Category Archives: Postal history

1965 UK – Davaar Island

Davaar Island, situated at the mouth of Campbeltown Loch on the eastern coast of Kintyre in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, is a tidal island accessible via a natural shingle causeway near Campbeltown during low tide. In 1854, a lighthouse was constructed on the northern end of the island. It was automated in 1983. Presently, Davaar Island is only inhabited by caretakers and sheep. During the 1960s, local stamps were issued for Davaar Island, serving the purpose of allowing visitors to have their mail posted there and carried by the boatman to the nearest General Post Office Post Box in Campbeltown on the mainland.  The boatman service ceased operations in the early 1970s. The postage rates for Davaar Island were double those of the UK (Source: Davaar Island stamps).  Thus, post sent from Davaar had both UK and Davaar stamps, see for example these covers with Salvation Army stamps on the frontside and Davaar stamps on the backside.

1965 - Davaar Island Globe w/ SG 665
1965 - Davaar Island Globe bs i
1965 - Davaar Island Globe bs ii
1965 - Green Davaar Island Europa
1965 - Davaar Island Lighthouse w/ SG 665
1965 - Davaar Island Europa bs.
1965 - Black Davaar Island Europe bs.

UK – Sanda Island Post

Sanda is a small, privately owned island off the southern tip of the Kintyre peninsula in Scotland, and began issuing its own local carriage labels in 1962. Some cachets have both UK and Sanda stamps, see for example these covers with Salvation Army stamps on the frontside and Sanda stamps on the backside.

1965 - UK - Sanda Island w/ SA stamp
1965 - Sanda Island - Green Europe SG 666
1965 - Sanda Island - Black Europe SG 666
1965 - Green Sanda Island Europe backside
1965 - Black Sanda Island Europe backside
1965 - Sanda Island - blue w/ SG 665

Switzerland – Franchise stamps – update

From 1911 to 1943 the Swiss Post issued some franchise stamps to support charity organizations like the Salvation Army. The overprinted numbers 146 and 369 were used for the Salvation Army. The 146 overprint was used from 1911 – 1925 and the 369 overprint was used from 1926 to 1943. (Source: Heilsarmee-Briefmarken). Here are these overprints shown on a nice private and four official Salvation Army covers in good condition. Very nice & rare items!!

1921 - 146 overprint (Heilsarmee)
1925 - Franchise stamps 146 overprint
1926 - Franchise stamps 369 overprint
1927 - 369 overprint (SA overprint)
1937 - Franchise stamps 369 overprint

1927 – Switzerland – Franchise stamps

From 1911 to 1943 the Swiss Post issued some franchise stamps to support charity organizations like the Salvation Army. The overprinted numbers 146 and 369 were used for the Salvation Army. The 146 overprint was used from 1911 – 1925 and the 369 overprint was used from 1926 to 1934. (Source: Heilsarmee-Briefmarken). The official SA cover also has an extra “Armee du Salut” slogan PM (St. Aubin Colonie Agricole). The agriculture facility  was called “Le Devens” and was administered by the Salvation Army from 1912. 

1921 - 146 overprint (Heilsarmee)
1927 - 369 overprint (SA overprint)

US naval covers with SA stamps

1968 – Canal Transit Submarine

In 1908, US Congress authorized post offices aboard ships and stations of the U.S. Navy. These post offices offer the same service as do post offices in cities and towns, and have identifiable postmarks. Around 1930, collectors began sending their own covers to U.S. Navy ships to be cancelled and returned. These envelopes or postcards that have been postmarked on and mailed from a navy ship are commonly referred to as naval covers. Also around this time, printed, stamped or hand drawn designs were added to naval covers. These designs, known as

1967 – Tautog Launching

cachets, became popular. The cachet may be specific to a ship, an event, or may be generic in design. Collectors today continue to send covers to ships for servicing. Covers commemorating keel layings, launchings or ship commissionings are popular with collectors. After 1965, some of these covers were issued with the Salvation Army stamp, which must be the ultimate contradiction: The Army without guns commemorated on naval covers. More covers are shown here. Source: About Collecting Naval Covers

US – Ranto cachet – SA 4.56

SA 4.56a – PO bulletin FDC

Stamp Posters w/First Day Cancels (SPFDC) are the forerunners of the USPO Souvenir Pages which have been issued since 1972. The USPO began distributing Stamp Posters to post offices in 1959. These 8 x 10-1/2 inch posters soon caught the eye of stamp collectors. Soon, some collectors had the idea of affixing a copy of the stamp(s) depicted to the poster and having the stamp(s) first day cancelled. Exactly, when collectors began this activity is uncertain, but by 1963, a stamp dealer started a service where he would apply the stamp(s) to copies of the posters for mailing to subscribers (Ranto). Usually, his work can be identified because he folded the posters twice for cancelation and mailing to his customers. All SPFDC are scarce, and many are rare, especially if they are flat (unfolded). In fact, SPFDC are unknown for quite a few issues. The shown poster bulletin here is unfolded and rare!