Introduction to US Precancels
A precancel is any postage stamp, stamped stationery, or revenue stamp cancelled prior to affixing on mail matter or before being deposited at the post office which allows the item to bypass the usual canceling process. Precancels are used to expedite the large bulk mailings of permit holders.
All US precancels up to 1986 8.3c Ambulance stamp have overprinted horizontal lines or bars across the stamp (while subsequent precancels do not have horizontal lines/bars).
The original precancel design contains both city and state information stated in the middle.
Your typical US precancelled stamp with lines/bars + city and state information
Since the 1970’s USPS has produced “lines only” varieties (also known as National precancel) without city and state information. This practise allowed the use of same precancelled stamps nationwide.
US National precancel
During the 1980s, the need for precancels went drasticly down and USPS stopped issuing (Bureau) precancels, even the lines-only varieties.
Modern US precancelled stamps are stamps with printed inscription like “Bulk Rate”, “Non-Profit”, etc.as part of the design of stamp itself. There are differing opinions on whether these issues should be counted as true precancels or not.
US modern precancel -a true precancel or not? That is the question...
The final act of US precancels was seen in July 5 2007 when USPS discontinued the use of local precancels and ordered the destruction of all local precancel devices.
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Hi. I am just starting to explore U.S. precancels and need a good reference and catalogue to a) understand the subject and b) assess values and find out what the rare ones are to look for. Any suggested catalogues and websites?
Thanks
Frank
Hi Frank,
very likely the best source of information and catalogs is US Precancel Stamps Society – http://www.precancels.com/.
I like these precancels, but someone once told me they are not something valued generally. But I like them anyway, especially those precancelled with cities in which I have lived.
@Rick… I’ve heard the same. Most precancels are of very low value; but as far as I know there’s a handful of (somewhat modern) exceptions with somewhat high $$$ values. The only problem is of course that since most collectors (me included) don’t have specialized catalogs / knowledge, we treat them all the same. And maybe that’s better.
Anyway… There’s one precancel I’d definitely love to have. In Arkansas is a place called Stamps. And I’ve once seen (online) a stamp with precancel “Stamps, ARK”. But I’m sure I’ll meet it again one day
Keijo
The USPS may have destroyed all their precancel devices but I know of a few people who have a permit for a precancel device. So I am guessing if you get a permit from the USPS you can have your own precancel. The precancel is a city/state one and you have to stamp your permit number on the envelope. As for expensive precancels the most expensive one I know is a Kansas City one on a green Franklin stamp of which only 13 are known and last time I checked it booked for 130,000 dollars. Hope that helps
@william…thanks for the info