Help needed with US postal cards

[john6625]

Hi

This is probably a silly question but what do I have here.  I came by them in a local auction lot and when I checked ebay the prices are all over the place.

This is the first one.

[john6625]

[john6625]

And this one has American Tract Society printed on the rear with a pre printed 188_ date.

[khj]

Aug 17, 2016 0:51:02 GMT -5 john6625 said:

Hi

This is probably a silly question but what do I have here. I came by them in a local auction lot and when I checked ebay the prices are all over the place.

No such thing as a silly stamp questions. Silly questions are only possible on non-philatelic topics.

On some of these postal cards, there are varieties that are only listed in the specialized postal stationery catalogs/books, which I do not have. So in the replies below, there may be some varieties that I am aware of, but cannot tell you how to distinguish between varieties nor retail value.

Also, the values of US postal cards are typically in 3 categories:

mint = in original post office condition, no additional printing/writing of address or message
preprinted = unused/uncancelled, but with printing/writing of address or message
used = postally used cards with correct period of use cancel (cancels after correct period of use or postal cards with additional postage affixed usually have much lower retail value)

Keep in mind that some preprinted cards may actually have a premium for some specialists (e.g., postal history). But that would be the rare exception rather than the rule.

Aug 17, 2016 0:51:02 GMT -5 john6625 said:

This is the first one.

In the 2015 Scott US Specialized, #UX18(1902), US$1.75 for preprinted, 2 varieties exist but Scott does not explain.

[khj]

Aug 17, 2016 0:51:34 GMT -5 john6625 said:

In the 2015 Scott US Specialized, #UX8(24Aug1885)for brown on buff, US$10 for preprinted, or...
#UX8c for dark chocolate on buff, US$75 for preprinted

Scott mentions additional shades of brown but does not list them.

[khj]

Aug 17, 2016 0:53:04 GMT -5 john6625 said:

And this one has American Tract Society printed on the rear with a pre printed 188_ date.

In the 2015 Scott US Specialized, probably #UX5(30Sep1875)for unwatermarked, US$7 for preprinted.

If the card is watermarked "U S P O D" in monogram, then you have #UX4(28Sep1875), US$700 for preprinted.

It would be nice if you had the latter!

[john6625]

Wow thanks for the info khj, very informative.

If I may impose of you one more time, how about this one. It was the only other item from the States in the box. Here in Oz we call them PTPO (printed to private order) stationary envelopes.

[kacyds]

john6625,

The above were printed in 1887 by Plimpton Manufacturing Co. and Morgan Envelope Co., Hartford, Connecticut.

Its hard to tell you if you have a blue or dark blue stamped envelope, but will give you info for both.

Blue - Scott# U294 - 2014 Scott Catalouge Value - $1

Dark Blue - Scott# U295 - 2014 Scott Catalouge Value - $10

[john6625]

Thanks kacyds, I will go with the blue.