Page METER STAMP SOCIETY Collector’s Guide Spring 2016

MSS Website Edition

Collector’s Guide

The Meter Stamp Society

Est. 1948

0193

What Is a Postage Meter?

The Postage Meter has a long history around

the world. The United States has a slightly differ-

ent story. While the focus for this Guide is on the

U.S.A stamps, the guidelines, suggestions, and

examples shown here are

universally applicable

and are designed to

serve collectors no mat-

ter what areas of the

world they collect. This

Guide will be revised

and reprinted as neces-

sary so any suggestions

and additions are wel-

comed.

Quoted from a Pitney-

Bowes Booklet, “The

postage meter is a gov-

ernment-licensed mail-

ing machine that prints

postage as required, di-

rectly on the envelope

(or on an adhesive tape)

for any type of mail -

first, second, third, or

fourth class; air mail,

registered mail, special

delivery, or other special services. In a single op-

eration, it prints a prepaid postage meter stamp,

including dated postmark, of any value needed.

Most models also seal an envelope, or moisten

the gummed tape at the same time the meter is

being printed.

The postage meter’s stamp is non-negotiable,

and requires no cancellation in most countries. It

can be used only by the licensed user whose as-

signed meter number appears in the meter stamp

itself. The meter does its own bookkeeping

through sealed but visible registers, which show

postage used and postage on hand, in dollars and

cents.”

Except for the smallest desk models, the post-

age meter is a detachable unit of a larger mailing

machine. The meter contains the postage print-

ing die and the recording mechanism. Whenever

the private user needs to ‘fill’ the meter, he used

to take it to the post office

to be ‘set’. Today most

meters are set over the

phone or the internet.

Postage is paid for in ad-

vance, and need not be

entirely used before the

meter is reset. But if post-

age is allowed to run out,

the meter automatically

locks against further use.

Because meters print

postage and collect Gov-

ernment revenue under

official lock and seal, in

the United States they can

only be leased from the

vendor. However they can

be owned in some coun-

tries. These vendors are

held responsible for the

proper operation, service,

location, and replacement

of all of their meters in service.

The mailing machine, as distinguished from

the meter, has nothing to do with the collection

of postage revenue. The complete mailing ma-

chine can be quite large and can prepare the

mail, insert it into the envelope, print the ad-

dress and advertisement (some models in color)

and finally print the postage. They were availa-

ble in a wide range of hand and electrically driv-

en models, for large and small firms, and are

usually sold outright. Today they are fully digi-

tal.

OK, so what exactly are meter stamps? This is

not as obvious as it sounds. They are used to

What continued on page 2

Spring 2016 METER STAMP SOCIETY Collector’s Guide Page 2

What is a Postage Meter?....................................................

Meter Stamp Evolution…………………………..…………….

Glossary, Abbreviations and Symbols of

Traditional Postage Meters…………….………....

Glossary, Abbreviations and Symbols of CVP

Meters…………………………………………………....

Early History of Traditional Meter Stamps………………...

General Types of Postage Meters…………………………...

What to Collect………………….……………………………..

Sources…………………….…………………………………...

How to Collect………………………………………………….

Collection Organization……………………………………...

How to House a Collection………………………………….

US Variable Denomination Stamps –.FAQs……………...

U.S. Postage Alternatives…………………………………...

Postage Meter Country Identifier…………………………….

References……………………………………………………….

Inside the Collector’s Guide

President : Richard Stambaugh

100 Elder Court

Prescott AZ 86303

email: rickstambaugh@gmail.com

Past President: Joel Hawkins

3102 North 150th Lane

Goodyear, AZ 85395

email: joel5215@aol.com

Secretary Treasurer: Harold Effner

27 Pine Street

Lincroft, NJ 07738

email: haroldeffner@comcast.net

Vice President : Stephen P. Kaplan

3659 S. Green Road, Suite 100

Beechwood, OH 44122

email: spk@skaplanassociates.com

MSS Bulletin Editor: David Crotty

1305 Old State Road

Park Hills, KY 41011-2750

email: decrotty@yahoo.com

Proofreader: Richard Stambaugh

Auctions Chairman: Rick Stambaugh

Annual dues:

First Class USA: $24 one year, $45 two years.

International Airmail: $45 one year, $85 two years.

Web Delivery $10 per year (Provide email)

(Contact Secretary Treasurer)

Dues may be paid by PayPal w/voluntary $1 extra.

