Please help me with my philatelic education!
I’ve been primarily a collector of Japan for 20+ years, but have been wanting to get more familiar with US stamps.
I’ve acquired 16 US postcards from the early 1900s (1907-1920) that have RPO (railroad post office) cancels.
I’m hoping someone has the right reference materials to help determine:
- the Towle catalog number, if possible (that’s the right catalog, right?)
- the relative scarcity or desirability of the cancels
- the RPO route (in a few cases where the postmark is not clear)
- the Scott number of the stamp
Each card, presented in alphabetical order, has its own post, in case that helps focus the discussion. There’s a link to comment below the title, just above the horizontal line that separates the body of the post from the header.
A detailed scan of the postmark and cancel follows after each card. (You can click on any card to see a larger view in a new tab or window.)
I imagine that everything is all common material, but I would appreciate learning more about it.
My source for the stamp identifications is the fantastic site 1847USA, especially their Washington Franklins worksheet, plus a little guidance from the Scott 2007 US Specialized.
Many thanks in advance for any and all assistance!
– Dave Frick (APS 187980)
