It seems to just take the information getting out there. I'd bet most stamp collectors don't realize there are more than one or two varieties. I've bid on some decent sized collections of them before, but they went for much more than I thought they would. Please post your favorite links about metered mail here!
Nothing promotes a hobby like a checklist.
Chris
US/Canada metered
MeteredStampSociety
World Collection
The Meter Stamp
I have a small collection of meters with advertising slogans from railroad companies and old time radio shows. I think that many such meters with slogans provide a date stamp into history.
Meters, especially those with slogans, ARE avidly collected. I have several acquaintances who collect meters because they represent the ONLY way to get many rates extant today.
several of our members also are quite knowledgeable about the various meter manufacturers.
As to existing as a collecting interest, it's likely not got sufficient momentum except as an adjunct to stamps and postal history
David
I am an avid meter collector. I collect by type (when I can afford it) and I collect meters from Minnesota. And I might pick up a cool slogan on cover if it hits me just right.
Here is a special 2-tone ink meter issued for the Minnesota Territorial Centennial.
Here is a scarce slogan meter from the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command.
Here is a meter paying the 5 cents mail rate to Europe. The cover was posted via the ship Minnekahda.
Here's a sample of what I was referring to:
I have a few metered covers in my Russia/USSR book.
The 1932 cover below kept me busy for a while, to the point it kept me up at night.
With help of the Samovar forum i thought it was deciphered, so i put it in the online International Postage Meter Stamp Catalog - Wikibooks (International Postage Meter Stamp Catalog/Union Of Soviet Socialist Republics). Turned out i still got the type wrong.
The cover shows an unusual use of the postage on account service, combining both a meter frank (15k being the international ordinary letter rate) and the use of the "on account" mark.
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/International_Postage_Meter_Stamp_Catalog/Union_Of_Soviet_Socialist_Republics
The site above is maintained by Rick Stambaugh, award winning member of the Meter Stamp Society. Did he join Stamporama already?
I am a friend of Rick's and have been trying to recruit him for a couple of years. I'll send him a link to this post and maybe this will be the impetus to get him on board. I know he could contribute handily to the current discussion.
He is also extremely knowledgeable about precancels and has a world class collection in that field.
Bobby
I realized I forgot to answer your question Bujutsu.
I think that people can get tired of working the same collection, whether it is worldwide or postal history or what have you. Meters are a great way to broaden one's horizons. Collecting/accumulating meters is extremely inexpensive (you probably receive several in the mail each week).
And yet a study of meters requires the same dedication and attention to detail that stamp collectors have already developed working with their stamps.
I think interest in meters has grown and will continue to grow. The Meter Stamp Society have made themselves an excellent resource for the study of meters.
In addition, much like in stamp collecting, one can collect meters by slogan topic. All the topics that there are in stamps are also in meter slogans.
I am one of the go-to guys for meters in our group, and I have prepared a "powerpoint" presentation as an introduction to US meters.
One of my collecting goals is to collect a meter cover from every country in the world.
Whoops! Who would've figured multiple Rick Stambaughs! The Rick Stambaugh I know is the "precancel" guy, not the "Postage Meter" guy. I am still working on getting him here, but for precancel discussions. Sorry.
Thanks all for your input here.
I have been into the various meter sites and found them all quite interesting. My personal feelings on meters is that they will definitely grow in popularity, and, as it has already been pointed out in this thread, they definitely are.
I will try to post a few more meters in here as I get time.
Chimo
Bujutsu
I thought this was an interesting meter cover.. a commemorative cover with a slogan meter!
Tom,
that cover is from the Christmas Seal and Charity Stamp Society, of which I am a governor and whose journal I edit.
it's actually called a pictorial meter, not a slogan meter. And it's quite lovely.
David
Hi All
Here are a few foreign meters from my collection.
Chimo
Bujutsu
Brazil
Netherlands
Belgian Proof images on card
Belgian pictorial railway meter
Hi All
I posted a message about perfins in another thread and stated how they have evolved over the past years.
What I would like to ask here is, do you think in time that metered mail will gain popularity and respect in the philatelic community? Some meters are quite fancy in design and there is already online references if you search for them on the internet.
For myself personally, I think that they will slowly gain the respect like other areas of philately like other areas that were once scorned. What do you think?
