de61
Member 
Posts: 262
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Post by de61 on Aug 17, 2019 19:03:42 GMT
While looking at some other posts, I noticed a number of Officially Sealed stamp labels. While not a specific collecting interest of mine, I acquired a relatively inexpensive auction lot of these issues some time ago, so I figured I would post them here.
I have only received one item with an Officially Sealed label on it during my lifetime. It was on a large envelope that was chewed up by postal sorting machines shortly after 9/11 when the USPS was making adjustments to its sorting machines to deal with the anthrax scare. Unfortunately, the label was also somehow chewed up and I could not remove it intact from the envelope, rendering it uncollectable.
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renden
Member
Posts: 9,162 
What I collect: Canada-USA-France-Lithuania-Austria--Germany-Mauritius-French Colonies in Africa
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Post by renden on Aug 17, 2019 20:31:56 GMT
Great scans - thanks for sharing de61 ! Could you give me a short explanation on these "officially sealed....." ? Thanks - René |
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de61
Member
Posts: 262
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Post by de61 on Aug 18, 2019 0:19:18 GMT
Hi René. Thanks for the interest in my post.
Officially Sealed stamp labels, also known as Post Office Seals, are used nowadays by the U.S. Postal Service to repair tears in letters or envelopes, to seal envelopes that were received unsealed, and to seal envelopes that were opened by mistake by postal authorities. In the past, they were also used on registered mail to seal the juncture where the envelope flap met the main part of the envelope and were used by customs inspectors to seal envelopes they had opened. These two uses have since been abandoned in favor of regular mailing tape. The seals always receive a circular date stamp to tie the seal to the envelope.
The labels are listed in the Scott U.S. Specialized Catalog with the prefixes OX and LOX. They have no issued monetary value and, for the most part, only modest collector value. My interest in them is that they are kind of government-issued cinderellas.
- Don |
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renden
Member
Posts: 9,162
What I collect: Canada-USA-France-Lithuania-Austria--Germany-Mauritius-French Colonies in Africa
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Post by renden on Aug 18, 2019 0:33:08 GMT
de61....thanks for the great explanation - very interesting !! René Canada
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mikeclevenger
Member
Inactive
Posts: 887
What I collect: Ohio Tax Stamps, Ohio & Georgia Revenues, US Revenues, US FDC's, & Germany Classics
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Post by mikeclevenger on Aug 18, 2019 16:39:32 GMT
While looking at some other posts, I noticed a number of Officially Sealed stamp labels. While not a specific collecting interest of mine, I acquired a relatively inexpensive auction lot of these issues some time ago, so I figured I would post them here.
I have only received one item with an Officially Sealed label on it during my lifetime. It was on a large envelope that was chewed up by postal sorting machines shortly after 9/11 when the USPS was making adjustments to its sorting machines to deal with the anthrax scare. Unfortunately, the label was also somehow chewed up and I could not remove it intact from the envelope, rendering it uncollectable. I Love your collection. I have a page or two of these. I have them in my revenue collection. |
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Post by smauggie on Apr 29, 2020 21:31:54 GMT
I have been working on my seals, identifying them.  I am not sure that OX12 is the right color or not. I have one on cover, so at least it can be a placeholder.  I have a few booklet panes as well . . . These two are both OX39 (Hyphen Hole perf), but the one on the left is the cream-colored paper and the one on the right is the white paper variety.  These are from left to right, OX41, OX43, OX 46 and OX53  Wayne Clarkson, the postmaster's name featured on the OX46 (third from left) pane was located in Cerro Gordo County in Iowa. |
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Post by spain1850 on Jul 26, 2020 23:44:31 GMT
Another interesting use of a post office seal. Post card got torn somewhere along the line and was "sealed" back together. Appears to be perf 12, so maybe OX13?   |
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