Papua New Guinea 1959 1/7d Registered Envelope RE4 - census!

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Sat Jun 18, 2011 08:14:31 am

PNG 1959 1/7d Registered Envelope RE4

As demand for the Registered Letter RE 4 - issued 1. September 1959 - was very low it was withdrawn on 31 October 1961.
Only 2450 pieces were sold.

Looking at auctions you find them offered mostly in mint condition.

I would like to draw a list of PNG Registered Letters RE4 that were properly used.

Please add pictures of any known examples.
Or you may contact me via: WolfgangHoelzl[at]gmx.de

I will start with two RE4s from my collection:

number 1:

RE4 without additional franking are hardly encountered.
number 2:

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Wed Jun 29, 2011 05:11:57 am

number 3:

ozstamps · **Posted:** Wed Jun 29, 2011 10:32:15 am

USED RE4 are indeed scarce Wolfgang!

The cover above is to The Rev'd A. H. Voyce who probably generated more philatelic mail than any other person connected with PNG!

http://www.auspostalhistory.com/articles/69.shtml

Even being TO Voyce I'd have to say that looks like legit use!

upolo · **Posted:** Mon Jul 18, 2011 22:02:50 pm

number 4:

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Tue Jul 19, 2011 05:43:11 am

As I am collecting information on RE4s already for several years there should be at least 70 of these envelopes cancelled on 1. September 1959 - day of issue - in Port Moresby.
Registration numbers reaching from 40618 to 40688.

Wanting to count properly used ones, I think we should not count the FDCs, that did not leave the place of posting and probably never were in the mail.
Nevertheless, should you know or own any FDC please show us the picture!

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Wed Aug 03, 2011 08:17:49 am

number 5:

mickeyfinn · **Posted:** Wed Aug 03, 2011 18:22:30 pm

number 6:

Another example (from the prolific philatelic correspondence of Mr. B. Sipols)

This cover is ex Ray Kelly and was in his Australian Territories postal stationery exhibit.

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Wed Aug 03, 2011 19:05:21 pm

Thanks mickeyfinn,
may I beg you to tell the year of usage - maybe 30.JE.1961?

mickeyfinn · **Posted:** Wed Aug 03, 2011 20:29:25 pm

Sorry that I missed the date from my original post.

Yes, the date of posting is 30·JE·61

AMark · **Posted:** Wed Aug 10, 2011 04:58:40 am

Hello Wolfgang.

Very interesting topic.

I guess these PNG Registered letters are difficult to locate.
Are they usually found through auction houses?

Cheers!

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Wed Aug 10, 2011 05:17:52 am

AMark wrote:

I guess these PNG Registered letters are difficult to locate.
Are they usually found through auction houses?

Hello AMark,
yes these RE4s are sold by auction houses.
With this thread I hope to get collectors looking at stampboards to show us those RE4s hidden in their collections.

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Mon Oct 31, 2011 08:51:07 am

number 7:

... sadly damaged, but commercially used.

Motacilla · **Posted:** Mon Oct 31, 2011 23:27:59 pm

What do the figures in manuscript on some of the RE4 mean?

Global Administrator · **Posted:** Tue Nov 01, 2011 00:12:05 am

Wolfgang or Mickyfinn - can either of you email me a scan of a good example as high as rez as possible - I'll add it to a 'Stamp News' Column if I can source one and link to this thread.

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Tue Nov 01, 2011 02:46:44 am

Motacilla wrote:

What do the figures in manuscript on some of the RE4 mean?

These numbers show the page and line of the booklet in the post office where the registered article is counted.

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Tue Nov 01, 2011 03:13:31 am

Global Administrator wrote:

Wolfgang or Mickyfinn - can either of you email me a scan of a good example as high as rez as possible - I'll add it to a 'Stamp News' Column if I can source one and link to this thread.

Email with scan on its way.

GlenStephens · **Posted:** Tue Nov 01, 2011 08:51:50 am

Thanks Wolfgang .. I will use this.

What is your total count so far of POSTALLY used copies?

And how long have you been keeping a tally?

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Tue Nov 01, 2011 09:05:43 am

I am counting for about ten years.
Till today 31 commercially used ones.
But only four of them are solo use.
And there should be at least 70 FDCs looking at the registration numbers.
I counted 13 FDCs.

aethelwulf · **Posted:** Tue Nov 01, 2011 17:33:48 pm

Not being a Lakatoi-head, but someone who reads a lot of threads to learn something and file away the info as "something to look out for in junk boxes", I was wondering,

Is there a particular reason this postal stationery had little demand? Just not a rate or service that saw a lot of use? Although registered mail is used often enough, and the covers were obviously uprate-able.

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Tue Nov 01, 2011 18:37:45 pm

It seems people did not like these envelopes - maybe because there was an extra cost of 1 Penny. They were sold for 1/8d.

aethelwulf · **Posted:** Tue Nov 01, 2011 18:39:11 pm

Wolfgang wrote:

It seems people did not like these envelopes - maybe because there was an extra cost of 1 Penny.

Was PNG colonised by Scots? :lol:

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Fri Nov 11, 2011 06:49:09 am

number 8:

Global Administrator · **Posted:** Fri Nov 11, 2011 12:48:56 pm

4/5d post to UK? Must be totally philatelic use Wolfgang?

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Fri Nov 11, 2011 22:23:08 pm

Yes, this is philatelic.
Allan Jennings was a collector of NG postal history.
But the rate - 4/3d - is OK.
2/3d postage to Europe + 2/- for registration.