Send money using PayPal to msstreasurer@comcast.net.

The Meter Stamp Society is a non-profit organization

under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Send financial donations to the Secretary Treasurer.

Meter Stamp Society Website:

www.meterstampsociety.com

Includes Complete Indexes 1948 to Present

Meter Stamp Society Data Center:

www.draves.com/mss

Maintained by Alan Draves

Meter Stamp Society Discussion Group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/meterstampsociety

Any related topic. Open to nonmembers.

To join send an email to:

Meterstampsociety-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Visit us on Facebook

collect postage revenue just like other stamps,

but what makes them DIFFERENT from other

stamps?

Some people call non-metered stamps “adhes

ives”, but this distinction is meaningless since

meters are often printed on gummed paper. Per-

haps we can say that meters are different be-

cause they can be printed directly on the enve-

lope while other stamps are stuck down, but this

ignores postal stationery stamps which certainly

are printed directly on the envelope. Another

distinction often made is that meters have a

town/date mark while other stamps don’t. Meter

stamps are usually dated for the day of use but

some classes of mail are supposed to be undated,

and prepaid return mail is usually undated. In

early models the date was inserted by hand and

were often forgotten, inserted in odd order or

inverted. Some countries, like New Zealand,

never had a date as part of a meter imprint.

Sanction was given for the worldwide introduction of

franked mail on 30 November 1920 at the 7th Universal

Postal Union Congress in Madrid: ‘ARTICLE 13. Pre-

payment; reply coupons; exemptions from postage. 1.

Prepayment of postage on every description of article

can be effected either by means of postage stamps valid

in the country of origin for the correspondence of pri-

vate individuals, or by means of impressions of stamp-

ing machines, officially adopted and working under the

immediate control of the Administration.’ Detailed Reg-

ulation VI: ‘Impressions produced by stamping ma-

chines must include an indication of the country of

origin. They must be bright red in color, whatever the

value represented by them. . . The impressions of stamp-

ing machines must also be applied in that place [top

right-hand corner]’. (Window envelopes were also ap-

proved at this Congress.) The UPU regulation came into

force on 1 January 1922: “ARTICLE 30. Duration of the

Convention. The present Convention shall come into

force on the 1st of January 1922, and shall remain in

operation for an indefinite period.”

The definition of a “meter stamp” has blurred

in recent years. In the U.S. the USPS has extend-

ed the definition of “metered mail” to a rather

bewildering array of postage devices. This will

include the traditional office postage meter, and

what the USPS calls “PC Postage” (see Glossa-

ry). PC Postage is considered by the USPS to be

What continued from page 1

What continued on page 15

Page 3 METER STAMP SOCIETY Collector’s Guide Spring 2016

While the collection of postage meter stamps was

originally simply a problem of determining the coun-

try, maker and meter type of a particular item in

hand, today the meter world is much more complex.

In 1988 the U.S. Postal System (USPS) opened a

Pandora’s box by allowing several new types of

“stamps” that could pay postage. The full story was

written up in the MSSQB issue 289 Autumn, 2010.

There are three types of meters, if you allow us a

little freedom of expression.

Traditional Postage Meter. The postage meter

stamp from the beginning was dated and generally

had to be used on that date (there are a few excep-

tions to this). The meter stamp must show the

amount of postage paid. Generally the stamp also

indicates the country of origin as well as the maker

of the postage meter. The postage meter itself is a

machine that is capable of printing the meter stamp

and keeping

track of

(meter) the

amount of

postage paid

for and the

amount of

postage used

up to that

moment.

This type

of postage

payment de-

vice is cata-

loged by the

International

Meter Post-

age Stamp

Catalog by

Hawkins

and Stam-

baugh and is

currently provided online at www.wiki books.org.

Personalized or Custom Postage was originally

first days of use in

1988. These types of

postage were generally

printed in sheets by

one of several desig-

nated vendors (today

there are three with

many sub-licensees).

The sheets were then

mailed to the user. The

user could often pro-

vide his/her own image for the stamps although most

vendors also provide a range of stock images. The

stamps are generally not dated and can be used at

Meter Stamp Evolution

any time, very much

like traditional postage

stamps. These are often

called Photo Stamps.

