ruskystamps
Czarist
Posts: 15
Registered: 3/14/2006
Location: Southampton, Hampshire, UK
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Mood: Always half-full
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Parcel Cards - what were they used for?
Happy New Year everyone - from UK !
Just a question please...
I have come across Russian 'Parcel Cards' for sale and wondered what these were used for?
And were there maybe different types of 'parcel cards' - I'm just guessing that COD parcel might have a card accompany it with details of money to pay
and so on...but can someone please enlighten me on all this?
...and also comment on whether these are keenly collected, only I see very few for sale on eBay for example.
Publisher of www.ruskystamps.com illustrated stamp album pages - collector of Russian stamps 1858-1991. Based in UK - now retired with more time! |
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IvoSteijn
Major Philatelist
Posts: 299
Registered: 11/2/2002
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Mood: philatelic
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Big question with a long answer! Parcel cards, called "Accompanying adres" in Russian, accompanied a parcel (so the franking was not on the parcel
itself but on this card. After the parcel is delivered (or picked up at the post office, usually), the parcel card got filed in a post office archive
from which many were later "liberated". Parcel cards were introduced in April 1904 so they're a relatively short-lived phenomenon for Imperial Russia
- the Soviet variety seems to be much scarcer.
You can find card for regular parcels, parcels with declared value, COD parcels and COD parcels with declared value.
I collected them for many years. I like that you get really unusual frankings on these cards (if you want an article that lists all the rates, send me
an email at dr.ivo@ivosteijn.com), and of course they're totally non-philatelic which is also nice. I don't know if there are specialized parcel card
collectors - might be a nice side collection. Also, Happy New Year!
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ruskystamps
Czarist
Posts: 15
Registered: 3/14/2006
Location: Southampton, Hampshire, UK
Member Is Offline
Mood: Always half-full
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Many thanks IvoSteijn for the very helpful and informative reply...I just thought I might collect a few - as a side collection to my core Russia
collection - similar to what I have done with BOB, Cinderella, Civil War, Cancellations, Postal History, etc ...I even have some Russia banknotes
(through to 1991)!
The image here is one of the 'liberated' examples I have seen for sale!
Publisher of www.ruskystamps.com illustrated stamp album pages - collector of Russian stamps 1858-1991. Based in UK - now retired with more time! |
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IvoSteijn
Major Philatelist
Posts: 299
Registered: 11/2/2002
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Mood: philatelic
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Very nice! That's the COD/Declared Value type. Sometimes you will find that certain postmarks really only occur on these cards, so postmark collectors
are always on high alert for them.
I forgot to mention that there is a ton of additional complications you can find with these cards: storage charges, parcel returned to sender, etc.
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ruskystamps
Czarist
Posts: 15
Registered: 3/14/2006
Location: Southampton, Hampshire, UK
Member Is Offline
Mood: Always half-full
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Again...very helpful Ivo
I was outbid on all four parcel cards that I was watching on eBay  ...but I had no
real idea of their value - they went for $6.50 to $11.50 US each. I don't know if this is typical(?) - but I will keep my eyes open for others!! Just
a new side collection interest really - not serious.
Publisher of www.ruskystamps.com illustrated stamp album pages - collector of Russian stamps 1858-1991. Based in UK - now retired with more time! |
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IvoSteijn
Major Philatelist
Posts: 299
Registered: 11/2/2002
Member Is Offline
Mood: philatelic
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Unless the postmarks are really special, I'd say that's about typical. I think I got my start by buying a little lot of them (which turned out to have
some really early examples, April-June 1904) so that was a good learning experience.
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