I have posted an example of one used by Santa's Village located here that was used in the 50s to mid 60s
Chimo
Bujutsu
re: Metered Postage
It seems to just take the information getting out there. I'd bet most stamp collectors don't realize there are more than one or two varieties. I've bid on some decent sized collections of them before, but they went for much more than I thought they would. Please post your favorite links about metered mail here!
Nothing promotes a hobby like a checklist.
Chris
re: Metered Postage
US/Canada metered
MeteredStampSociety
World Collection
The Meter Stamp
re: Metered Postage
I have a small collection of meters with advertising slogans from railroad companies and old time radio shows. I think that many such meters with slogans provide a date stamp into history.
re: Metered Postage
Meters, especially those with slogans, ARE avidly collected. I have several acquaintances who collect meters because they represent the ONLY way to get many rates extant today.
several of our members also are quite knowledgeable about the various meter manufacturers.
As to existing as a collecting interest, it's likely not got sufficient momentum except as an adjunct to stamps and postal history
David
re: Metered Postage
I am an avid meter collector. I collect by type (when I can afford it) and I collect meters from Minnesota. And I might pick up a cool slogan on cover if it hits me just right.
Here is a special 2-tone ink meter issued for the Minnesota Territorial Centennial.
Here is a scarce slogan meter from the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command.
Here is a meter paying the 5 cents mail rate to Europe. The cover was posted via the ship Minnekahda.
re: Metered Postage
Here's a sample of what I was referring to:
re: Metered Postage
I have a few metered covers in my Russia/USSR book.
The 1932 cover below kept me busy for a while, to the point it kept me up at night.
With help of the Samovar forum i thought it was deciphered, so i put it in the online International Postage Meter Stamp Catalog - Wikibooks (International Postage Meter Stamp Catalog/Union Of Soviet Socialist Republics). Turned out i still got the type wrong.
The cover shows an unusual use of the postage on account service, combining both a meter frank (15k being the international ordinary letter rate) and the use of the "on account" mark.
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/International_Postage_Meter_Stamp_Catalog/Union_Of_Soviet_Socialist_Republics
The site above is maintained by Rick Stambaugh, award winning member of the Meter Stamp Society. Did he join Stamporama already?
re: Metered Postage
I am a friend of Rick's and have been trying to recruit him for a couple of years. I'll send him a link to this post and maybe this will be the impetus to get him on board. I know he could contribute handily to the current discussion.
He is also extremely knowledgeable about precancels and has a world class collection in that field.
Bobby
re: Metered Postage
I realized I forgot to answer your question Bujutsu.
I think that people can get tired of working the same collection, whether it is worldwide or postal history or what have you. Meters are a great way to broaden one's horizons. Collecting/accumulating meters is extremely inexpensive (you probably receive several in the mail each week).
And yet a study of meters requires the same dedication and attention to detail that stamp collectors have already developed working with their stamps.
I think interest in meters has grown and will continue to grow. The Meter Stamp Society have made themselves an excellent resource for the study of meters.
In addition, much like in stamp collecting, one can collect meters by slogan topic. All the topics that there are in stamps are also in meter slogans.
I am one of the go-to guys for meters in our group, and I have prepared a "powerpoint" presentation as an introduction to US meters.
One of my collecting goals is to collect a meter cover from every country in the world.
re: Metered Postage
Whoops! Who would've figured multiple Rick Stambaughs! The Rick Stambaugh I know is the "precancel" guy, not the "Postage Meter" guy. I am still working on getting him here, but for precancel discussions. Sorry.
re: Metered Postage
Thanks all for your input here.
I have been into the various meter sites and found them all quite interesting. My personal feelings on meters is that they will definitely grow in popularity, and, as it has already been pointed out in this thread, they definitely are.
I will try to post a few more meters in here as I get time.
Chimo
Bujutsu
re: Metered Postage
I thought this was an interesting meter cover.. a commemorative cover with a slogan meter!
re: Metered Postage
Tom,
that cover is from the Christmas Seal and Charity Stamp Society, of which I am a governor and whose journal I edit.
it's actually called a pictorial meter, not a slogan meter. And it's quite lovely.
David
re: Metered Postage
Hi All
Here are a few foreign meters from my collection.
Chimo
Bujutsu
Brazil
Netherlands
Belgian Proof images on card
Belgian pictorial railway meter