I just got a postally re-sealed cover

Jeff
On the meter they applied to the cover cover, what is the first word of "?emp-Return Service Requested"?
Sucks when you mail arrives like that, especially when the destroyed envelope contains your latest acquisition for your collection, but it is cool to be able to add these in as well. I've got a few body bag (returned in a plastic bag) Canadian covers here somewhere.
Thanks for sharing
Rick

Thanks for checking that for me.
I collect auxiliary markings and I was curious when I saw that on the original envelope's return address that "Temp-Return Service Requested" was printed and that the post office had incorporated that service marking into the meter imprint. The fact that the post office had and used just the right style window envelope to allow the return address on the original piece of mail to still be visible combined with the meter had me wondering if the post office had actually forwarded this to you or if they had returned it to the original sender and the original sender had just popped it into a new undamaged envelope and then dropped it into the mail stream again. I could see the original sender having that service request incorporated into their meter machine as well as printed return address's.

Is it odd for a piece of mail that was officially handled/sent out by the USPS to actually show postage paid by either a meter or stamps being used? I would have guessed they would have had something of a more official use that didn't require the use of actual postage. I don't have enough experience with these.

Temp-Return Service is something that the USPS brought out in the late 1990's mostly for people that have frequent address changes such as those that live in one place in the winter and another in the summer. Normally when you change your mailing address you file a "change of address" with the post office and that's about all you can do other than personally notifying anyone you think might be sending you mail. A "change of address" with the post office is fine and works well for personal mail but a lot of business mail is handled diff. depending on what the business requests of the post office when it can't be delivered to the address printed on the envelope. As an example most people have probably seen government cheques that state if it "can't be delivered to the printed address please return and do not forward". There are a few diff. services that can be requested of the post office by the sender such as just forwarding it or forwarding the mail but please also send us the new address, return it or return it and also give us the new address. One request is "change service" where the mail is chucked in the garbage and the post office gives the sender your new address.

"Temp-Return Service Requested" is intended to show that your address change is temporary. Its more of a two step process. The mail gets forwarded to your new address but if for some reason it doesn't make it to you then its returned to the sender with the details of your new address.

Thanks again Jeff

That's a bit of a unique situation if the last name on the mail is the same for the old occupant and the new occupant although sometimes I get the impression it doesn't take much to confuse them.


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