The term “PhotoStamp”

is a registered trade-

mark of one of the ven-

dors. There is tremen-

dous variation in these

items and catalogs like

Scott Specialized tried

to keep up. Scott aban-

doned this type of postage payment in about 2006.

The only catalog for U.S. Personalized Postage is an

incomplete one mounted on the web at:

www.meterstampsociety.com/custompostage/

cataloghome.html.

Computer Vended Postage (aka Variable Denomi-

nation) is postage

that is printed by

an automatic

vending ATM (aka

automat) or on a

personal comput-

er. The denomina-

tion is variable to

suit the needs of

the user at the

time of printing.

Kiosks that vend

this type of post-

age are usually

found in U.S. Post

offices but Pitney

Bowes has placed

its own kiosks on

college or office

campuses. These

stamps largely

have been b/w

prints but lately

have been in col-

or. The USPS kiosks also have largely been b/w but

now some stamps are printed on preprinted paper

stock with color images.

The Pitney Bowes CPV stamps have been printed

in full color by the kiosk. The stamps printed by the

unit is usable at any time or place inside the U.S. or

at an APO. These CVP postage items continue to be

cataloged by the Scott Specialized Catalogue of U.S.

Stamps and Covers. Karim Roder, a member of the

MSS has produced three editions of his catalog, the

first in German. The second and third editions are in

English. The current edition USA: Variable Denomi-

nation Stamps (1989=2015) is available from

www.Createspace.com a division of Amazon.com.

Early and Current Postage Meter Stamps

Personal Postage with

A Stock Image

Recent USA Computer Vended Postage

of Charlie Brown from the SSK Kiosks

Personal Postage with

User’s Image

■

Spring 2016 METER STAMP SOCIETY Collector’s Guide Page 4

Term Definition

Bank a wheel with numbers on the rim which is rotated to impress part of the

postage amount on Multi Value meters.

Denomination: the amount of postage shown by the Value Figures.

Die: the solid print head of a non-digital meter.

Digital: a meter that uses thermal, laser or some other digital technology in-

stead of a die to apply the Stamp.

Fixed Value: a meter with Frame and Value Figures carved out of a single die. A

Fixed Value meter can print either a single denomination stamp or has

a small set of different denomination stamps.

Frame: that portion of the Frank surrounding the Value Figures.

Frank: Noun: that portion of the Meter Stamp showing the Denomination and

(nearly always) the country name. Often a currency name or symbol is

shown along with “POSTAGE PAID” or similar statement.

Verb: to apply a postage stamp to a piece of mail.

Greater Border: a frame surrounding a large portion of the Impression such as the

Stamp, Town Mark and Slogan. This is a feature found on many early

Italian stamps but is otherwise quite uncommon.

Identification Number: meter identification number assigned by the postal authority or vendor

Impression: the entire imprint including the Stamp (Frank, Town/Date Mark), and,

if present, Serial number, Slogan, Slug, Greater Border, etc.

Indicia/Indicium: same as Frank.

Key Letter: same as Prefix.

License Number: a number the postal authority assigns to the mailer (rather than to the

meter).

Limited Value: a meter that has one Frame die with a slot into which several Denomi-

nation dies can be rotated.

Mailing Machine: a device which processes outgoing mail. It can contain a feeding mech-

anism, an envelope sealer and a sorter as well as a postage meter. Some

can print the contents, stuff the envelope and print postage.

Meter: for the purposes of this book, same as Postage Meter Stamp Some col-

lectors manage to find a few actual postage meter machine that printed

the meter stamps. Some countries allow ownership, some do not.

Meter Number: an identification number assigned by the meter manufacturer.

Meter Stamp: a postage stamp impressed by a Meter.

Multi Value: a non-digital meter that can print any postage value within a specified

range. The machine uses Banks of number wheels that are rotated to

make the correct postage value appear in the Die.

Panel An area within a frank bordered by an outer frame line on two or three

sides and an inner frame line on the fourth side.

Glossary, Abbreviations and Symbols for Traditional Postage Meters

Page 5 METER STAMP SOCIETY Collector’s Guide Spring 2016

■

Permit Imprint on bulk mail items indicating prepayment of postage based on

number and weight of mail item. Permit imprints usually a square box

with the words postage paid. Some permit imprints resemble postage

meter stamps.

Permit Number: same as License Number.

Postage Meter: a machine that prints a postage stamp and maintains a record of the

amount of postage generated.

