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Auxiliary mark RE: using air mail stamps

Never seen this P.O. mark before…

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Apparently Blue Seal Linen Supply ran out of 10₵ stamps and decided instead to use some 11₵ airmail stamps on what was probably local billing.  First class mail was 10₵ at the time, so they figured they had it covered.  But prior to 1977 any stamped letter, card or PSE that bore the AIR MAIL slogan had to be charged full air freight (in this case 13₵) even if the item was only going the next street over.  Thus the Postage Due of 2₵ and the finger-wag about using air mail stamps.

 

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Auxiliary mark RE: using air mail stamps

Interesting

Message 2 of 10
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Auxiliary mark RE: using air mail stamps

Probably a few more went out there until a customer complained about the PD...

 

I wonder if the policy was well known. It kind of seems like a hidden fee  unamused

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Auxiliary mark RE: using air mail stamps

annadryl...

 

Good point.  Getting a bill that you have to pay PD on is pretty raw.  If it were my company I would sprinkle a few complimentary credits around then find those airmail stamps and burn them.  haha

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Auxiliary mark RE: using air mail stamps

What is the back story to this item?

Message 5 of 10
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Auxiliary mark RE: using air mail stamps

That would be found in the first post in this series.
Message 6 of 10
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Auxiliary mark RE: using air mail stamps

The back story of acquisition?

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Auxiliary mark RE: using air mail stamps

I showed the post to a dealer at PIPEX and he said he'd seen a few of them over the years. Apparently the procedure was only in effect for a fairly short while, likely because of the complaints. I bet it's covered in one of Tony W's books...

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Auxiliary mark RE: using air mail stamps

billsey…

 

From Wawrukiewicz page 52, PB 14687 May 11, 1928—"Use of airmail stamps on non-airmail not permissible”.  Further bulletins muddied the issue, saying both “airmail stamps are strongly discouraged on regular mail” and also that they are “not acceptable on surface mail” in the same directive. Ah, bureaucracy…

 

So it probably depended on the local P.O. as to whether to charge postage due on any “short-paid” air mail on surface mail, items which were probably few and far between.  Perhaps all P.O.s had those hand stamps available but owing to volume of mail or other reasons simply passed such items through.

Message 9 of 10
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Auxiliary mark RE: using air mail stamps

Sounds reasonable, but still only a guess.

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