Inside Linn’s: No directory service given for local letters

By Charles Snee

The March 9 issue of Linn’s Stamp News just landed on the presses and goes in the mail to subscribers Monday, Feb. 24. And if you subscribe to Linn’s digital edition, you’re at the head of the line with early access Saturday, Feb. 22. While you wait for your issue to arrive, enjoy these three capsule reviews of exclusive content available only to subscribers. 

No directory service given to these letters mailed locally

Two covers mailed locally in Tacoma, Wash., in 1932 and 1942 were returned to their senders because they did not qualify for directory service (address correction) after being unclaimed by the addressees. Tony Wawrukiewicz, in Modern U.S. Mail, deciphers the meaning of the unusual “RETURNED TO WRITER” handstamps on the two covers, which are from Marjory Sente’s award-winning exhibit of the 1932 Washington Bicentennial commemorative issue.

How to collect it: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder semipostal

In this handy feature, Linn’s explains how to successfully remove recent United States stamps from their issued formats and add them to your stamp album. Also provided are the issue date and the number of the correct Scott mount for the single or se-tenant multiple of the highlighted issue. In this week’s installment, we feature the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder semipostal stamp issued Dec. 2, 2019.

Collectors’ Forum: embossed message on 1880 Queen Victoria stamp

Do you have a stamp, cover or other philatelic item in your collection that raises a question or two in your mind? Then you should consider sending your query to Linn’s Collectors’ Forum. This week, Linn’s editors use photographic techniques to reveal the likely source of an embossed message that appears on a British 1880 Queen Victoria 1-penny stamp sent by a reader from California.

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