United States Postage Meter Stamp Catalog/GROUP N – Digital stamps, no 2D barcode

GROUP N – Digital franks without barcodes
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 * Digital meter stamps first came into use in the United States in 1995 during a large Pitney Bowes experiment of a meter model that applied the stamp thermally through a mylar tape. Seventy machines were trialed in small businesses in the Boston Massachusetts area from March to mid-summer of that year. The trial was considered a success with the advantages of digital printing so strongly supported that Pitney Bowes quit manufacturing mechanical, solid-die meters.


 * Over the next several years Neopost-Hasler, Neopost, and Francotyp all introduced digital meters.


 * Group N meters were first used on March 13, 1995.


 * NOTE that stamp impressions exist with missing elements, letters or numbers. Most of these are caused by software or printer malfunction rather than factory error. Except for a few unusual ones, such varieties are not listed below.

Sub-group NA – Pitney Bowes, franks containing head and wing of eagle facing right



 * Frameless frank with eagle head and wing at top with "UNITED STATES POSTAGE" in arc above the head. Three stars in line at top left. One exception is Type NA4.4 which has "LOW VALUE" in place of the eagle head.
 * Below the eagle are numeric codes at left, the value figures at center, and at right the meter number above the date.
 * Along the bottom is the town line.
 * Meter number with "PB" prefix.
 * Meter models: PostPerfect, PersonalPost (Gem), U-700 (Galaxy), DM300 (Spark)
 * Earliest known use, March 13, 1995.




 * "Graphic below used with permission of Douglas Quine."



Type MA1 in 2001 edition NA1. Forerunner of PostPerfect (aka Fox) model, March 13, 1995. [RRRR]
 * Printed by thermal/mylar process.
 * The "UNITED STATES POSTAGE" arc above the eagle's head is large.
 * The three stars at top left are closely spaced.
 * Meter numbers with "PB85" prefix, PB8510000 to PB8510070.
 * Town line: "MAILED FROM" town, state, and ZIP code.
 * All the meters were trialed in and around Boston MA except for two, 8510007 and 8510008, which were placed in the Pitney Bowes headquarters mailroom in Stamford CT. Although seventy meters in all were included in the trials, very few examples of the stamp are known since the design was updated to Type NA2.1 before stamp collectors became aware of their existence.
 * V/F: MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg $00.000 MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg(Range: 00.001 to 99.999)

Type MA2 in 2001 edition '''NA2.1. PostPerfect (aka Fox'''), late spring, 1995.
 * Similar to NA1 but the three stars at top left are widely spaced, and the "UNITED STATES POSTAGE" arc is smaller.
 * Meter numbers in PB65, PB66, plus PB85 and up series (including the NA1 machines 8510000-8510070.)
 * Town line contains town, state and ZIP code, and is usually preceded by "MAILED FROM"
 * V/F: MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg $00.000 MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg(Range: 00.001 to 99.999)


 * a. Without town line
 * b. With town line or portion of it in lower case letters
 * c. With town and ZIP code but no state in town line
 * d. ZIP code appears twice in town line
 * e. Town line reads POSTAL REGISTRATION REQUIRED (This appears when the meter is used before the mailing permit is recorded.)MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg[S]
 * f. Printed in green rather than red MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg[R]
 * g. Printed in two colors  NA2.1g.png

Type MA3 in 2001 edition '''NA2.2. PersonalPost (aka Gem'''), summer, 1996.
 * Very similar to Type NA2.1 but the frank was applied using an ink-jet process which gives the stamp the appearance of being made of fine horizontal lines.
 * Meter numbers in PB22, 33, 34, 55, 90, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98 and 99 series.
 * Town line: "MAILED FROM ZIP CODE" (number)
 * V/F: MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg $00.000 MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg(Range: 00.001 to 99.999)


 * a. Illogical characters in place of normal data or design elements (software error) MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg[R-RRR]
 * b. With slogan "NOT VALID / POSTAGE" (to identify zero cent re-date stamp)