Prefix: a character or characters (usually alphabetic) preceding a Meter Num-

ber, Identification Number or License/Permit Number.

Relief Machine: a Postage Meter lent by the distributor or dealer to a customer while

the customer’s machine is being serviced.

Serial Number: a counter of Impressions made by the Meter.

Slogan: a verbal or pictorial message of a non-postal nature printed by the me-

ter. A slogan typically promotes a product or cause supported by the

mailer.

Slug: similar to a Slogan but the message is for postal purposes. Examples

are FIRST CLASS, BULK RATE, PARCEL POST, AIRMAIL, RE-

TURN SERVICE REQUESTED.

Spacing: the distance between the Town Mark and the Frank. It is usually meas-

ured from the right edge of the Town Mark to the left edge of the

Frank.

Setting Distance from the center of the Town Mark to the center of the Frank

and/or the Value Figures.

Stacked a word or number with each letter or digit placed one above or below

the other,

Stamp: the Frank plus the Town/Date Mark.

Tape: a Meter Stamp impressed on an adhesive paper strip meant to be af-

fixed to a parcel or mail-piece that cannot be fed through a postage me-

ter.

Town/Date Mark: that portion of the Meter Stamp that contains the post office name

where the meter is licensed and (usually) the date of mailing.

Town Mark: same as Town/Date Mark.

Value Box: a small rectangle immediately surrounding the Value Figures in some

Stamps .

Value Figures: the numbers and symbols that make up the postage value.

Vertical a word or number reading up or down.

Abbreviations

BIC: circular town mark with Broken Inner Circle

DC: Double Circle town mark

FV: Fixed Value meter, single denomination

FV-n: Fixed Value with ‘n’ stamp dies. FV-5 indicates an FV meter that can

print five different value stamps

ID number Identification Number

L# License number

LV-n: Limited Value meter with ‘n’ different denominations

M# Meter number

MV: Multi-Value meter

S# Serial number

SC: Single Circle town mark

TM: Town Mark, Town/date Mark

V/F: Value Figures (not “face value”)

Spring 2016 METER STAMP SOCIETY Collector’s Guide Page 6

Glossary, Abbreviations and Symbols for CVP Meters

ATM Automatenmarken (German) or Vending Machine Stamps (English), not to be

confused with the US term ATM which means “automated teller machines.”

ATM Stamps A USA term for preprinted definitive size stamps in an unfolded booklet form that

can be sold by Bank ATM machines (some USPS APC machines still vend ATM

stamps).

Automat (German) Vending Machine (English), that can range from stamp vending machines to ciga-

rette and soft-drink machines; it is a general term.

Automatic stamps No such thing, some people use this due to confusion with “Automat” or

“Automatenmarken”. There’s nothing “automatic” here.

Customized Postage See Personalized Postage.

CVP Computer vended postage, which applies to any postage stamp / label that is gen-

erated through a computer and generally requires an internet connection. A

“Frama” stamp is NOT a CVP stamp, as these were mechanically printed using an

impact printer in the machine and used pre-designed label rolls. Aka Variable De-

nomination postage.

Variable Denomination VDS Variable Denomination Stamps. See CVP Computer Vended Postage.

Frama A specific type (brand) of ATM stamp, but not every ATM stamp is a

“Frama” (kind of like calling photocopies a “xerox” – that’s only true if it’s done

on a Xerox copier). Originally developed in Switzerland and now defunct (except

in a few countries, such as Liechtenstein).

Klüssendorf A specific type (brand) of ATM stamp. A German manufacturer of postage vend-

ing machines.

APC Automated Postal Center kiosk which dispenses ATM stamps usually located in

US post offices. Now known as Self Service Kiosk (SSK).

SSK Self-Service Kiosk (see APC above).

Personalized Postage Generally stamps that have to be ordered through the internet (not printed at

home) and can have custom images and text (this includes “Photo Netstamps”).

Most products have value preprinted on stamp but some products allow the value

to be printed at a home PC on specially designed sheets of peelable labels. See PC

Postage.

Personalised Postage Worldwide term for a wide range of alternate postage products. Spelled with an

‘s’.

Netstamps A particular brand name of CVP stamps for which special pre-printed sheets have

to be ordered and then the value printed by the end-user at home (these can be

plain or also have stock images available, known as Photo Netstamps).

Internetmarke A German type of CVP by which the user can print postage at home (either on

paper, labels or envelopes and either with or without a selection of stock images

or clipart).

