handwritten cancellation

DavidMerrill

I imagine this cancellation is just because the computer or machinery was down.

WoodenJefferson

Well you know, years ago a simple India ink pen stroke across the stamp was all that was required to hand cancel a stamp, I would think a odd shaped envelope of today can endure the same fate for cancellation.

doug444

Here's what happened; the manila envelope somehow got through the process without any cancel at all. Your mailman saw it, and scribbled all over it, so no one could use the stamps again. Postmasters and supervisors strongly encourage this action.

This is a royal pain when one collector mails to another, using nice stamps -- the stamps are thus ruined for collectors. Uncancelled stamps that are soaked or peeled off (and used again) are called "skips."

JamesMurray

<< <i> Well you know, years ago a simple India ink pen stroke across the stamp was all that was required to hand cancel a stamp, I would think a odd shaped envelope of today can endure the same fate for cancellation. >>



Yep , a lot of my US stamps 100 years and older are hand cancelled , some are quite humorous like drawing glasses and a moustache on washington along with the initials of who cancelled it.