Avbstamps

Victor Bove, serving collectors since 1960

Precancel Notes

Notes | 397-698 | 700-1030 | 1031-1058 | 1059-1397 | 1398-1855 | 1897A- 3032 + Airmail/BOB | Towns | Wanted

precancel notes

Precancels (PC's) make an interesting and attractive addition to a collection.

There are many varieties to hold your interest, but not enough to overwhelm you. Precancels serve a definite purpose in the scheme of moving the mail - they aren't made just for sale to collectors. Precancels are used to expedite the large bulk mailings of permit holders. Since PC'ed stamps don't have to be canceled, PC'ed envelopes bypass one step in the processing of mail.

Precancels issued up to Scott #2231 t have horizontal lines across the stamp, while subsequent PCs do not. Modern PCs are inscribed with "Bulk Rate", "Non-Profit", etc. PC's up to the 17.5¢ wasp stamp were additionally issued to collectors without the precancel inscription, but all PCs since then are only issued with the inscription and tagging. Because of this, I list All Subsequent Inscription Precancels in my regular coils section. (see coils pages).

The procedures for those companies that use bulk mailing were changed in 1996 from a simple system to one that requires the mailer to attend a one day school to understand the complexities of bulk mailing. A computerized data base is now required. Bulk mailing routing labels have been in use since 1974, and they are still being used today. Since they are related to PCs by their use with bulk mail, they are an addition that will enhance your Precancels collection

It is important to note that many stamp varieties were issued only as Precancels. For example: Scott 1058, the 4c Lincoln coil printed by the wet method can only be found PC'ed. Also, many coil, and sheets plate numbers can only be found Precancels. More importantly, many tagged stamps were issued as untagged Precancels, which makes them distinct issues. Scott now lists these untagged Precancels as separate varieties

All Bureau Precancels are printed without phosphor tagging with the following exceptions: 1044A, 1384, 1394, 1414a, 1415-18a, 1596, 1606, 1608, and 1610. These were all multi-color stamps, with the exception of 1606, and were all printed on either Giori, Huck, or the early Andreotti presses. None of these presses were capable of applying PC overprints. Therefore, normally printed tagged stamps were set aside for later precancelling on a separate Platen press. Thus, those PCs will always be tagged if the issues were normally tagged. The single color Scott 1606 was PC'ed as an afterthought, and previously printed tagged stock was used.

All early issues and some Liberty issues, were printed on the Stickney press. This press was also capable of precancelling in line. The Stickney presses were replaced by the Cottrell presses before tagging appeared on stamps.

All of the PCs that I list are mint, NH copies, unless otherwise described

Samples of all 4 types of Precancels

tamps for Collectors, precancels

All Bureau Precancels are untagged, except 1044A, 1384, 1394, 1608 and 1610 (which were all tagged prior to precancelling).

The 4 main precancel varieties: Bureau, Locals, Electro Single Lines, and Electro "EE" Double Lines.

Bureau precancels were printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) in Washington, DC. They can be identified with the Noble U.S. Precancels Catalogue.
Electro precancels (E) were printed by local post offices with Electroplates. They can be identified with the Noble U.S. Precancels Catalogue.
Double Lines Electro precancels (EE) were printed by local post offices. Unlike Electro PC's, they have two double lines. They are the rarest of the four varieties.
Local precancels are easy to identify, since they were printed by rubber stamp at local post offices. They lack printing sharpness and uniformity.

Gap Pairs (GP) are found in most precancels coils. The gap is created in both precancel lines and is a break in the two lines. They may occur every 12 stamps and of various widths.

Type a Scott Number below to access the cart and order.

Notes | 397-698 | 700-1030 | 1031-1058 | 1059-1397 | 1398-1855 | 1897A- 3032 + Airmail/BOB | Towns | Wanted