Page 7 METER STAMP SOCIETY Collector’s Guide Spring 2016

■

Post & Go UK-based machines that print thermally printed postage labels (on pre-printed la-

bel stock).

Mail & Go Pitney Bowes trademark for its US-based kiosks that printed both thermally print-

ed postage labels (plain) or inkjet printed full color stamps on die-cut self-

adhesive labels. Mostly located at school and corporate campuses.

CPU Contract Postal Unit, a privately owned company authorized to do certain func-

tions of a US Post Office. In 2007-2008 most were equipped by Pitney Bowes

units that print thermally printed postage label strips.

Briefmarke Individuell A German “custom / personalized” stamp that has to be ordered via Deutsche

Post’s website; which will print the customer’s design and mail them on sheets of

10 or 20 to the customer. Similar to USA “personalized” / “customized” stamps

such as those offered by PictureItPostage (Endicia), Zazzle and

“PhotoStamps” (stamps.com) .

Plusbrief Individuell German “custom / personalized” postal stationery envelope that has to be ordered

via the Deutsche Post website, which will print the customers design on envelope

(various sizes are available).

PhotoStamps A specific brand name of stamps (from stamps.com) that are ordered via the inter-

net and printed by stamps.com using the customer-supplied image.

Zazzle Stamps A specific brand of “photo stamp” (ie: NOT “PhotoStamp by stamps.com) or-

dered via the internet and printed by Zazzle and mailed to the customer.

PictureItPostage A specific brand of “photo stamps” / custom postage that is ordered via the inter-

net and printed by Endicia and mailed to the customer.

Dymo/Endicia A specific brand of “internet postage”

PC Postage As defined by the USPS DMM (Domestic Mail Manual), “PC Postage products

allow customers to purchase and print postage with IBI (Information Based Indi-

cia) or IMI (Intelligent Mail Indicia) indicia directly onto mailpieces, shipping

labels, and USPS-approved customized labels (usually peel off labels designed to

be used for PC Postage). USPS-approved commercial providers offer PC Postage

products for customers through subscription service agreements.” These indicia

include all postage products other than traditional postage stamps and stand alone

postage meters.

PVI Postage validation imprint (although some people think it means “postage value

indicated”). A term used by the USPS to describe a security meter-like strip (self-

adhesive) generated by a postal clerk’s counter meter and immediately applied to

a mail piece. Many countries have picked up on this type of counter meter.

mPOS A type of PVI postage strip issued by a postal clerk using a hand held “mobile de-

vice” that then prints a postage label.

Spring 2016 METER STAMP SOCIETY Collector’s Guide Page 8

Soon after the introduction of adhesive

stamps in 1840, suggestions were made and

patents taken out in an attempt find better

ways to pay postage, especially for businesses.

It was recognized that a system involving the

purchase, moistening and affixing of small

pieces of gummed paper to mail for subsequent

cancellation by the Post Office might well be

replaced by some mechanical means whereby

prepayment of postage might be made by the

approved use of a machine to imprint the

"stamp" and at the same time to keep a register

of the postage used.

Carle Bushe of Paris appears to have patent-

ed the first postage meter. He took out a Brit-

ish patent in August 1884, covering an appa-

ratus for impressing and registering stamps.

But he may not have actually built one. An

Italian inventor, Count Detalmo di Brazza,

placed about four coin operated meters that

placed registration marks as shown here, on

mail in New York in 1897 for a few months. A

Hungarian inventor, Antal Fodor, built another

meter to put a registration mark on mail and

placed it in front of a Paris post office in 1909

for a few months. Other postage meters were

tested and used around the world.

NORWAY.

A machine, invented by Charles

A. Kahrs, was installed in the lobby of the

General Post Office, Kristiania, (Oslo), on Au-

gust 24, 1900. This was a coin-feed model

(used by the public for franking their own mail

by insertion of the required coins). The franks

produced were considered only as receipts for

prepaid postage and the Postal authorities af-

fixed adhesive stamps to the letters bearing

them, usually over the meter impressions. The

machine was withdrawn on September 14,

1900.

