International Postage Meter Stamp Catalog/United Nations

United Nations edit

  • The United Nations uses distinctive postage meters in their United States headquarters and in their offices in Switzerland and Austria. In other locations United Nations offices and contingencies use meter stamps of the local country.
  • The earliest UN distinctive meters began use in its United States headquarters in 1951.
  • The stamps are grouped by period of use and location:
A – Forerunner stamps, from setup period in the United States prior to 1951
B – Stamps used in the United States headquarters
C – Stamps used in Switzerland branch offices
D – Stamps used in Austria branch offices


  • See Morocco Type PO6 for a stamp related to United Nations activity in that country.
  • For more detailed information, see United Nations Philately, by Arleigh Gaines, New York, 1980. (Later editions may exist.) Currently out of print.



GROUP A: Meter stamps used by the United Nations while organizing its headquarters in New York edit


 

A1. Pitney Bowes “R" (MV), 1945.

This is United States Type IA3 with various town marks and slogans used by the United Nations prior to implementation of their own designs.
TM: SC
V/F:      . 00 :      00 :
Five town marks and five slogans were used. The slogans are:


 
A. Town mark NEW YORK
A1. Meter 108314
A1a. no slogan      [$50]
A1b. slogan I      [$150]
A1c. slogan II      [$50]
A1d. slogan IV      [$100]
 
A2. Meter 109534, slogan I      [$150]
A3. Meter 113436
A3a. no slogan      [$50]
A3b. slogan II      [$5 for philatelic FDC, otherwise $20]
A4. Meter 1365611, no slogan      [$50]
A5. Meter 151461, no slogan      [$150]
 
A6. Meter 152077, no slogan      [$200]
A7. Meter 182488
A7a. no slogan      [$15]
A7b. slogan V      [$50, FDC $75]
A8. Meter 186840, no slogan      [$50]
A9. Meter 186897
A9a. no slogan      [$25]
A9b. slogan V      [$50]


B. Town mark GREAT NECK
B1. Meter 113436
B1a. no slogan     [$75]
B1b. slogan II      [FDC $25, otherwise $200]
B2. Meter 180705, slogan V      [$75]


C. Town mark LAKE SUCCESS
C1. Meter 113436, slogan II      [FDC $15, otherwise $25]
C2. Meter 115515
C2a. no slogan      [$25]
C2b. slogan II      [$75]
C2c. slogan III      [$60]
C2d. slogan IV      [Extremely rare, known only by a single cut-out. Value uncertain]
C3. Meter 116728
C3a. no slogan      [$50]
C3b. slogan IV      [$100]
C4. Meter 126118
C4a. no slogan      [$10]
C4b. slogan III      [$25]
C4c. slogan IV      [$100]
C4d. slogan V      [$25]
C5. Meter 138421
C5a. no slogan      [$20]
C5b. slogan IV      [$100]
C5c. slogan V      [$25]
C6. Meter 150815
C6a. no slogan      [$75]
C6b. slogan IV      [$125]


D. Town mark LONG ISLAND CITY
D1. Meter 162110, slogan V      [$500]
D2. Meter 163706
D2a. no slogan      [$400]
D2b. slogan V      [$500]


NOTE: Unless otherwise noted catalog values are for service use (non-philatelic) on full cover.



 
 


A2. Pitney Bowes (MV), 1949.      [$75]

This is United States Type GA1 with town mark "WASHINGTON D.C." used by the United Nations prior to implementation of their own stamp designs.
Meter 92289 only.
TM: SC
V/F:      0 00
NOTE: Shown at right is an example of a United States Type G1 stamp, not the exact stamp used by the United Nations.





GROUP B: Meter stamps used at United Nations headquarters in New York edit


 
 

B1. Pitney Bowes “R" (MV), 24 October 1951.

Horizontal design without outer frame.
UN building between TM and value figures.
“UN/POSTAGE” above value figures and “CENTS” below.
M# “–1–” through “–4–” with “P.B.” prefix at bottom center.
TM: SC
V/F:      00 :   (The value figures for M# 1 used a colon where the dots were more closely spaced - see note to US Type IA4.1)
a. With “POSTAGE” missing below “UN”. Meter #3 used between June and September 1977  [$15]




 
 
B2. Pitney Bowes “6500” (MV), 1983.
Similar to Type B1 but wider design, without “CENTS” below value figures.
M# 1 through 6 (till 1991) and 15000 through 15006 (from 1991 to 1995).
A. TM with "NEW YORK" at top and "N.Y." at bottom.
B. TM with "UNITED NATIONS" at top and "N.Y." at bottom.
V/F:      0.00




 

B3. Pitney Bowes “Paragon” (MV), 1995.