Type MD1 in 2001 edition '''NA2.3. "PostPerfect" ''', October 1-2, 1998. [R]
 * Special event commemorative frank design created for the rededication of Grand Central railroad Terminal in New York City.
 * The eagle head and wing are very small at top left with a logo and "REDEDICATION" over "OCTOBER 1,1998" at top right.
 * The "UNITED STATES POSTAGE" arc is over "GRAND / CENTRAL" near the center of the design.
 * Everything else is as Type NA2.1.
 * Meter numbers in PB96 series.
 * Town line: "MAILED FROM ZIP CODE 10017"
 * V/F: MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg $00.000 MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg(Range: 00.001 to 99.999)

NOTE: Ten machines were used with this frank in Grand Central Station on the two days of the event. Collectors stood in line to get a single post card franked by one of the machines. To get multiples the collector would have to get back in line and wait. The machine numbers are 9517868, 9564765, 9616728, 9633377, 9640224, 9652976, 9656778, 9664002, 9668736, and 9674720.

Type MB1 in 2001 edition '''NA3.1. "Pulsar E300" meter on "Galaxy U700"''' mailing machine), December 19, 1997.
 * Frank printed in gray-black with a field of red to orange dots added at upper right.
 * Eagle head and wing at upper left preceded by two stacked stars with "U.S. POSTAGE" below the wing.
 * Three stacked vertical dashes along far right.
 * Everything else is as previous NA types.
 * TM: "MAILED FROM ZIP CODE" (number)
 * V/F: MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg $00.000 MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg(Range: 00.001 to 99.999)


 * a. Red dots at upper right missing (see NOTE below)
 * b. ZIP code missing from town line
 * c1. Top half except the red dots missing (MFZC 10573)
 * c2. Top half including the red dots missing (MFZC 07105)
 * d. Printed in rose-pink instead of black
 * e. Top half of frank printed in magenta, bottom half printed in gray-black (red dots at upper right)
 * f. Software error, top and bottom halves of the frank reversed

NOTES:
 * Pitney Bowes tried to find a black ink that would be machine readable (i.e. would fluoresce) but did not succeed. With the Pulsar model they added the fluorescent red dots to do this.
 * Stamps without the red dots at upper right are occasionally found since the red ink often ran dry before the black.
 * The red dot field can vary considerably both in color shade, size of the dots, and the numbers of dot rows (usually four).

Type MB2 in 2001 edition '''NA3.2. "U-700"  (aka "Pulsar"'''), summer 2000.
 * Frank printed in red and without the field of red dots at upper left.
 * Otherwise the frank is as Type NA3.1 except the three vertical dashes at right are replaced by stars.
 * Town line "FROM ZIP CODE" (number)
 * A. "FROM ZIP CODE" printed negatively on a solid field
 * B. "FROM ZIP CODE" printed with red letters
 * V/F: MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg $00.000 MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg(Range: 00.001 to 99.999)


 * a. Printed in black
 * b. Zip code 00000
 * c. The lower two lines are compressed leaving the stars at far right indented and appearing approximately 10 mm to the left of the top star
 * d. Top half of frank missing

NOTE: Type NA3.2 came into use after the U-700 model was able to use digital fluorescent red ink.

Type MC1 in 2001 edition '''NA4.1. DM300 (aka "Spark"'''), April 1999. [S-R]
 * Eagle head and wing quite large with a grid of five stars at left.
 * Small "TM" below wing at far right.
 * "U.S. POSTAGE" below head and left part of wing.
 * The rest of the frank is as previous NA types.
 * Meter numbers in PB55" series.
 * Town line "MAILED FROM ZIP CODE" (number)
 * V/F: MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg $ 0.000 MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg(Range: 0.001 to 99.999)

Type MC2 in 2001 edition '''NA4.2. DM300 ''', spring 2000.
 * As Type NA4.1 but "PITNEY BOWES" in negative letters inside the eagle wing at top right.
 * Meter numbers in PB35 and PB55 series.
 * Town line "MAILED FROM ZIP CODE" (number)
 * V/F: MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg $ 00.000 MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg(Range: 00.001 to 99.999)