To Karl Uchermann goes the honor of hav-

ing originated the franking system as we know

it today for use by private firms. His machines

were constructed by Krag Maskinfabrik, of

Kristiania. The frank dies were supplied by the

Postal authorities and the design is one of the

most attractive ever to have been used. The

Krag/Uchermann machines produced both the

5 and 10 Ore stamps, but only the 5 ore value

impressions are known used on covers. The

machines were first used on June 15, 1903 and

the latest date of use known is January 2,

1905.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA .

The

forerunner of the meter machines used in the

United States was the invention of Arthur H.

Pitney, co-founder of Pitney-Bowes, Inc. The

machine was designed and built by Eugene A.

Rummler. The printing unit was contained in a

rectangular box-like structure. The first com-

pany for its promotion, Pitney Postal Machine

Co., was organized in 1902. The machine was

first demonstrated by Mr Rummler in the Post

Office Department in Washington D.C. in

March 1903. From November 24, 1903 to

March 1904, all official correspondence of the

Third Assistance Postmaster General was han-

dled by this machine under the supervision of

a committee of the P.O. Department appointed

by Postmaster General Payne. The committee

reported favorably on the machine but con-

cluded that the Postmaster General did not

have the authority to adopt that style of post-

age. Very few impressions from this machine

are known. As only official mail was franked,

Early History of Traditional Postage Meters

Di Brazza Imprint 1897

Norway 1903

Uchermann

Sample of First US Postage Meter Pitney Bowes

First used August 1920.

History continued on page11

Page 9 METER STAMP SOCIETY Collector’s Guide Spring 2016

the impressions produced bore no indication of

value but only a serial number and the usual

penalty clause applied to official mail

PENALTY OF $300 IS FIXED BY LAW

FOR / USING THIS ENVELOPE TO

AVOID PAYMENT OF / POSTAGE ON

PRIVATE MATTER),

and therefore they are

not actual postage meter stamps, but merely

government permits.

In May 1912, a five-day test of the first Pit-

ney meter machine was conducted at Washing-

ton D.C. Matter which was run through this

postage meter went through the mail and bore

a shield shaped impression, value 1-cent or 2-

cents. In September 1912, the American Post-

age Meter Co. of Chicago, Illinois was orga-

nized as a successor to Pitney Postal Machine

Co. On January 28, 1914, further experiments

were started at Chicago where at least eight (8)

business houses used meter machines in con-

junction with an envelope sealing machine, ca-

pable of sealing, franking, and counting ap-

proximately 250 pieces of mail per minute.

Only third class mail (printed matter) was

franked, with 1 cent or 2 cent values. This was

permissible without further legislation as the

frank was considered merely a permit, and the

permit system had been in effect for third class

matter since 1904. A total of over 850,000

pieces of mail were franked by the machines

and mailed through the regular channels, but

very few have survived.

It was not until September 1, 1920 that the

first postage meter designed for first class mail

was approved by the Post Office Department

through a special act of Congress. The first

mail franked by this Pitney-Bowes Postage

Meter Co was posted at Stamford, Conn. on

December 10, 1920, at 6:00 P.M. The remain-

ing history of United States meters is covered

in sufficient detail in other publications (See

References).

NEW ZEALAND Ernest Moss of Christ-

church presented a machine (Model 1) in

March 1904. The first official reference to the

machine is found in the report of the Postmas-

ter General of June 21, 1904, which states that

"quite recently no less than three 1d. Coin-in-

the-slot stamp-vending machines have been

offered to the department for trial. Only one of

these has so far been sufficiently perfected to

stand actual working tests. This machine, the

work of a Christchurch inventor, was tried for

two weeks in the portico of the Christchurch

Office and for three weeks in Wellington" The

insertion of discs, washers, etc, in place of

coins led to the withdrawal of this machine.

The Model 2 was introduced in 1905. There

was only one die; the ld. Various models con-

tinued to be used and New Zealand is credited

with being the country with the longest contin-

uous use of postage meters.

GREAT BRITAIN. As in the case of Nor-

way Franking Machine in Oslo, an experi-

mental unit was installed at the General Post

Office, London E.C. It was the invention of F.

Wilkinson of Essex and manufactured by the

Automatic Stamp Selling Machines Ltd. It con-

tained a coin-slot into which a penny was

dropped after insertion of the letter to be

franked in another opening. By turning a han-

dle the letter was then franked, drawn into the

box, and dropped into the box below. It was

Pitney Bowes 1903 Test

1904 Moss Meters in New Zealand

Pitney Bowes 1912 and 1914 Tests

History continued on page12

History continued from page10