United States Postage Meter Stamp Catalog

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 Welcome to the United States Postage Meter Stamp Catalog! 


 * In 1897 the United States became the first country in the world to use postage meters on an experimental basis to frank live mail. After years of further experimentation and development postage meters were finally approved for use by the general public in 1920. Experimentation continued long after this date as the machines continued to be improved and perfected. All this activity and fermentation makes the U.S. one of the most interesting and complex countries to collect for postage meter stamps.


 * This online edition of The United States Postage Meter Stamp Catalog is an expansion and update of the paper edition, written and published by Joel Hawkins and Rick Stambaugh in 1994 and updated previously in 2001. It uses a new, more logical, decimal system for assigning Type numbers. Type numbers that are different from the earlier edition show the previous designation as follows: Type XXX in 2001 edition
 * Comments, suggested changes, corrections, and additions to the catalog are encouraged. Email " Alan Knutson": boris1951@charter.net

 Latest changes :

Table of Contents

 * /Information for collectors/ (the basics of U.S. meter stamp collecting)
 * •• Postage meters and mailing machines
 * •• Meter and Permit numbers
 * •• Ink colors and fluorescence
 * •• Town and date marks
 * •• Surcharge slugs
 * •• Essays/Specimens/Proofs
 * •• Rarity and values


 * /Glossary and Abbreviations/ (understanding the stamp descriptions)
 * /Postage Meter Manufacturers (with time chart)/
 * /Adhesive paper tapes/
 * /Directional slugs/
 * /Bibliography/


 * (Types A through Q represent the general commercial meters available to the public, the groups after Type Q are for special services or types not generally available to the public,this latter group is not arranged in any particular order, but follow the general order established by Werner Simon.)


 * GROUP A – Early experimental franks, prior to 1920 MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg  USA meter catalog Group A thumbnail.jpeg
 * GROUP B – Square frank with wavy lines at the sides MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg  USA B1.jpg
 * GROUP C – Oval frank with wavy lines at the sides MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg  USA CA1.jpg
 * GROUP D – Square or nearly square frank with simulated perforation outer frame MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg  Group D thumb.jpg
 * GROUP E – Frameless design with arcs in the corners (NCR) MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg  USA E8.jpg
 * GROUP F – Wide rectangular frank with flying eagle in center (Pitney Bowes) MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg  USA F1.jpg  USA F4A.jpg
 * GROUP G – Wide rectangular frank with sitting eagle in center (Pitney Bowes) MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg  USA G1.jpg  USA G3.jpg
 * GROUP H – Rectangular frank with simulated perforation frame, separate town mark MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg  USA H2.jpg  USA H3.jpg
 * GROUP I – Frameless design with large sitting eagle in center (Pitney Bowes) MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg  USA IA1.jpg  USA IB4.jpg  USA IC1.jpg
 * GROUP J – Square design with straight outer frame, separate town mark (Postalia) MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg  USA J1.jpg  USA J6.jpg
 * GROUP K – Frank with hand held torch USA KA2.jpg  USA KB1.jpg USA KD1.jpg  USA KE1.jpg
 * GROUP L – Frank with profile of eagle (Hasler) MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg  USA LA1.jpg  USA LB1A.jpg
 * GROUP M – Simple rectangle with stars (Neopost) MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg  USA P1.jpg
 * GROUP N – Digital stamps without 2D barcode
 * •• Sub-group NA – Pitney Bowes, eagle head and wing (also LOW VALUE) MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg USA M2.jpg USA M5.jpg USA M6A.jpg


 * •• Sub-group NB – Neopost-Hasler, complete profile of eagle facing left MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg USA LC1.jpg
 * •• Sub-group NC – Neopost, torch-in-hand MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg USA N1.jpg USA N2.jpg
 * •• Sub-group ND – Francotyp-Postalia, bird in oval MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg USA MB1.jpg


 * (Groups O and P not used to avoid confusion with Groups OO, PC, PO, PD, and PV.)


 * GROUP Q – Digital stamps with "Datamatrix" or "IBI Lite" 2D barcode
 * •• Sub-group QA – Hasler, Neopost-Hasler, Neopost, Quadient MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg USA meter stamp QA2.jpg USA N3.jpg USA R2A.jpg USA stamp type R8.jpg
 * •• Sub-group QB – Pitney Bowes MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg USA M9.jpg USA M13.jpg USA M11.jpg
 * •• Sub-group QC – Francotyp-Postalia MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg USA R5.jpgUSA stamp type R10.jpg
 * •• Sub-group QD – Data-Pac MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg USA S1.jpg


 * (The groups after Type Q are for special services or types not generally available to the public, this latter group is not arranged in any particular order, but follow the general order established by Werner Simon.)


 * GROUP PC – Digital stamps generated by personal computer software or online
 * •• Sub-group PC-A – E-stampPC thumb.jpg
 * •• Sub-group PC-B – Neopost
 * •• Sub-group PC-C – Stamps.com
 * •• Sub-group PC-D – Pitney Bowes
 * •• Sub-group PC-E – Envelope Management Software (Endicia)
 * •• Sub-group PC-F – easypost
 * •• Sub-group PC-G – USPS
 * •• Sub-group PC-H – Francotyp-Postalia


 * GROUP PO – Franks generated by meters and franking systems operated by Post Office window clerks
 * •• Sub-group PO-A – Stamps generated by commercial postage meters modified for use in post offices
 * •• Sub-group PO-B – Stamps generated by machines or systems unique to Post Office use, with no resemblance to any commercial meter stamp


