A team, led by Chip Gliedman, has been working on a complete update of the ASCC as its new incarnation as the American Postal Markings Catalog (APMC).
As of November 2022, all of the markings data from Volume 1 of the most recent edition with updates collected by Van Koppersmith have been imported into an industry-standard database. We are in the process of consolidating these records and adding over 10,000 scans and tracings of markings collected by volunteers and contributors.
Your support on this project will make a big difference in the final product. Initially, we need people to help, including checking the listing accuracy, linking the collected markings to the proper listings, and updating listings with newly available information. When live, this team will be responsible for reviewing new submissions for accuracy and inclusion.
Our current plan for the APMC is to publish the database online and eventually make hard copy books available.
If you have knowledge of any state or region, or are just willing to help with the many tasks ahead, please contact the editor at cgliedman (at) gmail (dot) com.
Thanks very much for your help and support.
Table of Contents
A. Introduction
B. General Information
C. Listing Criteria
D. Data Submission Format
E. Image Submission Format
F. Planned, Suggested, Future changes
G. Pricing Considerations
H. Abbreviations
A. General Information
The APMC will be published as and online, searchable, printable database, initially containing everything last published in Volume I of the ASCC, including markings on stampless and stamped covers to June 1, 1861. The format and availability of a printed and bound edition is still being determined.
B. Listing Criteria
This is a postal markings catalog. It will include town postmarks, rate markings, and auxiliary or instructional markings. Cancellations on stamps are not included in this catalog.
Historical letters will not generally be listed if they do not have postal markings.
Items will not be de-listed and/or changed without ample justification. Please indicate which items you think should be de-listed and/or changed and why.
Institutional covers will be listed in the new edition, as before. Please indicate when an item is only known in an institutional holding.
As many markings as possible will be illustrated, so please submit as many illustrations as possible, particularly of non-standard handstamps. Maintain records of where you obtained information and illustrations, as you may be asked for clarification and/or better images. Please obtain a signed waiver of claims for use of images from everyone submitting images. The waver is available on the web site.
Please do not submit anything new you are not certain exists, have not verified in person or via clear photocopies or scans. If in doubt, do not submit a new marking, as it is better to add a new marking later than to add a false marking now.
C. Data Submission Format
For now, data may be submitted in any convenient format. Microsoft Word via email or CD is the preferred format. As all data has to be manually input, no submission format is unacceptable. Catalog photocopies with corrections and additions are even fine, hopefully supplemented by new listing data.
If collecting data from scratch, please use the current ASCC listing format for the particular section, using abbreviations from the current list. If you do not have access to a current ASCC, please refer to the copy of Volume 1 in the Electronic Library on the USPCS website. Please be careful and distinguish between upper and lower case, sans serif, raised letters, and so forth, as well as manuscript data. Punctuation and spelling must be exactly as shown on the marking. Marking data will be incomplete if it does not include size, color(s) and dates of use.
You cannot provide too much information, so there is no need to reformat data prior to submission if it contains more information than what is expected. Ambiguous, incomplete and/or illegible submissions will be questioned.
Use the forward slash (“/”) to indicate change of direction in arc type markings and for additional lines in straight line markings. All measurements should be in millimeters and should be rounded up to the nearest whole millimeter if 10 millimeters or greater. All markings are considered round (single line circle) and in black ink unless described otherwise.
Refer to the current editions of the ASCC for examples.
Once live, data will be able to be entered online and will be routed for review and approval for inclusion.
For now, submissions should be sent to: cgliedman (at) gmail (dot) com.
D. Image Submission Format
Ideally, most non-standard and/or unusual markings will be illustrated Consequently, many, many illustrations are needed, as the current catalogs do not list most markings.
Once live, images will be able to be directly attached to the appropriate listing. There will not be a limit to the number of images associated with a single listing, so multiple examples of a marking, showing different dates of use, rates associated with the marking, or patterns of wear can be stored.
Images should be submitted as separate files, preferably using Dropbox or other file sharing methods. Please indicate in the text where images belong and how they are named. Acceptable image formats are .jpg and .png, in that order of preference. All images should be actual size, or clearly indicated when not. Maximum resolution desired is 600 dpi, with 300 dpi being the preferable size in most cases. Images should be in color. Multiple images of the same marking, are acceptable. For example, a scan of a cover at 300 dpi and an isolated scan of the relevant markings at 600 dpi is ideal.
