on the same schedule as other letters. The initial assumption is that a General Delivery or Poste Restante letter would be sought by the recipient and they would come to the Post Office. In fact, since many towns and even small cities in the 1850s to mid 1860s had no carrier service, it was common for people to expect to go to the Post Office to get mail. So, the attitude in the US was different than Europe. Europeans, during this period, were already used to carrier services, while most of the US was not.

This would change as carrier services became more common in the mid-1860s and beyond.

I hope that answers your question?

Best,

Rob

Hello Rob

Thanks for your explanation and help - good to know.

May I ask you something about the letter attached, that is already on its way to me?

As you wrote on your wonderful blog "Post Office" was the American way to hold letters back, like poste restante in Europe.

This one, the seller could not date it, shows "Post Office", so I assume it was something like an Amerian poste restante letter.

When I look at the handstamps, I would date it in the mid 1860s PCM. How is your opinion about this letter?

Ralph,

Very interesting cover!

This would be an 1865 letter. It left from either Liverpool on March 18 or Queenstown on March 19 on the Cunard steamer Asia, arriving in Boston on March 31, 1865.

The US Notes marking is always interesting. In the mid-1860s a person could either pay the postage due in specie or by using paper money, known as greenbacks. The value of paper money was not the same, so it would cost 45 cents in greenbacks or 30 cents in specie to pay for the letter.

A quick look at Tuscarawas County shows a township called Sandy. So, that might be where this was going. But, I think a person would have to look at period maps for that county to be sure there isn't a post office for "Landy," which is what it looks like to me on the letter.

I hope this helps.

Rob