Similar to Types B1 and B2 but larger design.
Value figures enclosed within a box.
“UNITED NATIONS’ above the box, “UN POSTAGE” inside the box at the bottom.
“PB METER” above meter number.
Numbers reported are 0015007 through 0015020 plus 699995.
V/F:      0.00




 


B4. Pitney Bowes “Gem” (digital), 2005.

With large square digital data field at left.
Town line “MAILED FROM ZIP CODE 10017” across bottom.
V/F:      $000.00o








GROUP C: Meter stamps used at United Nations offices in Switzerland edit

  • Meter stamps of Switzerland were used by offices of the United Nations at various times.

 
 
C1. Hasler “F88" (MV), 1969.
Frank with line ornaments in each corner, a large “P” at each side, UN logo at top, and “NATIONS UNIES” at bottom.
The UN logo is raised slightly in relation to the upper line ornaments.
Meter number below frank, M# 3401 only.
TM: BIC
V/F:      0000
a. Without meter number  [$50]
b. With "= I 107 =" below meter number




 
 
C2. Hasler “Mailmaster” (MV), 1986.
Similar to Type C1 but the UN logo is even with the upper line ornaments, and the value figures are slightly smaller.
M# 21997 only.
TM: DC
V/F:      0000
a. With Swiss cross removed from bottom of TM






GROUP D: Meter stamps used at United Nations offices in Austria edit

  • Meter stamps of Austria were used by offices of the United Nations at various times.



Sub-Group DA: For use at UN business offices. TM with “WIEN” only edit



 
DA1. Postalia (MV), 1979.
Upright rectangle with double straight-line border.
“VEREINTE / NATIONEN” at top, “GROSCHEN” at bottom.
Value figures small and narrow
TM: SC with “WIEN” at top
V/F:      00000







 
DA2. Francotyp “Cc” (MV), 1979.
Very similar to Type DA1 but value figures larger and with leading diamond.
TM: SC with “WIEN” at top
V/F:      ♦000      ♦0000







 
DA3. Frama (MV), 1979.
Very similar to Type DA2 but wider value figures and with slightly narrower spacing between the frank and town mark.
Frank 30mm tall.
TM: SC with “WIEN” at top
V/F:      0000







 
DA4. Frama (MV), 1979.
Similar to previous DA types but shorter frank, 26mm, and with 5-bank value figure.
TM: SC with “WIEN” at top
V/F:      00000







 
DA5. Pitney Bowes “5000” (MV), 1979.
Horizontal frank with single straight-line border.
“VEREINTE/ NATIONEN/ GROSCHEN” in three lines at top above value figures.
The date figures are raised in relation to the value figures.
TM: SC with “WIEN” at top
V/F:      0000







 
DA6. Pitney Bowes “A/B900” (MV).
Plain, rectangular frank as with Type DA5.
“VERIENTE NATIONEN” in one line at top with “EURO CENT” immediately below.
M# with “P” prefix at bottom.
TM: SC with “WIEN” at top.
V/F:      0000







 
DA7. Pitney Bowes-GB “6300” (MV).
Small frank wider than tall.
“VERIENTE NATIONEN” in two lines at top, with “GROSCHEN” at bottom right.
TM: SC with “WIEN” at top.
V/F:       0000








Sub-Group DB: For use at the UN post office, TM includes “VEREINTE NATIONEN” edit



 

DB1. Postalia (MV), 1979.

Wide rectangle with “1400WIEN-VEREINTE NATIONEN” at top, “NACHGEBUHR” at bottom.
With large “S” between date at left and value figures at right.
Used for collecting Postage Due.
V/F:      000.00



 


DB2. Satas (MV), 1980.

Similar to Type DA1 but TM SC containing “WIEN – VEREINTE NATIONEN” at top and post code at bottom.
With hour figure between TM and frank.
V/F:      0000




 

DB3. Pitney Bowes “6300” (MV), 1981.

Small horizontal frank with double-line border.
“VEREINTE/NATIONEN” at top and “GROSCHEN” at bottom right.
TM as with Type DB2
V/F:      0000




 

DB4. Hasler “Mailmaster” (MV).

Similar to Type DB2 but without hour figure.
Inscriptions in frank are smaller than with Type DB2.
TM as with Type DB2
V/F:      00000





NOTE: At least two meters used in the United Nations office in Vienna have Austrian rather than United Nations franks but the town marks contain “VEREINTE NATIONEN WIEN” in one case and “WIEN – VEREINTE NATIONEN” in the other. They are both shown below. See Austria Types HA1.3 and PO-B1.


 
 












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