Auction catalog images will be available from some auction houses. If markings are required from any catalog, please include the auction firm name, sale number and lot number with your submission information and we will attempt to obtain the image. Please do not individually approach the auction houses, as they do not have the manpower to service many individual requests.
By contributing images to this project, you agree that you have voluntarily provided the U.S. Philatelic Classics Society with photographs, scans, photocopies and/or images, and that some or all of them may be used for the American Stampless Cover Catalog or other Society sponsored or approved publications. You also agree to waive any claims whatsoever against the Society, its officers, directors, members, the ASCC, book editors, authors or anyone who may use these images with the permission of the Society. Finally, you waive any right to compensation for the use of these images by the Society.
Submissions should be sent to: cgliedman (at) gmail (dot) com
E. Planned, Suggested, Future Changes
The following changes are planned and/or suggested for this and/or future editions of the catalog. Feel free to comment on them, as well as make your own suggestions.
It is hoped that county names will be included for each city in the state sections. Consequently, please include county information with your submissions.
Dates of operation information would be useful. Please include this information, also.
It would be helpful to include town/city names from which postal markings are possible, but not yet recorded. If that information is available now, please include it with your submissions.
Several cities have been listed at the end of their state section instead of in alphabetical order. This practice will not be continued.
The introduction to the catalog, as well as each section, will be rewritten and enhanced.
F. Pricing Considerations
Without a doubt, the most difficult task in publishing a catalog will be pricing. We currently DO NOT plan to add value or pricing data to the catalog for a number of reasons:
– Value is an opinion based upon multiple factors, including rarity, supply, and demand.
– Changes in the collector base can dramatically change value. Changes in the availability or demand for material can often change with the addition or subtraction of a small number of collections or collectors.
This does not mean that a value or pricing guide is not useful. We see an opportunity for knowledgeable collectors or societies to complement our work with such guides.
G. Abbreviations
Found in postmarks:
A.T. —- Alabama Territory or Arkansas Territory
C.N. —- Cherokee Nation, Chickasaw Nation or Choctaw Nation
Ia. —- Indiana (not Iowa)
I.T. —- Iowa Territory, Idaho Territory, Indian Territory or Indiana Territory
Mi. —- usually Mississippi
MI. —- usually Mississippi
Mis. —- Mississippi
Miss. —- Mississippi
Mo. —- Missouri
Mo. T. —- Missouri Territory
Ms. —- usually Massachusetts, but can be District of Maine
M.T. —- Michigan Territory, Minnesota Territory or Mississippi Territory
N.T. —- Nebraska Territory or Nevada Territory
O.T. —- Oregon Territory or Orleans Territory
Ter. Mo. —- Missouri Territory
T.M. —- Missouri Territory
W.T. —- Washington Territory or Wisconsin Territory
Used in catalog listings:
Arc —- arc shaped
Box —- boxed with squared corners
BS —- boxed with non-square corners
C —- single line circular marking
CD —- circle date (“Bishop Mark” or “Franklin Mark”)
DC —- double circle with words between circles
DLC —- double line circle
DLDC —- double outer line with double circle
DLDO —- double outer line with double oval
DLO —- double outer line oval
DO —- double oval with words between ovals
(E) —- earliest known date
F —- fancy
FC —- folded cover (no message or message leaf)
FL —- folded cover with message or folded letter
Irreg —- irregular circle or oval
(L) —- latest known date
MD —- month date only
MDD —- month and day date
Ms —- manuscript
ms D —- manuscript date
NOR —- no outer rim
O —- single line oval marking
Oct —- octagonal
Ofr —- odd shaped frame
Pmk —- postmark or townmark
SC —- scroll or ornamental outline
SL —- straight line
YMDD —- year, month and day date
* —- star
/ —- beginning of new line
The numerals appearing after the dash indicate dimensions of the marking in millimeters. Round to the whole millimeter for markings 10 millimeters or larger. The horizontal measurement is shown first, followed by the vertical measurement, separated by an “x.”
REVISED: February 2023