Type MC3 in 2001 edition '''NA4.3. DM300 ''', early 2003.
 * As Types NA4.1 and NA4.2 but "PITNEY BOWES" below the eagle wing at near right. The small "TM" is found inside the wing tip at top right.
 * Meter numbers in PB35 and PB55 series.
 * Town line "MAILED FROM ZIP CODE" (number)
 * V/F: MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg $ 00.000 MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg(Range: 00.001 to 99.999)

Type ME1 in 2001 edition '''NA4.4. DM300'''.
 * Special frank from the DM300 meter used for postage values below ten cents.
 * Instead of the stars and eagle head "LOW VALUE" appears at top left.
 * "U.S. POSTAGE" does not appear in the frank.
 * Town line "MAILED FROM ZIP CODE" (number)
 * V/F: MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg $ 00.000 MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg(Range: 00.001 to 09.999)

Sub-group NB – Neopost-Hasler, frameless rectangular design with profile of eagle at right facing left



 * This is the first stamp design released after ASCOM Hasler was purchased by Neopost.
 * The meter is digital but the model is unidentified.
 * First seen in November 2002.

Unlisted in 2001 edition

NB1.
 * Solid vertical bar at left containing a vertical "Hasler" reading up. At right is "US POSTAGE" also reading up.
 * Meter number at top with "NO011H" prefix.
 * Value figures and eagle on second line with bars above and below.
 * Below the value figures are the date and "Mailed From" with ZIP code
 * At bottom is an eight digit number, usually starting with three zeros, possibly a transaction counter.
 * V/F: MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg $00.000 MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg(Range: 00.001 to 99.999)

Sub-group NC – Neopost, Frank contains torch in hand

 * These Neopost digital meters used a thermal-mylar process to apply the stamp.
 * Meter models SM22, SM26, and IJ65.
 * Earliest date seen: January 3, 1997.

Type NA1 in 2001 edition

'''NC1. Neopost "SM22, SM26" '''.
 * Torch in hand at left with flames flowing right.
 * Frank with straight frame lines at top and bottom, divided by straight lines into three horizontal bands.
 * Town line in top band, value figures and "N METER" in middle band, date and meter number in bottom band.
 * At right "U.S. POSTAGE" vertical reading up in negative letters on solid background with a column of nine stars at far right.
 * The middle band contains four impressions of the value figures, one large and three smaller duplicates across the top of the band.
 * Meter numbers in 3800000 series.
 * V/F: MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg $0.000 MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg(Range: 0.001 to 9.999)


 * a. Town line including lower case letters
 * b. Without town line, top band blank
 * c. Misspelled town name
 * - "WORCHESTER" (3824810)
 * - "PHEONIX" (3833804)
 * - "ARLINTON" (3843822)

Type NB1 in 2001 edition

'''NC2. Neopost "IJ65" ''', June 2001.
 * Torch in hand at right.
 * Frank with meter number at top above value figures.
 * Below the value figures are the meter number, "Mailed From" and ZIP code, and at bottom, breaking the frame line, an 8-digit number which possibly is an impression counter.
 * At left, in negative letters against a solid panel, is N neopost reading up.
 * At right is "US POSTAGE" reading up.
 * Meter number with NO46J prefix.
 * V/F: MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg $00.000 MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg(Range: 00.001 to 99.999)

Sub-group ND – Francotyp-Postalia, Frank contains head of bird in oval



 * Meter model: MyMail
 * First seen in 2000.

Type QA1 in 2001 edition

ND1.
 * Frameless design with head of an eagle inside an oval at top left and "U.S. POSTAGE" above the value figures at top right.
 * Town line in center band.
 * At bottom, between two parallel vertical lines, are the date and a numeric code above the meter number and an alpha-numeric code.
 * Meter number with "FP05" prefix.
 * Town line with or without ZIP code.


 * V/F: MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg $00.00 MeterCat 5 spaces.jpg (Range: 00.001 to 99.999. The tenths of a cent figure does not print unless it is above zero.)


 * a. Town line reads "POWELIGNED METER"
 * b. Town line reads "NEW YORK" by itself. Either the town or the state is missing.
 * c. Town line includes "METER". One reported: DENVER, CO. METER (FP0594746)