Domestic Uses of the 2nd Bureau Stamps
Below are some of my domestic use 2nd Bureau postal history covers. I have listed various rates and services provided by the United States Postal Service in 1902 through 1909. There were few rate changes during this period, thus relatively easy to know which stamps were used for a given rate.
1st Class Rate (2¢/oz with use of carrier 1¢/oz non-carrier mail)
1st class rate
1 ounce (carrier mail)
- Franked with a pair of 1¢ booklet pair 1¢ Franklins
- Earliest documented use (EDU) of 2¢ Washington (#301)
2 ounce letter
3 ounce letter
4 ounce letter
Registered 1st Class Mail (8¢ registry fee)
1 ounce registered letter
- Common franking with 8¢ Martha Washington and 2¢ Washington
- Solo franking with 10¢ Webster
- Franked with five 2¢ Washingtons
- RFD strike on two 4¢ Grants and one 2¢ stamp
- Penalty envelope franked with 8¢ Martha Washington
2 ounce letter
3 ounce letter
4 ounce letter
Special Delivery on 1st Class Mail (10¢ fee)
- 1 ounce letter — franked with a strip of five 2¢ Washington shield stamps
- 2 ounce letter — franked with a strip of five 3¢ Jackson stamps
Both Services (Registry and Special Delivery)
- 1 ounce letter — cover franked with 10¢ Webster and 1902 special delivery stamp
Post Cards (1¢ domestic rate)
- Early "divided back" post card use.
- Leather card charged letter rate due to non-standard material.
- Post card sent and re-mailed to four separate locations.
- 2¢ bisect stamp on domestic penny post card.
2nd Class Mail / Newspapers and Magazines (1¢ / 4 oz)
- view cover — Cover placed on stack of magazines.
