a new purchase today. #65 cover with PAID in oval cancel.

The most common of all PAID markings is the PAID IN OVAL of types I and II, commonly referred to as the Boston Paid. It has apparently been so named because it is found used, commonly at Boston. The PAID is in Roman letters. The use at Boston, dates back into the '50's.

There are however, two distinct varieties. There are several of PAID IN OVAL, but this Boston Type deserves listing as the first because of its prominence and because most collectors have never seen or heard of the others, of which there are known to the author, several varieties, all quite distinct.

The illustrations above may look alike at first glance but it is very easy to see that in Type I the letter P of PAID is much closer to the front edge of the oval than in Type II. That is the main difference, except that the letters in Type II are of a bit lighter face than in Type I.