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Sat Nov 12, 2011 04:31:59 am

number 9:

2/- sh postage to USA + 2/-sh for registration.

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Sat Nov 26, 2011 01:46:47 am

number 10:

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Thu Dec 01, 2011 01:48:16 am

number 11:

GlenStephens · **Posted:** Tue Jan 10, 2012 04:39:20 am

Wolfgang wrote:

I am counting for about ten years.

Till today 31 commercially used ones.

But only four of them are solo use.

And there should be at least 70 FDCs looking at the registration numbers.
I counted 13.

So is this count still correct Wolfgang?

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Tue Jan 10, 2012 04:50:44 am

GlenStephens wrote:

So is this count still correct Wolfgang?

No others seen in the meantime.

GlenStephens · **Posted:** Tue Jan 10, 2012 05:02:52 am

Wolfgang wrote:

number 11:

Wolfgang you have said this was 2/- post to USA and 2/- for Reg'd = the 4/- on this.

If the 1/7d Envelope already covered Regd and local post why was it 2/-?

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Tue Jan 10, 2012 05:12:00 am

RE 4 date of issue: 1 September 1959
at that time
postage inland 4d, registration 1/3sh.

On 1st of December 1959 postage was increased:
postage inland 5d, registration 2/-sh.

GlenStephens · **Posted:** Tue Jan 10, 2012 05:33:09 am

Got it - makes sense now!

Global Administrator · **Posted:** Thu Jan 12, 2012 09:23:26 am

Mentioned this thread in my next "Stamp News" and "Philatelic Exporter" column -

http://www.glenstephens.com/snfebruary12.html

Glen

mozzerb · **Posted:** Sat Jan 14, 2012 06:50:42 am

Wolfgang wrote:

It seems people did not like these envelopes - maybe because there was an extra cost of 1 Penny. They were sold for 1/8d.

Isn't that fairly standard for postal stationery though -- i.e. there's a charge for the envelope itself as a piece of stationery that you would otherwise have to buy separately, in addition to the value of the impressed stamp?

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Sun Jan 15, 2012 02:56:53 am

I am not sure about the reason why this envelope was only sold in such a small quantity.
It was only a thought about the additional penny.
In Germany all postal stationery was sold at that time with no additional charge.

mozzerb · **Posted:** Sun Jan 15, 2012 05:08:45 am

Wolfgang wrote:

I am not sure about the reason why this envelope was only sold in such a small quantity.
It was only a thought about the additional penny.
In Germany all postal stationery was sold at that time with no additional charge.

The UK situation is different - inland-rate postal stationery was seldom sold at the stamp face value, in large part originally because stationers objected to that idea! (As I recall, foreign rate stationery was sold at face value due to a UPU requirement.) I suspect that this varies country by country and the pattern isn't clear-cut, although PNG might have followed the UK lead.

Still, an extra 1d on an item with a 1s 7d face value, and which presumably was made of stout reinforced paper, doesn't sound unreasonable. Surely a significant factor in its rarity is the fact that it only had a three month validity period at the rate for which it was printed? When was the replacement issued? If it was shortly after the rate changed, then perhaps the old stock was withdrawn?

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Sun Jan 15, 2012 06:07:44 am

After withdrawal on 31. October 1961 no new registered envelopes were issued.
As an alternative people were told to use prestamped envelopes with additional franking.

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Wed Jan 25, 2012 08:55:13 am

number 12:

It is interesting to see the usage for unusual things - keys only - because of the solid envelope.

Postage up to 4 ounces 1/2
Registration fee 2/-

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Mon Feb 13, 2012 05:46:57 am

number 13:

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Fri Feb 17, 2012 20:23:02 pm

The following information comes from Rod Perry - thanks!

number 14:

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Sat Mar 03, 2012 18:43:49 pm

number 15:

Although a FDC it has an additional 3d-franking for airmail to Australia.

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Fri Mar 23, 2012 03:35:36 am

number 16:

Last day of 1/7 d - postage surface to British Empire, one of the four known RE4s solo use.

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Tue Apr 24, 2012 06:17:36 am

number 17:

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Thu Apr 26, 2012 03:37:53 am

number 18:

One more FDC with an additional 3d-franking for airmail to Australia.

Global Administrator · **Posted:** Tue Sep 25, 2012 20:16:18 pm

Wolfgang wrote:

.... should you know or own any FDC please show us the picture!

Here are a couple of recent sales Wolfgang - Alan Salisbury was a leading specialist here and Stamp Magazine columnist, and Fred Bartu later went on to be a dealer in Brisbane!

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Tue Sep 25, 2012 22:02:35 pm

Global Administrator wrote:

Wolfgang wrote:

.... should you know or own any FDC please show us the picture!

As I do not want to count FDCs, that did not leave the place of posting and probably never were in the mail, this is number 19

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Tue Oct 16, 2012 08:48:14 am

number 20:

sold ex McNabb collection - Prestige Philately auction 176

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Tue Oct 16, 2012 19:57:38 pm

number 21:

commercially used!

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Tue Oct 16, 2012 20:02:57 pm

At our annual gathering, some days ago, I could see another RE4 properly used without additional franking.
One of the four known examples till today!

number 22:

Port Moresby 13.Nov 1959 to Victoria R-Number 44243

sadly no picture available!

Wolfgang · **Posted:** Mon May 06, 2013 02:59:04 am

number 23:


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