 * GROUP PD – Franks generated to indicate Postage Due
 * •• Sub-group PD-A – Thin arrow pointing right, inverted "POSTAGE DUE" above, inverted "COLLECT" below MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg USA Postage Due Type A thumbnail.jpg
 * •• Sub-group PD-B – Right-pointing outline arrow containing "POSTAGE DUE/PAID", barbs on pointed end MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg USA Postage Due Type B thumbnail.jpg
 * •• Sub-group PD-C – Right-pointing outline arrow containing "POSTAGE DUE/PAID", no barbs, lines thick on bottom MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg USA Postage Due Type C thumbnail.jpg
 * •• Sub-group PD-D – Vertical rectangle containing "POSTAGE/DUE" MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg USA Postage Due Type D thumbnail.jpg
 * •• Sub-group PD-E – Wide "T" containing "POSTAGE/DUE" (Pitney Bowes) MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg USA Postage Due Type E thumbnail.jpg
 * •• Sub-group PD-F – Wide "T" containing "POSTAGE/DUE" (Friden) MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg USA Postage Due Type F thumbnail.jpg
 * •• Sub-group PD-G – Digital label with "POSTAGE DUE" across top, Intermec MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg USA Postage Due Type G thumbnail.jpg
 * •• Sub-group PD-H – Digital P.O. counter label with "PD" in town line, MOS-UNISYS MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg USA Postage Due Types H and J spacer.jpg
 * •• Sub-group PD-J – Digital P.O. counter label with "POSTAGE DUE" at top


 * GROUP PV – Self-service variable-rate stamp vending machine franks


 * GROUP OO – Official government business mail franks


 * GROUP OA – Official Armed Forces government business mail franks
 * •• Sub-group OA-NAV – U.S. Navy
 * •• Sub-group OA-AAF – U.S. Army & Air Force
 * •• Sub-group OA-ARM – U.S. Army
 * •• Sub-group OA-AIR – U.S. Air Force
 * •• Sub-group OA-MAR – U.S. Marine Corps
 * •• Sub-group OA-APO – Overseas Army and Air Force Post Offices
 * •• Sub-group OA-FPO – Overseas Fleet Post Offices
 * •• Sub-group OA-NGD – National Guard


 * GROUP AR – Meter stamps used by the Armed Forces
 * •• Sub-group AR-NAV – U.S. Navy
 * •• Sub-group AR-AAF – U.S. Army & Air Force
 * •• Sub-group AR-ARM – U.S. Army
 * •• Sub-group AR-AIR – U.S. Air Force
 * •• Sub-group AR-MAR – U.S. Marine Corps
 * •• Sub-group AR-APO – Overseas Army and Air Force Post Offices
 * •• Sub-group AR-FPO – Overseas Fleet Post Offices
 * •• Sub-group AR-NGD – National Guard


 * GROUP MEI – Meisel


 * GROUPS REV and SRV– Non-postal franks used to collect tax, also known as fiscal or revenue franks
 * •• [[/GROUP REV – Non-postal franks used to collect tax/|Sub-group REV –Non-postal franks used to collect Federal tax/
 * •• [[/GROUP SRV – Non-postal franks used to collect tax/|Sub-group SRV –Non-postal franks used to collect State and local tax/


 * GROUP ESY – Essays
 * •• Sub-group ESY-A – Essays from before meters were approved for general use in 1920
 * •• Sub-group ESY-B – Early competitive development, 1921 to 1938
 * •• Sub-group ESY-C – Later competitive development (mechanical meters), 1938 to 1990s
 * •• Sub-group ESY-D – Digital meter essays, 1980 to date


 * GROUP SPE – Specimens


 * GROUP TST – Test stamps


 *  GROUP PPS – Private Parcel Service stamps
 * •• Sub-group PPS-A – stamps originating from the UPS (United Parcel Service)
 * •• Sub-group PPS-B – stamps originating from the Rochester Package Delivery
 * •• Sub-group PPS-C – stamps originating from the Retail Delivery Service
 * •• Sub-group PPS-D – stamps originating from TNT
 * •• Sub-group PPS-E – stamps originating from Purolator
 * •• Sub-group PPS-F – stamps originating from EFD Package Express
 * •• Sub-group PPS-G – stamps originating from American Messenger Service
 * •• Sub-group PPS-H – stamps originating from APD
 * •• Sub-group PPS-I – stamps originating from Berkshire Apparel Corporation
 * •• Sub-group PPS-J – stamps originating from Canpar
 * •• Sub-group PPS-K – stamps originating from CMR
 * •• Sub-group PPS-L – stamps originating from State of North Carolina Courier Service
 * •• Sub-group PPS-M – stamps originating from DSI (Mr. Messenger, Inc ?)
 * •• Sub-group PPS-N – stamps originating from Hourly
 * •• Sub-group PPS-O – stamps originating from Local Parcel Service
 * •• Sub-group PPS-P – stamps originating from Maclen Express Co
 * •• Sub-group PPS-Q – stamps originating from Merchants Delivery Co
 * •• Sub-group PPS-R – stamps originating from Parcel Delivery Co
 * •• Sub-group PPS-S – stamps originating from Parcel Service
 * •• Sub-group PPS-T – stamps originating from Post Par
 * •• Sub-group PPS-U – stamps originating from Spee-Dee Delivery Service
 * •• Sub-group PPS-V – stamps originating from Metroline
 * •• Sub-group PPS-W – stamps originating from Amazon Prime
 * •• Sub-group PPS-X – stamps originating from FEDEX/Federal Express
 * •• Sub-group PPS-Y – stamps originating from Global Mail
 * •• Sub-group PPS-Z – stamps originating from P R CHINA POST / USPS Partnership
 * •• Sub-group PPS-2Z – stamps originating from DHL

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