mehrer@postal-history.commehrer@postal-history.com1. Lots are sold to the highest bidder at a slight advance
over the second highest bid. (Winning bids of $10.00 and under
are not reduced.) All bids will be held confidential. "Buy"
bids cannot be accepted. In case of a tie, the bid with the earliest
postmark prevails. ALL BIDS MUST BE ENTERED BEFORE CLOSING TIME.
When mailing bids, allow ample time for the post office to deliver.
Bids received after closing time cannot be entered.
2. The MINIMUM BID for each lot, unless otherwise specified, is:
$3.00 for lots with estimates up to $10.00
One-third the lot estimate for lots with estimates above $10.00.
Bids must meet or exceed the minimum amount. Bids below the minimum
amount are ignored.
3. Bidding increments are as follows:
Up to $10: $ .50
$10 to $20: 1.00
$20 to $50: 2.00
$50 to $100 : 5.00
$100 to $300 : 10.00
Over $300 : 25.00
Bids that do not conform to these increments will be reduced to
the next lowest increment (for example, $11.50 will be reduced
to $11.00.)
4. Successful bidders are expected to make payment in full before
the lots are delivered. Bidders will be notified (by mail) of
the amount of their purchases after the closing of the sale. In
some cases, at our discretion, we may choose to forgo the sending
of a notice and send the lots with our invoice. In any case, all
bidders must make payment in full within five days after receipt
of our mailing.
5. PHOTOCOPIES: Because condition is such an important factor
for most postal history material, bidders are encouraged to request
photocopies of lots of interest. For photocopies, follow these
instructions exactly:
Send a self-addressed stamped envelope, plus:
- 10 cents per each black & white copy requested (standard-sized
cover or postcard item.)
- 60 cents per each COLOR copy requested (standard-sized cover
or postcard item.)
- $1.50 per each COLOR PHOTOGRAPH requested (three-dimensional
items.)
- Include proportionate payment for oversized items, letter contents,
multiple-piece lots, etc.
Be sure that your return envelope is franked with adequate
postage. You MUST include postage and payment with your photocopy
request, as we are unable to invoice you for our photocopy service.
NOTE: All requests for PHOTOCOPIES must be made by MAIL
ONLY.
PLEASE DO NOT request photocopies via email, fax or telephone.
We ask you to limit your copy requests to those
items on which you are seriously considering placing bids.
Include your payment and self-addressed stamped envelope. Send
requests to: 2405-30 th Street, Rock Island, IL 61201 U.S.A.
For details about our "Cover Scan" Service, click here.
6. Any lot which has been improperly described may be returned
for credit or a refund provided such returns are made WITHIN FIVE
DAYS of receipt of material. NOTE: imperfect flaps, hinge marks,
surface scuffs, etc., on the backs of covers are NOT acceptable
reasons to return material; nor are faults on common definitive
stamps. Bidders requiring perfect backs or fault-free common definitive
stamps are urged to request photocopies of the material before
bidding (SEE #5 above.) Material offered "AS IS" is
NOT returnable for ANY reason.
7. Telephone bids are welcome throughout the sale and until the
time of closing. During the last week of the sale, callers may
be provided "opening" bids. An "opening" bid
is the amount that is one bidding increment above the second highest
current bid. The limit of the current highest bid will not be
disclosed. EMAIL BIDS are always welcome, BUT we have found
through experience that email is a very inefficient method of
conveying opening bids or descriptive information about the lots.
We understand the money-saving value of email, particularly to
our customers outside the U.S.; but we ask that U.S. bidders requesting
opening bids or other descriptive information please phone us.
We acknowledge all EMAIL bids. If you do not receive acknowledgement,
resubmit your email bids. DURING THE FINAL HOUR OF THE SALE, phone
bidders are asked to limit their calls to FIVE MINUTES OR LESS,
as a courtesy to other bidders.
NOTE: Many bidders wait until the last two days of the sale
to phone in their bids. We WELCOME this participation, but some
bidders may get frustrated or discouraged by our phone lines being
busy much of the time during the closing days - and particularly
the final hours - of the sale. Some people have asked whether
we intentionally leave the phone off the hook. (We don't.) If
you get a busy signal, keep trying. The only reason the line is
busy is because someone else had the persistence to get through.
If you want to be sure that your bids get entered: mail early,
call early, fax early or email anytime. Calling on the last two
days has its advantages, but it has it's dangers, too. Please
don't get "shut out" by the busy signals.
8. The placing of a bid shall constitute acceptance of the foregoing
conditions.
CONDITION OF POSTMARKS:
VF : Very Fine (all letters perfectly struck)
F : Fine (letters very well struck)
VG+ : Very Good plus
VG : Very Good (letters well struck,request information regarding
but perhaps one or more light)
G+ : Good Plus
G : Good (some letters light or not struck)
Readable: Identifiable; NOT a good example
_______________________________________________________________________
ABBREVIATIONS USED:
b/s - backstamp
ms - manuscript
canx- cancel
cc - corner card
CDS - circular date stamp
cr - crease
crnr- corner
cvr - cover
DCDS- double circle date stamp
E -or- Est - estimated value
EKU - earliest known use
GPC - government post card
h/s - handstamp
LKU - latest known use
MIN - minimum bid
msg - missing
o/s - overstruck
o/w - otherwise
PPC - picture post card
PSE - pre-stamped envelope
rec'd - received
reg.pack.rct. - registered package receipt
regd - registered
SFL - stampless folded letter
T, B, L, R - top, bottom, left, right
w/ - with
w/o - without
- Numbers in parentheses are years of opening and closing of post
office.
- Commercial ("commer.") usage designates any regular
use of mail, to distinguish it from philatelic (collector-created)
covers. We frequently we use this term to describe post-1930 covers.
Absence of this term in the description does not imply philatelic
usage.
- "Catalog Copy" indicates that the item offered in
this sale was used as the illustrated representative example in
the standard reference catalog for that postmark type.
Our catalog is divided into seven web pages for your convenience.
Make sure to visit all seven pages.
States are listed in alphabetical order, followed by:
Advertising (AD)
Airmail/Flights (AM)
Auxiliary (AX)
Expositions (EX)
First Day Covers (FC)
Foreign Destinations (FD)
Literature (LT)
Machines (MC)
Meters (MR)
Military (MY)
Picture Postcards (PC)
Political & Inaugurations (PO)
RPO & Related (inc. corner cards & street cars)(RR)
Seals (SL)
Ships (SS)
Stamps on Cover (ST)
Territories (TR)
World-Wide (WW)
Miscellaneous (MX)
Mail Bid Sale Catalog: Section
1
Mail Bid Sale Catalog: Section
2
Mail Bid Sale Catalog: Section
3
Mail Bid Sale Catalog: Section
4
Mail Bid Sale Catalog: Section
5
Mail Bid Sale Catalog: Section
6
Mail Bid Sale Catalog: Section
7
To go to our Postal History Net Price List, click here.
To see our list of Postal History Reference Literature,
click here.
To see our list of Supplies for Collectors, click here.
For information about consigning material for our Mail
Bid Sales, click here.
To see our Postcard Net Price List click here.
To see our Show Calendar for Collectors of Stamps,
Postal History and Postcards, click here.
To return to our Home Page, click here.
To see our Old-Time Postmark Calendar click here.
To go to our Phone Card page click here.
Comments? Questions? Email us at mehrer@postal-history.com
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