United States Postage Meter Stamp Catalog/GROUP F – Wide rectangular frank with flying eagle in center

GROUP F – Wide rectangular design with faux-perforation outer border and flying eagle in center . edit

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  • This is the first U.S. meter stamp design used with "multi-value" technology. The value figures are printed from small wheels with raised numbers on the outer rim. The wheels are rotated so that the desired numbers face the 'value figure' slot in the stamp die.
  • This design was used by the Pitney Bowes Postage Meter Company starting in 1933.
  • All stamps have straight line town mark inside the frank's outer border.
  • All Group F stamps were printed by the "J" and "JC" meter models which were mounted on the "J" (hand feed) and "JA" (auto feed) mailing machines. These meters were promoted by Pitney Bowes as "Omni Denominational" Postage Meters. The "J" could print values from ½ to 9.99½. The "JC" could print values from 1 to 99.99.
  • Earliest known use is July 19, 1933.



Sub-group FA – "UNITED STATES" above eagle, oval at right containing value figures edit

  • This is an experimental design used by one meter only, meter number 90001. It was placed with the Yale & Towne Company of Stamford CT and used for one year, between July 19, 1933 and June 13, 1934.
  • This was the only U.S. meter stamp with UNITED STATES POSTAGE spelled out in full until the first Pitney Bowes digital stamps (Types NA1 and NA2) were released in 1995.


 

FA1. Model "J" (MV), July 19, 1933.     [R as loose stamp, RRRR on cover or large piece]

Frank with faux-perforation outer border with ornaments extending outward at the sides.
Flying eagle in center with "UNITED STATES" in arc above and "POSTAGE" below.
Value figures in oval at right.
V/F:     0 00 :    (range: 0 00½ to 9 99½)









Sub-group FB – "U.S.POSTAGE" above eagle edit

  • Frank without ornamentation other than the eagle at center.
  • This design was used with Pitney Bowes' new Model "J" multi-value meter introduced in 1934.
  • Earliest known use, March 26, 1934.


Type FB1 in 2001 edition

 

FB1.1. Model "JC" (MV), March 26, 1934.  [R as loose stamp, RRRR on cover or large piece]

Frank 69 mm wide.
"U.S.POSTAGE" in arc above eagle.
"P.B. METER" and "AMOUNT" in straight line above the meter number and "PAID".
The head of the eagle is enclosed within the right wing.
Used for for registered mail only without town line or date.
One machine used experimentally by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York between March 26 and December 24, 1934.
Meter number 90011 (like 90012 meter number also appears to contain a comma).
 
V/F:   0 00 :  (range: 0 01 to 99 99)



Type FB2 in 2001 edition

 

FB1.2. Model "J" (MV), 1934.  [R as loose stamp, RRRR on cover or large piece]

As Type FB1.1 with frank 69 mm wide and "U.S.POSTAGE" in arc.
Town line "LONG ISLAND CITY / N Y." below eagle. Date at lower right.
One machine used experimentally by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company for several months in 1934 and early 1935.
Meter number 90,012 (meter number contains comma)
V/F:   .00 :  (range: .00½ to 9.99½)




Type FB3 in 2001 edition

 

FB1.3. Model "J" (MV), 1934.  [R as loose stamp, RRRR on cover or large piece]

The eagle is more dimensional with the tail showing and the head peeking out below the wing.
"P.B. METER" and "AMOUNT" curved above the meter number and "PAID".
Town line "STAMFORD / CONN.".
One machine used experimentally by Pitney Bowes between August 13, 1934 and April 12, 1935.
Meter number 90001.
V/F:   0 00 :  (range: 0 00½ to 9 99½)




Type FB4 in 2001 edition

 

FB1.4. Model "J" (MV), 1934.  [R as loose stamp, RRRR on cover or large piece]

As Type FB1.3 but the town name is curved.
"P.B. METER" and "AMOUNT" curved above the meter number and "PAID".
Town line "NEW YORK / N. Y.".
One machine used experimentally by McGraw-Hill Corporation for several months starting in 1934.
Meter number 90010.
V/F:   .00 :  (range: .00½ to 9.99½)



NOTE: Types FB1.1 through FB1.4 are all from trials of Pitney Bowes' new multi-value machine, the Model J. Meter 90007 was also part of this test and was used by the Federal Bureau of Weights and Measures. No examples are known to exist today except unmailed proofs. The stamp has the smaller eagle as found on Types FB1.1 and FB1.2 but has curved "P.B.METER" and "AMOUNT" as with Types FB1.3 and FB1.4. The stamp is narrower than Types FB1.1-1.4 at 61/62 mm wide. This is the same width as the production stamp used with the Model J.



Type FB5 in 2001 edition

 

FB2.1. Model "JC" (MV), November 9, 1934.

Similar to Type FB1.3 but narrower at 62 mm wide.
The town name is in smaller letters than with Type FB1.3.
This is the first production (non-experimental) "Flying Eagle" meter stamp design.
"P.B.METER" and "AMOUNT/PAID" are small with letters 1 mm tall.
Meter numbers 90014 through 90237. These number include Type FB2.2 as well.
V/F:   0 00  (range: 0 01 to 99 99)
a. With hour slug in vertical lines at left. One meter only, 90024.
b. With "REGISTERED / MAIL" at left. Meters 90123 known. This slug was applied to stamps on tape only. The left portion of the tape, showing only the slogan, was affixed to the front of the cover. The right portion, showing the frank, was folded over the edge and stuck to the back of the cover  [RR]
c. As b but the slogan reads "REGISTERED / MAIL / SEE OTHER SIDE / FOR POSTAGE AND / ALL OTHER CHARGES" [RR]
d. As c but applied directly to the front of the cover rather than on folded tape  [RRRR]

NOTE: For Types FB2.1-FB2.4 the town line can vary in both font type and size.



Type FB6 in 2001 edition

 

FB2.2. Model "J" (MV), 1934.

As Type FB2.1 but the value figures are different.
Same meter number series as with FB2.1.
V/F:   .00 :  (range: .00½ to 9.99½)
a. With hour slug in vertical lines at left
b. With "REGISTERED / MAIL" at left  [R]
c. With "REGISTERED / No" in double line frame at left  [RR]
d. With "PERMIT" at left



Type FB7 in 2001 edition

 
 

FB2.3. Model "JC" (MV, 1934.

As Type FB2.1 but "P.B.METER" and "AMOUNT/PAID" are larger, nearly 2 mm tall.
Meter numbers 90237 through 90796. These number include Type FB2.4 as well.
V/F:   0 00 :  (range: 0 01 to 99 99)
a. With hour slug in vertical lines at left (90431, 90432, 90485 seen)
b. With "REGISTERED / MAIL" at left  [R]
c. With "REGISTERED / No" at left
d. With "REGISTERED / MAIL" and hour slug in vertical lines at left (90431)  [RRR]






Type FB8 in 2001 edition

 

FB2.4. Model "J" (MV, 1934.

As Type FB2.3 but different value figures.
V/F:   .00 :  (range: .00½ to 9.99½)
a. With hour slug in vertical lines at left (90431, 90485 and 90648 seen)
b. With hour slug without vertical lines at left (90485)
c. With "REGISTERED / MAIL" at left
d. With "PERMIT 100" at left (shown)  [S]